Juanita Harmon Character Analysis in Blues for Mister Charlie

Juanita Harmon is a pretty Black college student and civil-rights protestor living in an unnamed town in the U.S. South. At one point, she planned to go North to study law and come back to the South to practice, but the violence she faces as a protestor makes her consider leaving the South altogether. Many men—including minister Meridian Henry, white newspaperman Parnell James, and college student/protestor Pete Spivey—develop romantic feelings for Juanita, but she only truly falls in love when her childhood friend Richard Henry returns to town after eight years in New York and tells her about his disillusionment with the North and his former heroin addiction. Juanita and Richard discuss leaving town together, but before they can, racist white store owner Lyle Britten murders Richard. After Richard’s death, Juanita hopes desperately that she is pregnant with his child. At Lyle’s trial for Richard’s murder, the racist defense attorney (The State) tries to cast doubt on Juanita’s reliability by implying that she is sexually promiscuous. As the play ends, Juanita is planning to march in protest of Lyle’s acquittal.

Juanita Harmon Quotes in Blues for Mister Charlie

The Blues for Mister Charlie quotes below are all either spoken by Juanita Harmon or refer to Juanita Harmon. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Juanita: And then you wouldn’t be any better than they are.

Lorenzo: I don’t want to be better than they are, why should I be better than they are? And better at what? Better at being a doormat, better at being a corpse?

Related Characters: Lorenzo Shannon (speaker), Juanita Harmon (speaker)

Related Symbols: Guns

Page Number and Citation: 4

Explanation and Analysis:

Racial-justice protestor Lorenzo has just expressed a desire to commit public violence against the Christian God, whom he considers a racially white God responsible for white violence against Black people. Another protestor, Juanita, retorts that such violence would mean that Lorenzo wasn’t “any better than they [i.e. violent white people] are.” Juanita’s claim suggests that oppressed people should care about being “better” than their oppressors—about maintaining the moral high ground and avoiding culpable violence. This idea, among others, animates the implicitly Christian ideals of nonviolent resistance that the protestors in the play are currently following. Lorenzo rejects the Christian ideal Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum e

Richard: Every one of them’s got some piss-assed, faggoty white boy on a string somewhere. They go home and marry him, dig, when they can’t make it with me no more—but when they want some loving, funky, down-home, bring-it-on-here-and-put-it-on-the-table style—

Juanita: They sound very sad. It must be very sad for you, too.

Related Characters: Richard Henry (speaker), Juanita Harmon (speaker), Pete Spivey, Meridian Henry

Page Number and Citation: 26

Explanation and Analysis:

Richard, recently returned home to the South from New York City, has gone out with college students and racial-justice protestors Juanita and Pete for drinks and dancing. Richard is bragging about taking money from his white girlfriends who want him for his superior “loving,” i.e. sexual prowess. This quotation shows how Richard has reacted to feelings of being “emasculated” in a white-supremacist society with internalized racism and unproductive attempts at revenge. The audience already knows that Richard believes his mother was murdered by a white man whose sexual advances she refused; he feels that he and his father have been Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae co

Richard: Maybe your wife could run home and get some change. You got some change at home, I know. Don’t you?

Lyle: I don’t stand for nobody to talk about my wife.

Related Characters: Lyle Britten (speaker), Richard Henry (speaker), Juanita Harmon, Jo Britten

Page Number and Citation: 73

Explanation and Analysis:

In a flashback, Richard has entered Lyle’s store with the apparent intention of starting a fight with him—presumably to pay back Lyle for Lyle’s earlier rudeness to Richard’s friend and love interest Juanita. Richard’s main tactic for humiliating Lyle—and secondarily Lyle’s wife Jo—is to ask whether Jo can make change for $20 when Richard tries to buy two Cokes (which cost mere cents in 1964 when the play was first produced). When Jo is unable to make change for $20, Richard sarcastically claims that he “know[s]” the Brittens must have “some change at home”—and then asks, rhetorically, “Don’t you?” The Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas.

Juanita: I used to watch you roaring through this town like a St. George thirsty for dragons. And I wanted to let you know you haven’t got to do all that; dragons aren’t hard to find, they’re everywhere. And nobody wants you to be St. George. We just want you to be Parnell.

Related Characters: Juanita Harmon (speaker), Richard Henry, Parnell James

Page Number and Citation: 79

Explanation and Analysis:

At Richard’s funeral, Parnell is talking to Juanita when he realizes aloud—for the first time—that Juanita loved Richard. When Juanita asks how Parnell manages to be ignorant of so many things, he asks why she’s being harsh, and she eventually explains that he acts, unnecessarily, “like a St. George thirsty for dragons.” In the legend of St. George and the dragon, St. George (the patron saint of England) slays a dragon that has been besieging a city and eating its inhabitants. Through the comparison to St. George, Juanita is suggesting that Parnell has a hero complex—or perhaps more specifically a Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut.

Juanita: I am not responsible for your imagination.

Related Characters: Juanita Harmon (speaker), Jo Britten, The State, Lyle Britten, Richard Henry, Meridian Henry, Pete Spivey

Page Number and Citation: 97

Explanation and Analysis:

Lyle Britten’s defense attorney, called The State, has been questioning Juanita about whether she had romantic relationships with Richard Henry, Meridian Henry, or Pete Spivey—and concludes by insinuating that Juanita is an unreliable witness because she is sexually promiscuous. Juanita simply replies, “I am not responsible for your imagination.” This reply is an important thematic statement for the play. Throughout the play, white characters have projected their own sexual anxieties and fantasies onto Black characters in a racist manner. For example, they have claimed that Black men are sexually predatory and that Black women are sexually promiscuous and generally “available.” Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debiti

Lyle: You ain’t no better than me!

Parnell: I am aware of that. God knows I have been made aware of that—for the first time in my life.

Related Characters: Parnell James (speaker), Lyle Britten (speaker), Jo Britten, Meridian Henry, Richard Henry, Juanita Harmon

Page Number and Citation: 117

Explanation and Analysis:

After Lyle is acquitted for the murder of Richard, Meridian still demands to know whether Lyle murdered Richard—and Parnell backs Meridian up. Lyle expresses outrage that Parnell seemed to doubt Jo’s story about Richard sexually assaulting her and tells Parnell, “You ain’t no better than me!” Parnell replies that he has “been made aware of that—for the first time.” This exchange helps to characterize how Lyle and Parnell’s characters have developed—or failed to develop—over the course of the play. When Lyle cries out that Parnell isn’t better than he is, he seems to mean that even though Parnell is richer, Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut. Incidunt rerum est. Aperiam doloremque eum. Animi soluta perspicia

Juanita Harmon Character Timeline in Blues for Mister Charlie

The timeline below shows where the character Juanita Harmon appears in Blues for Mister Charlie. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Meridian’s mother, Mother Henry, enters. More Black students—including Juanita, Lorenzo, and Pete—enter carrying signs and looking like they’ve been attacked. Pete is crying. Lorenzo... (full context)

...he wishes he could drag God “through this town at the end of a rope,” Juanita tells him that would make him no better than white people. Lorenzo asks what better... (full context)

Parnell enters and announces that a warrant has been issued for Lyle’s arrest. When Juanita says that no one in town will talk to Parnell anymore, he says he hopes... (full context)

...He refuses and insists that she not tell Meridian. After a moment, she exits. Later, Juanita walks in looking for Meridian and Mother Henry and encounters Richard. At first they don’t... (full context)

Richard, Juanita, and Pete go to Papa D’s Juke Joint. Juanita reintroduces Richard to Papa D, who... (full context)

...white boy” but they want him for good sex, while he freeloads off them. When Juanita mentions that this sounds “sad,” Richard says he wants them to be sad—but then he... (full context)

Pete excuses himself for a moment. When Richard asks Juanita to dance, she declines and asks whether he was “sick.” Richard asks why Juanita wants... (full context)

Juanita says she’d like to see him get better and suggests going everywhere with him—because they’re... (full context)

Back in the main timeline of the play, in the church, Pete asks Juanita why she’s been avoiding him. He says that she started withdrawing as soon as Richard... (full context)

...chat, and Richard mentions that if he’d stayed in the South, he might have married Juanita by now. When Meridian points out that he could still marry Juanita, Richard asks whether... (full context)

...for it. Meridian agrees and takes the gun. Richard asks whether Meridian thinks Richard and Juanita getting together is a good idea. Meridian says it is. They say goodnight. (full context)

...the mourners to say their farewells to Richard. Parnell enters looking worse for wear. As Juanita files past him, she stops and asks what’s wrong—he looks “sick.” Parnell says he wanted... (full context)

Parnell asks why Juanita is being sharp with him and admits there are many things he’s never been able... (full context)

...he’s found someone who loves him. Richard tells Papa D that he wants to get Juanita out of town and asks Papa D whether Juanita will laugh. When Papa D assures... (full context)

...unless he quiets down, “they” will come beat Pete and Lorenzo again. Pete asks whether Juanita was arrested. Lorenzo reassuringly tells him that he thinks not and promises to hold Pete... (full context)

Juanita is called to the stand. In a flashback, Juanita monologues about how sex with Richard... (full context)

When Juanita takes the stand, one of her arms is in a sling. The Black spectators call... (full context)

The State asks whether Juanita had other boyfriends between Richard’s departure and his return—and whether her loneliness and Meridian’s caused... (full context)

The State asks Juanita about the fight between Lyle and Richard at Lyle’s store. When Juanita says she wasn’t... (full context)

When Juanita replies, “oh, my God,” Meridian says he wants to ask her a question just one... (full context)

Juanita asks Meridian whether they’ll always suffer. Meridian says he doesn’t know, but they have to... (full context)

The State asks Meridian about his relationship to Juanita and whether he’s had sex since his wife died. When Meridian asks whether that’s the... (full context)

...about women, Meridian says they certainly talked about individual women such as Richard’s mother and Juanita—but not about pornography. The State accuses Meridian of lying on the stand to protect a... (full context)

...himself—away from Black people lest they “get to like it.” Then he calls out for Juanita, Meridian, and his mother. (full context)

...that things began and may end for Black people with “the Bible and the gun.” Juanita asks what Meridian did with the gun. When Parnell asks whether they have Richard’s gun,... (full context)

Juanita Harmon Character Analysis

Juanita Harmon Quotes in Blues for Mister Charlie

Act 1 Quotes

Act 2 Quotes

Act 3 Quotes

Juanita Harmon Character Timeline in Blues for Mister Charlie