52 pages • 1 hour read
Nikki GrimesBronx Masquerade
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2002A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Mirrors and Reflections
The students in Mr. Ward’s class often face themselves and compare themselves to each other. Mirrors are common symbols in their prose and poetry sections that represent both self-reflection and commonalities among the characters.
In Janelle’s second chapter, she runs into Judianne in the restroom and tries to find common ground in their shared insecurities. She states, “I feel like that every time I look in the mirror,” and Judianne commiserates until she sees another classmate, which prompts her to cut off their mutual reflection: “Look, I am nothing like you, okay?” (72). When Janelle is alone again, she rejects Judianne’s assertion in the bathroom mirror, using her reflection to talk herself up. On the next page, she shares the poem “Mirror, Mirror” and directs her mirror self-talk to Judianne, opening with “Sisters under the skin, / we meet in the mirror / our images superimposed” (74). Here, she uses mirror imagery to reinforce their similarities and share struggles. She also asserts that “smash[ing] the mirror” doesn’t change the truth of their commonality (74)—the mirror is only a representation of the real world.
Portraits
Whether written in poems, drawn, or painted, portraits are a motif that underscores the impact and role of identity in the novel. A portrait in any form is a study of a person. In visual arts, they usually focus on the subject from the shoulders up. In writing, a portrait might focus on a particular time in an individual’s life or a specific aspect of their identity. The format of the novel is also a vehicle for this motif as each chapter is a mini portrait of a student.
Portraits first appear in Raul’s chapter when he discusses drawing his sister, girlfriend, and mother—art is a vehicle for him to elevate the women who are important to him. Diondra also notes that Raul leaves his self-portrait out for the whole class to see. She says that he is “bold” and wishes she had that kind of confidence. Later, she draws portraits of Harlem Renaissance women and her father, and her willingness to let others see her art is a sign of growth. Her final poem is called “Self Portrait: A Poem for My Father,” and it’s the moment she truly steps into her identity as an artist. Through portraits, the students find themselves and decide how to interact with the world around them.
Names and Naming
Names can convey something about the identity or personality of a character. On several occasions, characters discuss their names and whether they feel they fit or not. Porscha wishes she could change her name because it symbolizes the way men objectify her, comparing her to a car. That is not what she wants or deserves. Amy likens the shortness of her name to her stature, noting, “The name is petite, like me. It’s also soft. I’m not” (99). She wrestles with who she is, and her name is a conduit for that questioning. Sheila similarly questions her identity and feels that changing her name is the remedy. Her requested name change addresses her own self-doubt but also raises questions about cultural appropriation and the appropriate way to express interracial solidarity. She says in her prose chapter, “Please don’t call me Sheila […] I prefer Natalina, my Africana name” (103). In a diverse classroom, community, and city, Sheila’s request raises questions about her own self-worth and what she has to gain from borrowing from other cultures. Ultimately, Sheila resents her name because it represents her unwanted link to her racist family, and she prefers to be associated with her peers. In wanting to change her name, however, she denies aspects of her authentic self, and Wesley helps her see that she can reject her parents’ beliefs without changing who she is.
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By Nikki Grimes
