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Act 1, Scene 3
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Blues for an Alabama Sky, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Migration
Women’s Autonomy
Gender and Sexuality
Dreams, Enjoyment, and Escapism
Community Support
Summary
Analysis
The following Sunday, Angel returns from a rehearsal for her audition. She gets dressed for her date with Leland as Guy casually tells her about a recent attack on a gay couple they are friends with. He updates her on the deacon’s meeting, which Sam attended alongside Delia for moral support. Angel stresses about going out with Leland. She recalls dating Nick, who kept her around him when he gambled as a lucky charm, and reflects that Leland seems like he will finally bring Angel some luck of her own.
Guy’s nonchalance in recounting the homophobic violence inflicted upon his friends demonstrates how commonplace that kind of violence is. Angel reflects on the subtler forms of sexist violence she faced while dating Nick, recalling how Nick undermined her autonomy. Angel hopes to achieve a more balanced and less exploitative relationship with Leland.Sam accompanying Delia to the deacon’s meeting hints at their developing relationship, which resembles what Angel hopes to have with Leland: Sam supports Delia’s ambitions and works to help her fulfill them.
Active
Themes
Sam and Delia return triumphant from a successful meeting with the deacon. Guy invites the pair to wait with him and Angel for Leland, so they are all together when Leland arrives. Leland, who has never met a Black doctor, is pleasantly surprised to meet Sam. After exchanging pleasantries, the larger group goes to see a play, leaving Leland and Angel in the apartment. Leland shares that Angel reminds him of his late wife, who recently passed away giving birth to a baby who also died. He is visiting a cousin in Harlem because he couldn’t bear everyone in his hometown asking about his wellbeing after his wife’s death. He still isn’t sure whether he will stay in Harlem or return to Alabama.
Leland is caught between the very different worlds of North and South. Some aspects of Harlem’s apparent progressivism appeal to him, such as Sam’s status as a Black doctor, but he also retains the conservative politics and insistence upon respectability that he learned in the South. Leland’s comparison of Angel to his late wife also suggests that the romance between Angel and Leland may not be as healthy as Angel hopes, since it is built on a foundation of Leland trying to replace the family he lost.
Active
Themes
Leland asks Angel what church she would recommend attending, but Angel frankly tells him that she doesn’t go to church. She changes the subject and tells him about her unemployment, and about how that problem will soon be resolved after her audition. Leland says that he would like to see Angel perform, and when she notes that she doesn’t sing church music, he replies that he will simply not watch a performance on Sunday. He returns Angel’s scarf, and she remarks that it smells like him as she draws closer to Leland. They kiss.
Active
Themes
