The Boy In The Black Suit Character Analysis

Words: 2069
Pages: 9

Reynolds’s The boy in the Black Suit is a novel that explores the themes of death, grief, love, and glimpses of hope. It explores the life of Matt who is grieving the death of his mom, and whose approach to grief is by surrounding himself with the rituals of death. Through the novels readers are introduced to a moving portrait of characters both male and female whose characterization as well as their relationships to Matt are explored. The relationships between Matt and Mr. Ray, Matt and Chris as well as the characterization of Candy Man is used by Reynolds as a counter narrative to the negative perception of black males in society. By doing this, Reynolds is able to shed light on the negative perception of black males in society.
Society’s perception of black males is based on two patterns. The negative vices of black males are exaggerated while the positive virtues are limited. Black unemployed males in criminal activities are few of the negative perceptions of black males
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Candy Man is homeless yet he looks out for the little kids in the shelter. He engages their minds and keeps them busy by playing chess with them. He encourages the little kids to be better. When one of the little kids throws a trash and the thrash fell into a thrash bag, everyone jokes that the kid is going to better than Candy Man at dunking balls. Candy Man tells the kid “he better be better than me. All of y’all better be better than me” (Reynolds 186). He motivates the kids to try their best and to be better at whatever they do.
He also looks out for Lovey and it took a while for him to warm up to Matt, and only after he proves that Matt is a good boy. He gives Matt “the talk” that fathers or older siblings usually give to male figures dating their daughters or sisters. Candy Man cares about the little ones and he might not have much but he shows it in the little ways that he