Not Without Laughter

Hughes explores many kinds of love in the novel—romantic love, the love between parent and child, and other kinds of love. Identify the types of relationships explored in the novel and discuss the impact of these relationships on the lives of the characters.

Discuss the role of music in the novel. What kinds of music appear in the novel, and how does Hughes use music to enhance important literary elements such as theme, character, and setting?

Multiple generations of African Americans are represented in the novel. Compare and contrast these generations in terms of values, history, and aspirations.

Each of Hager's daughters pursues a different path in life. Compare and contrast these three characters.

Discuss the role of gender in the novel. What different forms of masculinity and femininity appear in the novel? How do expectations about gender and race shape the experiences of the characters?

Using credible sources, discuss the setting of the novel, World War I-era Kansas. How does the setting shape the plot and characters? How faithful is Hughes's representation of Kansas? What are the connections between the novel and the life of Hughes, who spent his childhood in Kansas?

Laughter is an important motif in the novel. How does Hughes use laughter to reinforce important themes in the novel? What are the various kinds of laughter that appear in the novel?

Jimboy, Harriet, Annjee, and Sandy all participate in the Great Migration, the mass movement of African Americans from rural towns and states to cities in the Northeast, Midwest, and West Coast during the early twentieth century. What are the expectations that they have in going to the city? Are these expectations met? What difficulties do the characters confront in the city?