Jazz

How does social and historical context play a role in the experiences of the characters? What is the relationship between racial violence and trauma and how the characters treat one another?

Each book in Morrison’s trilogy explores various aspects of love. What aspects of love are examined in Jazz? How do the characters’ experiences with love compare to the characters in Beloved and Paradise?

How does the city function as a character in the novel? Are the characters influenced by the city, or do they shape the city to fit their own image?

Does Morrison treat the experiences of male and female characters differently? How does the narrative explore the infidelity, abandonment, and pain of men in comparison to women?

Describe the friendship between Alice and Violet. How do the two women become friends? How does their friendship become a foundation for joy, and what does the novel put forward about the nature of relationships between women?

What is Golden Gray’s function in the novel? How does shame play a role in his story and the lives of the other characters?

Did Dorcas love and care for Joe? Why or why not?

Are there any static characters in Morrison’s novel? How does their presence or absence contribute to the meaning of the work?