54 pages • 1 hour read
Pauline Elizabeth HopkinsOf One Blood: Or, the Hidden Self
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1902A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Analyze the protagonist’s initial characterization in the beginning of the story. What do you think is the source of his distress and what reveals his identity crisis? Use evidence from the text to offer a description of the character and compare his inner to his outer self.
How does the author describe music and its significance for African American culture? How does Dianthe’s gift of song connect with the Black experience?
How does Reuel first connect with Dianthe? How does their relationship develop before his departure for Africa? Why is Dianthe asking for his help?
What role does the character of Charlie Vance play in the novel, and how does his presence reinforce—or complicate—the novel’s themes?
How does the novel foreshadow Aubrey’s eventual plot to destroy Reuel? What can his character say about race relations more broadly?
Why is it important that, at different points in the novel, both Reuel and Dianthe are able to “pass” as white, or at least distance themselves from Black identity? Examine specific moments in the text where this racial ambiguity comes into play.
How does the supernatural empower the Black women in the novel? Contrast specific examples with Reuel’s mesmeric abilities.
How does the character of Ai help bridge the gap between Africa and America?
Analyze the significance of the supernatural in the text. How do the ghosts and visions connect to the larger thematic elements of the novel? How does mysticism and the supernatural illuminate a Black cultural worldview and understanding? How does Hopkins use spirituality to explore the boundaries between history and fiction?
