The Men of Brewster Place

Naylor uses different narrative techniques throughout the novel. How do these different techniques enhance each man’s story? How do they affect the overall experience of the novel?

In The Women of Brewster Place, the wall that makes Brewster Place a dead-end street is an important symbol of the barriers that Black women face in society. Why doesn’t the wall appear prominently in The Men of Brewster Place?

Both The Men of Brewster Place and The Women of Brewster Place end with a death that affects the community in some way. Compare and contrast these endings. How are they different or the same? What symbolic meaning might they share?

How does Naylor describe the intersection between manhood and capitalism?

What role does fatherhood play in The Men of Brewster Place? What is the relationship between manhood and fatherhood?

Discuss the historical context of the novel. Why did Naylor wait nearly 20 years to publish a sequel to The Women of Brewster Place?

Why did Naylor decide to write a book from the perspective of Brewster Place’s male residents? How does The Men of Brewster Place confirm or subvert the depiction of masculinity in The Women of Brewster Place?

Describe the men’s relationships with the women in their lives. What characterizes these relationships? Are some more successful than others?