The devices of plot and characterization in this narrative help to set up the conflict that the protagonist needs to use the restroom, but moreso the problems with segregation and racism hidden underneath, and the resolution, which shows the main character finally relieving that need in a grassy area not too far from a train station. The protagonist of the story would be a black woman named Helene, who needs to use the restroom, her motivation being her ever-increasing bladder. This excerpt centers around the lack of colored restrooms, which is also a clear candidate for the conflict, as the need for a restroom cannot be satisfied, given the time period, and Helene’s race. Helene’s character is revealed to us not only through the foil character, but also the narrator’s own words. The phrase “the thick velvet collar, the fair skin, the high-tone voice,” alone tells us that the main character is well dressed, is significantly lighter than most black people of the time period, and most likely speaks more eloquently than average. This explains why she is often portrayed in a clueless fashion throughout the text, as this information lets the reader infer that Helene is less oppressed, or has been less oppressed, than …show more content…
I believe that this woman is the foil because it shows how she already knows that there are no colored restrooms, highlighting the fact that Helene does not. This also compliments the statement “...and by the time they reached Slidell… Helene could not only fold leaves as well as the fat woman, she never felt a stir…,” showing the reader that the protagonist has grown since the beginning of the excerpt. This woman also plays a part in helping the main character, telling Helene that the restrooms are “yonder,” and pointing to the field in which they squatted, something the author most likely intentionally added to make sure that the reader didn’t confuse her with an