The Importance Of Loneliness In The Street By Ann Petry

People have been exploited for centuries and the situations in The Street by Ann Petry are no different. In the novel, the main character Lutie Johnson and her son, Bub, live on 116th Street in Harlem, New York, during the 1940s. Throughout the novel she intends to earn a sufficient amount of money to move to a more secure neighborhood. During her struggles she encounters clever and dangerous people who attempt to prevent her from reaching her goal. Lutie’s escalating frustration at being walled in is released at the end of the novel when she murders a man, flees to Chicago, and leaves Bub behind to face reform school. The community that she resides in contains a population who view her as a business opportunity, a way to satisfy their loneliness, …show more content…
Being rich does not guarantee happiness, as exemplified by the Chandler family. To own a magnificent house, host dinner parties regularly, and be able to afford maids and nannies is a privilege for the affluent. Unfortunately, the family, especially Mr. Chandler, pays more attention to the business world and becoming wealthier rather than spending time with his own family. Lutie, who is always observant, notices that Mrs. Chandler “[pays] a lot more attention to other women’s husbands,” eagerly showing them around the house and even kissing them (44). Mrs. Chandler does not receive an adequate amount of affection from her own husband, so she turns to others for company. While at the Chandler’s in Connecticut, Lutie’s husband Jim is supposedly living with their son Bub in Jamaica, New York. To rush home and find “another woman living there with Jim” shocks and angers Lutie, yet Jim is not even sorry (53). He finds the expectation of living with barely enough money and cooking meals for himself and Bub unattainable. He is unbearably lonely, so he acquires another woman to keep him company while Lutie sends paycheck after paycheck home. Jim is not the only lonesome black man either; Jones, the superintendent of Lutie’s apartment building, has lived by himself or with other men in ships and as a night watchman. When he reintegrated into society, he became obsessed with women because they were not part of …show more content…
After Lutie quit Boots’ band because she was not going to get paid, she follows up to an advertisement offering singing jobs. Mr. Crosse, the teacher, offers her a job but the required training costs $125. Lutie states that she cannot afford it when Mr. Crosse attempts to wheedle her into “[getting] together a coupla nights a week” in exchange for free lessons (321). After this encounter, Lutie recognizes that if a person is born black and decent-looking these situations are common. Her realization resonates with other characters because a prosperous white man has his eye on her: Junto. Although Boots is not certain as to “why Junto wanted to lay her,” Junto would be killing two birds with one stone by capturing Lutie (275). He would first sleep with her, then send her to one of his whorehouses. Having no idea she is being fought over between Boots and Junto, Lutie tries to ignore both of their continuously suggestive remarks. The first night Boots asked her to audition at the Casino, his band is not surprised, knowing that “Boots has got himself a new chick” (221). This indicates that Boots regularly uses women without truly loving them, simply using the women for physical fulfillment and breaking up with them. When he asks himself if he actually loves Lutie, he thinks, “no. He just wanted her,” her warm