When Bob discovers Madge in the ship closet and finds himself locked in with her, we are overwhelmed by a sense of disturbing suspense and mystery. In a brilliant display of total power over Bob, Madge begins to yell "Help! Help! My God, help me! Some white man, help me! I'm being raped" (Himes 180). By specifically addressing "some white man" to help her, she triggers the need for white men to prove their masculinity against the "black monster," as they perceived colored men at that time. The insecurities of the white man perpetuated this popular image of black men as nothing more than a base creature whose sole purpose was the defiling of white women.
Huma
When Bob hears a knock on the door in the room where he is stuck with Madge, he explains, "I let out my breath, gave Madge a last warning look, then said aloud, 'Okay, I'll open up, just a minute'" (Himes 179). This sentence builds a moment of suspense and mystery in the reader. Readers realize along with Bob that Madge has the power and control here. We realize that if she accuses Bob of rape there will be no question as to his guilt or innocense. The man knocking at the door are waiting to hear the word 'rape' so that they can pounce on Bob. The racial tension of the time has instilled in these white men a sense of fear and hatred for the black men based on their sense of sexual inferiority. In order to regain their sense of white superiority, they must attack Bob.
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