Genre
American History, Political History
Setting and Context
Late 1960s in America during the rise of the Black Panther Movement
Narrator and Point of View
The point of view is threefold; the Black Panther leadership, the government and the American people as a whole.
Tone and Mood
Combative, secretive, threatening, hopeful
Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonists are the Black Panther Movement, antagonist is the structure of society as a whole
Major Conflict
There is conflict between the Black Panther movement and the government when it appears that the Movement is indoctrinating young people into Communism.
Climax
There is no real climax in the book, but a series of climactic moments, for example, when armed protesters attend a rally and violence ensues.
Foreshadowing
The arming of supporters foreshadows the violent turn that the protests begin to make.
Understatement
N/A
Allusions
As it is a non-fiction book there is no actual allusion although the issues of the time that do not pertain specifically to the Black Power Movement are alluded to, such as the Cold War and America's relationship with the Cuban dictatorship.
Imagery
The images of the movement are very powerful, but the most enduring is the raised gloved fist .
Paradox
The leadership of the Black Panther Movement claims to want peaceful protest yet arms its protest leaders and participants.
Parallelism
There is a parallel between the appearance of supporting Communisim and the heightened threat of the Black Panthers perceived by the American government.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
The Black Panther Movement is used when it is actually the very top tier of its leadership that is being referred to.
Personification
N/A
