Suzan-Lori Parks’ In the Blood: Book About African American Woman Living In Poverty

Suzan-Lori Parks’ play In The Blood is about an African American woman who lives in poverty with her five children. As a result of their outcast status they suffer many consequences. These consequences are emotional suffering, being poor, sexual exploitation and not being able to take care of those who are depend on you and a lack of education.

Hester in In the Blood is taken advantage of sexually by those in power. Hester is taken advantage of sexually, on at least three occasions by those in power. This symbolizes how the powerful can literally “rape” those below them. The irony of Hester’s story is that those in power know that they are taking advantage of her. The powerful preach how to help those who are less fortunate, but never take any action that would really change her situation.

Reverend D preaches how people must find solutions ” Life on earth is full of misunderstandings, reprimandings, and we focus on the trouble, friends when it is the solutions to those troubles we oughta be looking at” (p. 15). Later when Hester seeks him out for money for the child she had with him he tries to advert responsibility.

When Reverend D does have an opportunity to act noble he responds by saying “âÂ?¦Common Slut âÂ?¦ I’ll crush you underfoot” (p. 64). Parks is implying that Reverend D is typical of all those in power.