Harlem Rhapsody

“You can’t compare Philadelphia and Washington, DC, to this. New York is everything.”

This quote develops the setting of the novel. New York has a bigger arts scene than most other places in the US. Many literary publications are headquartered there, and in Harlem, New York offers a thriving center of African American culture and creativity.

“Everyone with a poem or story will want their name inside these pages.”

Will explains that Jessie will be ushering in new writers with her position at The Crisis magazine. As one of the first publications to focus on Black readers and writers, the magazine immediately occupies a central place in the Black literary world. This foreshadows how Jessie will discover Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, and other writers.

“Remember Dr. Du Bois’s first loyalty will always be to his wife.”

Mary-Helen says this to Jessie, and it is repeated several times in the novel (also on pages 33 and 47). Here, it foreshadows Will’s eventual choice to dedicate his book, which Jessie extensively edits, to his wife.

“All of us have a few insecurities. That’s just the ethos of writers.”

Jessie says this to Countee to reassure him that his doubts about his writing are normal. Insecurities can inspire editing, which can improve the craft of writing. This quote also applies to Jessie wanting Will’s attention and approval; she is insecure after the loss of her father.

“This is the gift of Harlem—the dress, the music, the language. It isn’t possible to live here and not begin to breathe and bleed this place.”

Jessie thinks this after she notices Maman enjoying secular music when she previously only listened to spiritual music, like hymns. This quote develops the musical symbolism that runs throughout the novel. Music is a cultural gift—it expands the sensibilities of Maman and others.

“What art must always be is truthful. And a white man will never, as long as this earth spins, be able to tell the truth of the Negro.”

This is part of the debate about The Value and Purpose of Art. Will thinks that only Black people should make art about Black people because white people don’t intimately understand the struggles that Black people face. Jessie disagrees in this scene but later agrees after reading a novel by a white man with a Black protagonist.

“My role in this fight is right here at The Crisis. I reach for my pen.”

This is Jessie’s response to learning about white mobs killing Black people in Tulsa. She believes that Langston’s poetry will help bring Black people together to fight this kind of injustice. Here, she uses the pen as a metonym for her work as a writer and editor, arguing that art can be an effective form of activism. Her fight for social justice is through literature.

“As a woman, you must admit that your ambition is troublesome. And, I’m afraid, so many find it unbecoming.”

Mary-Helen says this to Jessie after learning that she wants to become editor-in-chief of The Crisis. Patriarchy reinforces itself in part through the myth that professional ambition is unbecoming of a woman. That Mary-Helen voices this pernicious idea suggests that some women internalize sexism and weaponize it against other women.

“We’re not defined by what we believe ourselves to be. We’re defined by America. America says we’re Negroes.”

This is part of the debate between Jean Toomer and Jessie and highlights The Importance of Mentorship. Jean’s insistence on self-definition highlights what Will calls “double consciousness.” Will argues that Black people are forced to consider how the rest of the world views them within a racist system, and Jean rejects this. He wants to define himself, regardless of what others say—a privilege extended to “Americans” but not to Black people.

“I fell in love with French reading the English translation of Les Misérables, and then reading the French version.”

This is some of the advice that Jessie gives Jean, who is her former high school French student. In addition to developing the theme of the importance of mentorship, it develops Jessie’s character. She is fluent in French and travels to France multiple times.

“His lecture this time: how democratic governments must live up to their democratic creeds.”

This is an example of what Will discusses when he travels the world. These words live on and remain relevant after Will’s death because democratic governments still need to be held accountable.

“W.E.B. has you working as if you’re the editor.”

Nella notices how much Jessie does for The Crisis and feels that she is being exploited. This is an example of sexism in the workplace, where women do all the behind-the-scenes work that men take credit for in public. Will refuses to promote Jessie, even though he travels constantly while she runs the magazine.

“Are you saying you haven’t heard that the sofa in Dr. Du Bois’s office has been used as a stepping stone for many women poets?”

Here, Claude McKay points out that Will has had many extramarital affairs with writers, developing Will’s character. Claude doesn’t know about Jessie’s affair with Will, but he implies that other women have furthered their careers by sleeping with Will. This is another example of Will’s sexism.

“Your perspective is of no significance, Jessie. The Crisis belongs to me.”

When Jessie writes a complimentary review of Claude’s new book, Will becomes angry and jealous. He argues that she shouldn’t have ownership of the magazine, even though she has been doing all the work to produce it. Will’s possessiveness and his demeaning comments are more examples of his sexism.

“Nothing a writer writes is just words. There’s an intention behind every line.”

Will notices Jessie’s poem about him, but she denies that it is about their relationship. He argues that all writing conveys not just meaning but intention—the author’s political or personal agenda. This aligns with Will’s view of the value and purpose of art. He doesn’t believe in art for art’s sake; instead, he believes that all art must be trying to accomplish something.

“Another time…a different place.”

This quote is repeated several times throughout the novel; it becomes a refrain for Will and Jessie’s relationship. Their love story would have been different if Will had met her before Nina and in another location. This quote represents a mythical story of what could have been.

“Everyone has a role in W.E.B.’s life. His wife, his daughter, his friends, both men and women. We all have our proper roles. We all know our places. And I certainly know mine. Perhaps you have these questions because you aren’t certain of yours.”

Georgia says this to Jessie when they discuss their affairs with Will. Will has been more emotionally intimate with Jessie than with Georgia, which causes Jessie’s confusion over their relationship and her role in it.

“The title of my novel is more than just a perfect description of my relationship with Will. It is also a line in one of the poems Maman and I read together when I was sixteen. She’d said delving into ‘The Lotus-Eaters’ by Alfred Lord Tennyson with me made it one of her favorites.”

Taken from “The Lotus-Eaters,” the title of Jessie’s book is “There Is Confusion.” This allusion develops the relationship between daughter and stepmother; it continues the literary relationship that Jessie had with her father after his death. It also develops Jessie’s character as someone who is very well-read because of her upbringing.

“It is the beginning of the New Negro Movement.”

Alain says this at the celebration for Jessie’s book, which turns into a celebration of the movement. She helped begin what is now known as the Harlem Renaissance through mentoring and publishing new writers. Her work with Langston, Countee, and others develops the theme of the importance of mentorship for writers.

“Everywhere I go, people ask about Langston and Countee […] and you, Jessie. You’ve become a celebrity, too.”

Augustus notes that Jessie’s work on The Crisis has made her famous in literary circles. Her mentorship, as well as the success of her novel, means that writers know her name, even if men like Will do not give her all the credit she deserves.

“I’ve birthed these writers, and, regardless of the future, this beautiful legacy will remain with me.”

Jessie thinks this in response to Langston’s comment that she is the midwife of their literary movement. It develops the maternal symbolism in the novel, illustrating how Jessie prefers discovering and mentoring writers instead of giving literal birth.

“I can change this world with words, and what I want to do most in my novels is impart the lesson that Negroes share the same humanity as white folks.”

This is where Jessie finally lands in the debate about art as propaganda. She wants to effect positive change through the medium of writing. It can create empathy for diverse groups, illustrating similarities across race and gender.

“I’m bestowing the words of many to Harlem.”

Jessie has helped the poetry and prose of many writers reach readers in New York City and beyond. In this way, she has added to the character of Harlem and made positive changes to the setting.