Ray lives in New York City, but he considers himself an inhabitant of Harlem. The neighborhood of Harlem functions as a symbolic city-within-a-city, a boundary which defines the racial lines between White and Black New York. In Harlem, Ray feels comfortable. He knows the streets, he recognizes the faces, and he never feels out of place. In the White neighborhoods of the city, however, he is uneasy. He is made to feel unwelcome. The people on the streets, the salesmen in the stores, and every White person he encounters in the city outside Harlem is aware that he does not belong in the neighborhood. The existence of Harlem within New York City, along with other African American neighborhoods, creates a physical symbol of society’s racial divide. African Americans are pushed to the side of White society and forced to create their own communities and institutions in a world which is not intended for them.

As the novel develops, however, Ray is shown a different kind of Harlem. He learns that criminality is more pervasive than he ever thought possible. As he journeys through the streets, he comes to learn about secret card games, drunk dens, and brothels which operate behind seemingly innocent doors.