Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
Setting
Two classy young women move from their sheltered life in North Carolina to the hustle and bustle of New York City—sounds like the plot of a classic fish-out-of-water sitcom. As you might imagine,...
What's Up With the Title?
Can you think of a more straightforward title for a book than Having Our Say?Bessie expresses surprise that anyone "would be interested in hearing what two old Negro women have to say" (7.32.19). O...
What's Up With the Ending?
Because Having Our Say is structured as a loose memoir rather than a novel, there is no giant climactic event that sews everything up—no crazy action scene or self-revelation or pizza party or an...
Tough-o-Meter
As an oral history of sorts, Having Our Say maintains an easy-to-follow, conversational tone. There are plenty of minor family members to keep track of, but this rarely becomes an issue.