Motif Of Time In If Beale Street Could Talk

James Baldwin is a renowned American author known for his works that talk about race, class, and sexuality. His 1974 novel, If Beale Street Could Talk, also centers on some of these issues. The novel focuses on and is narrated by, nineteen-year-old Tish, who is pregnant with her fiancé’s baby. Tish’s fiancé, Fonny, has been wrongfully put in jail. Throughout the story, the reader learns about Fonny and Tish, their families, and their history. The novel has many discussions of race and privilege, as well as topics of religion, music, and love. But underneath all of these topics, what weaves the novel together is Baldwin’s persisting motif of time. In his novel, If Beale Street Could Talk, author James Baldwin uses a motif of time, showing how

The novel starts with Tish narrating “I look at myself in the mirror…” (3), and then in the next paragraph Tish switches to the past tense, to recount her day to the reader. This technique allows the reader to become close to Tish, to feel as if she is talking directly to them, making them all the more sympathetic when she reveals her struggles. This happens again a few pages

The use of present tense almost makes the reader feel as if they’re there with Tish, and allows the reader to see and understand the depth of her struggle. Her past and present collide to bring together a picture of her life, showing the reader how her past has shaped her. There are more examples in the novel of tenses switching to guide the reader into a deeper meaning of the characters. For example, in one scene, Fonny reunites with his old friend, Daniel, and learns that Daniel has been in prison. Fonny invites Daniel over to dinner at his and Tish’s house, where Tish makes them food and narrates them eating it. Throughout the scene, Tish narrates using the present tense, noting, “We are happy, even, that we have food enough for Daniel, who eats