After reading the novel, one understands the reasoning behind it. Perhaps, the most intriguing theme of the novel has to do with the title – “Another Country”. Ultimately, even though Baldwin opened up the reader’s mind to various sexualities including bisexuals, his characters proved that their love could not survive or be successful. Furthermore, the homophobic attitudes displayed in the book were a cry out of Baldwin pinpointing that the society was not ready to accept the interracial couples. Ironically, his sister once again submitted to the white race through Vivaldo. Struggling with his black identity, Rufus dominated Leona as a revenge on the whites. Their inner combats increased and took the form of such mediums as writing, artistry, and social agendas.
They were dominated in every sphere, be it intellectual, physical, social, or political. It is not accidental that Baldwin showed in his novel many interracial couples and homosexuals, connecting love and race in a time when the two could not be connected because of a taboo.īaldwin’s characters portray real life struggles African-Americans faced as minorities. Eric, the most notorious of the characters, engages in casual sexual relationship with Vivaldo, and Ida shows affection to Ellis, a producer. Vivaldo and Ida begin interracial affair, and Eric comes back to New York with the intention to renew friendship however, he ends up creating more drama as his illustrious affair with Cass ends when Richard finds out about it.īaldwin seems to have filled the novel with an endless line of numerous affairs. Later in the book, Baldwin reveals some details about Rufus such as the fact that he has a sister, Ida, and that he had a male lover Eric. Rufus’ white friends include Vivaldo, Richard, and his wife Cass.
Struggling against his inner racial prejudice and seeing himself as a victim, Rufus abuses his Caucasian girlfriend Leona both physically and emotionally, which eventually leads her to a mental hospital. The life of a drummer, Rufus Scott, is short yet complicated, eventually ending in a suicide. The novel explores lives of a strange social circle: a group of white and black artists. Even though this can be taken literally, the larger meaning reflects African-Americans’ inner struggles against racism, nationalism, and sexism. James Baldwin’s “Another Country” is a story about African-Americans searching for a country of their own.
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