There Is Confusion · Chapter
XII explained
In a July afternoon at Van Cortlandt Park, Peter Bye expresses his love for Joanna Marshall, who remains focused on her artistic ambitions.
What happens
In a July afternoon at Van Cortlandt Park, Peter Bye expresses his love for Joanna Marshall, who remains focused on her artistic ambitions. They discuss the challenges of racial prejudice and Joanna's determination to break into the arts. Their relationship deepens during an enchanted summer, culminating in a tender moment on Morningside where they share their first kiss.
Themes in this chapter
Racial Prejudice and Identity
Joanna and Peter discuss the challenges of racial prejudice in the arts and society. Joanna plans to overcome it through superior artistic achievement, while Peter notes the difficulty of finding white Americans willing to help.
Ambition and Success
Joanna is determined to become a successful artist, taking extra singing and dancing lessons, and planning a recital tour. She prioritizes her career over romantic involvement.
Love and Sacrifice
Peter sacrifices a summer job opportunity to stay in New York near Joanna. Their relationship deepens as they share intimate moments, culminating in their first kiss.
Characters to notice
- Joanna Marshall
Joanna remains focused on her artistic career, discussing her plans to overcome racial prejudice through excellence in the arts. She allows herself a moment of vulnerability with Peter, resting her head on his shoulder and sharing a first kiss.
- Peter Bye
Peter declares his love for Joanna and stays in New York just to be near her. He works at a cabaret playing ragtime and spends the summer exploring the city with Joanna, culminating in their first kiss.
- Sylvia Marshall
Mentioned by Peter as an example of romantic affection, as she runs to meet her fiancé Brian and puts her arms around his neck.
- Philip Marshall
Joanna mentions Philip's belief that equality or superiority in the arts will help break down racial prejudice.
- Bertully
Joanna's dance teacher who holds extra classes for her and believes in her future. He is described as a foreigner who is truly artistic and willing to go to great trouble for art.
- Helena Arnold
Mentioned as the person who first got to Bertully through Miss Sharples, demonstrating that some white people are willing to help.
Key passages
“Love is a wonderful, rare thing, very beautiful, very sweet, but you can do without it.”
Joanna believes love is not essential for a fulfilling life.
Joanna prioritizes her career over romantic love.
“If all I needed to get on the stage was the mastery of a difficult step, I'd get there, wouldn't I? For somehow, sometime, I'd learn how to overcome that difficulty.”
Joanna is confident that she can overcome any obstacle to achieve her goals.
Joanna applies her problem-solving mindset to racial prejudice.
“I'm going to break into art. The public wants novelty, and I want fame, I've got to have it, Peter.”
Joanna is determined to achieve fame in the arts by offering something new.
Joanna's ambition is central to her character.
“Something leaped, something fluttered within their hearts, like a fettered, struggling wing. And it was beautifully, it was magically, first love!”
Their first kiss awakens a powerful and enchanting feeling of love.
The narrator describes the magical quality of first love.
