An Essay On Ezekiel Rawlins

Ezekiel Rawlins, shows the violence of his black community to breathe free on the Los Angeles Riots of 1965. The city of Los Angeles, smells like burnt, and violence has overwhelmed people with rage. No one in the neighborhood wants to go out on the streets, and are afraid to go to work. On the black community there is a women killer that Ezekiel Rawlins, needs to capture. While almost all businesses, schools, and stores have been burnt down. Nola Payne’s murder case is of interest to the police and Mr. Rawlins because if it turns out that a white man killed her it could make the riots rise up again. Throughout the search of the killer of Nola Payne, Mr. Rawlins changes his view on his black community, white community, and himself. Business owners do not want to open their stores because they are afraid their business will go up in flames by rioters. “The morning air still smelled of smoke. Wood ash mainly but there was also the acrid stench of burnt plastic and paint.” (Little Scarlet 1) Mr. Rawlins cannot believe this is happening on his community. If a white man crosses into the black community is beat down, like in the case of Peter Rhone trying to see his love Nola Payne. “”That’s enough, soldier. This man is allowed in.” I smiled at my brother. He scowled at me before standing aside.”(Little Scarlet

Rawlins. He starts to investigate about Nola Payne’s murder, and finds out about Peter Rhone and Nola Payne’s love affair. It turns out Mr. Rawlins thinks Peter Rhone being white did not kill her. While investigating more deep, Mr. Rawlins finds out about a homeless named Harold on the scums of the city. He starts to feel hate towards Harold because he finds out more than Nola Payne have been killed by that man named