Can you imagine living in a time when you were judged and treated differently due to your skin color? In If Beale Street Could Talk,the author, James Baldwin, addresses this issue. The book is a mixture of a love story and the issue of racism , injustice, and prejudices. The book takes place in New York, from the viewpoint of a young black women, Tish, who is deeply in love with a young artists, Fonny, who has been arrested for a crime he has not committed. When it is discovered that Tish is pregnant, the families are supportive of the couple along with the drive to get Fonny out of jail. The author uses rhetorical devices such as point of view, figurative language, imagery, time elements, suspense, and detailed descriptions …show more content…
The author uses many similes and metaphors throughout the book. At the beginning of the book, it is stated, “they shine as bright as razors” when referring to the outliers in society ( pg8). This simile displays how noticeable the outliers in society are and how they stick out like a sore thumb. Metaphors are also used throughout the book to create imagery. When Tish’s sister Ernestine is angry at Fonny’s mother's and sister’s reaction to Tish’s pregnant state, she states she will tear out Adrienne’s heart in the way one “carves a stone from a peach”(pg 77). The metaphor displays the nature of Ernestine and her protectiveness toward her sister.The use of detailed description is used throughout the book. It is used in the sense of the “two fists” that Fonny and Tish use when they part at the jail(pg 82). It is used to bring every detail into perspective. It is used throughout the whole book and most prominent toward the beginning when the setting is being created. The details include the “five years, and it's not too bad apartment, as housing projects”, giving background information and creating imagery. The imagery is created with the help of figurative language and detailed