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Chapter 5
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Devil in a Blue Dress, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Race and Identity
Power and Corruption
Violence, Justice, and Morality
The American Dream
Summary
Analysis
After their night out, Easy and Coretta drag a drunken Dupree into Coretta’s house, where he promptly passes out. Easy and Coretta stay up drinking and talking, and as the night progresses, she begins to seduce him, mentioning that she keeps multiple boyfriends. Out of the blue, Coretta reveals she knows Daphne and that they’re friends. Easy and Coretta then have sex, and Coretta slowly reveals details about Daphne, such as the identity of her boyfriend. Before Easy leaves, Coretta convinces him to promise her $10 if he finds Daphne using the information she provided.
Though the narration has generally depicted Easy as a character of strong moral resolve, his decision to have sex with his friend’s girlfriend—while this friend is asleep in the next room—marks a significant lapse in judgment. It also reveals his susceptibility to sexual temptation. Although the encounter yields helpful information about Daphne, it also introduces the question of how much, if any, of Easy’s interest in Coretta is artificial, stemming from his desire to investigate Daphne.
Themes
