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Ethos
Key Examples in Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man
Foil
Explanation and Analysis—Narrator and "Shiny":
The narrator and "Shiny" are foils. They have similar upbringings (they graduate from the same school in Connecticut), but "Shiny" is unmistakably Black, whereas the narrator can pass for white. Ultimately, they both end up reasonably wealthy and successful. Still, their lives look different because of the choices available to each of them. "Shiny," who was always the best student in the school, becomes a prominent professor who fights publicly for racial justice. He deals with overt racism, but he is unapologetic about who he is. He has made good on his promise, in his graduation speech, to strive for a more just world.
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Chapter 9
Explanation and Analysis—Narrator and Millionaire:
It is possible to read the narrator and the millionaire as foils. This becomes especially clear when they part ways in Chapter 9:
Unlock with LitCharts A+He gave me a check for $500, told me to write to him care of his Paris bankers if I ever needed his help, wished me good luck, and bade me good-by. All this he did almost coldly; and I often wondered whether he was in a hurry to get rid of what he considered a fool, or whether he was striving to hide deeper feelings of sorrow.
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