Chapter 5 "Face" Summary

"Face" is a short poem describing an old woman's face. She has gray hair, a greatly furrowed brow, sad eyes and deep lines. She is presented as the product of a tragic and painful life.

Chapter 5 "Face" Analysis

The narrator's series of snapshots begins to take shape in Cane as a sensitive individual's interpretation of life as an African American in Georgia. The combined use of poetry, verse and prose indicate that the narrator is searching for a sincere form of expression or a new way to communicate his culture and lifestyle. As with this poem, the life he has described thus far is bleak, with few instances of hope and beauty. Struggle and tragedy outweigh the bright points. The woman's physical appearance is strikingly altered by the sorrow she has experienced in life. Thematically, this reinforces the idea...