The Narrows: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Narrows: Analysis of Major Characters" explores the dynamic relationships and contrasting values of its central figures, set against the backdrop of a predominantly black neighborhood in Monmouth. Abigail Crunch, a 70-year-old widow steeped in New England Puritanism, exemplifies a strict adherence to propriety and cleanliness, which she believes are paramount. Her rejection of her African American heritage creates tension not only with her community but also with her adopted nephew, Lincoln (Link) Williams. Link, orphaned and raised by Abbie, navigates the conflicting moral codes of his aunt and the pragmatic street philosophy of Bill Hod, the owner of the local saloon. Meanwhile, Camilo Treadway Sheffield, a wealthy white heiress, defies societal expectations by engaging in a romantic relationship with Link, despite the racial and class differences that divide them. Their relationship challenges Abbie's values and leads to significant emotional turmoil for Camilo, particularly after their affair ends. The interplay between these characters highlights themes of identity, morality, and the complexities of love across cultural divides, making it a rich study of character and societal norms.
The Narrows: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Ann Petry
First published: 1953
Genre: Novel
Locale: Monmouth, Connecticut
Plot: Psychological realism
Time: The 1930's to the early 1950's
Abigail Crunch, a seventy-year-old widow living in New England. Abbie resides at Number Six Dumble Street in The Narrows, a predominantly black section of Monmouth. Prim, proper, and straitlaced, Abbie is the embodiment of New England Puritanism. She denies her African American heritage by rejecting every aspect of her own culture as she sees it exemplified in the daily lives of the inhabitants of The Narrows. This rejection sometimes extends even to her husband, the Major, and her nephew, Link. Abbie believes that cleanliness and propriety are next to godliness, and she keeps her person and her home immaculate, despite her altered circumstances following the death of her husband. Appearances are everything; this is the guiding principle of Abbie's life.
Lincoln (Link) Williams, the nephew of Abbie Crunch. Orphaned as a child and adopted by Abbie and her husband, Link is molded both by the deeply moralistic standards of Abbie and by the street philosophy of Bill Hod, the owner of the Last Chance Saloon. Bill Hod's pragmatic, self-affirming philosophy counterbalances the strictly Puritanical, often self-denying teachings of Abbie. These people and the nurturing environment of The Narrows help Link to develop the strength of character that he demonstrates when he faces death at the hands of Camilo Sheffield's husband.
Camilo Treadway Sheffield, a rich white heiress. Bored with her life at Treadway Hall—the family mansion on the outskirts of Monmouth—Camilo ventures into The Narrows on a dark and foggy night and is rescued from a would-be attacker by Link Williams. Later, when she discovers that Link is a black man, neither his race nor his occupation as part-time bartender at the Last Chance Saloon deters her from becoming involved with him. Camilo rents an apartment in Harlem for their weekend rendezvous, buys Link expensive gifts, and on one occasion suffers the humiliation of being literally thrown out into the streets naked for sleeping with Link in Abbie Crunch's house. When Link ends the affair with her, Camilo falls into a state of deep depression, isolating herself behind the walls of the Treadway mansion.