From the very beginning of the novel, Angela’s rallying cry is “freedom!”: “That was the note which Angela heard oftenest in the melody of living which was to be hers” (13). The word, with its exclamatory emphasis, recurs with frequency. Angela’s early experiences passing with her mother introduce her to what she thinks is “a larger, freer world” (57). The ability to escape her race lifts the melancholy that often burdens her: “As a result of even this slight satisfaction of her cravings, she was indulging less and less in brooding and introspection, although at no time was she able to adapt herself to living with the complete spontaneity so characteristic of Jinny” (57). In this juxtaposition of the sisters, we see that for Angela, nothing less than total freedom from limitations will do, while Jinny adapts to circumstances and, in the process, maintains her free spirit. Angela’s vision of freedom is elusive not merely because of the color of her skin or her gender, but because complete freedom is unattainable. Even Roger, the white wealthy male, is beholden to the expectations of his father and the mores of his particular social class.

This is not to downplay the very real fact that Angela’s race and gender limit her in significant—and unjust—ways.