"The Porter" Summary

Continuing on their train trip, Jimmy's father stays up late drinking. Jimmy wakes up early and strikes up a conversation with the porter, who is black. The two go to the dining car to get something to eat. During their breakfast, the porter shows Jimmy a trick he can do with a razor as a lesson about the life of a black man. Jimmy wants to spend more time with him but the porter has to go back to his work routine on the train. Jimmy looks out the window, watching the landscape go by.

"The Porter" Analysis

This story is one of the few positive portrayals of a non-white character. While black people, among other racial groups, are routinely criticized and made into either villains or idiots, the black porter on the train makes a very clear statement...