Despite decades’ worth of endeavors to address the issue of racism within American society, it remains a notorious source of concern and cause of injustice suffered by numerous African American people. Entering a new era of sociocultural relationships enhanced by innovation and cross-cultural communication has not helped alleviate the issue, as “Such a Fun Age,” a 2019 novel by Kiley Reid, demonstrates. Representing not only one of the characters but also a symbol hope for mending the rift, as well as a catalyst for social change, Briar can be seen as one of the central co9mponents of the complex relationships within the novel.
At first glance, Briar’s role within the story is minimal, her very existence serving as a tool for advancing the plot and the conflict. Even the range of cues that she has in the narrative is minimal, with the few lines that she utters being the means of supporting the story and moving it forward. However, the specified limitations on Briar’s participation in the interactions between the characters does not lessen her role as one. Specifically, she does communicate with Emira and shares a few scenes with her: “Briar took Emira’s hand” (Reid, 2019, p. 11). Though the conversations that Briar has with Emira and the rest of the cast are neither profound not revealing of the crucial plot twists, they serve as a perfect foil for their development and accurate representation.
Similarly, the symbolic significance that Briar’s character bears in the novel is quite obvious. Being a member of the younger generation, Briar represents the hope for the future of the relationships between the Black and White communities: “Look at me real quick” (Reid, 2019, p. 214). Moreover, the connection that briar makes with Emira and her friends seems genuine and strong: “Briar looked up at Emira” (Reid, 2019, p. 207). For instance, Briar’s interactions with Zara, though being expectedly simple, are nonetheless endearing, as briar becomes fascinated with Zara’s hairstyle, and Zara lets her to touch her hair: “Hi, Miss Briar, you can touch” (Reid, 2019, p. 12). Therefore, as a symbol of a bridge between the two communities and a chance at reconciliation between them, Briar plays a vital role in the narrative.
Moreover, Briar’s symbolic role becomes even more explicit at the end of the novel. Namely, As Emira speculates about what the future holds for her and her community, she expresses the hope for Briar to be “a self-sufficient person” (Reid, 2019, p. 226). Nevertheless, at the specified point in the narrative, it becomes obvious that Briar also incorporates symbolic elements of colonialism, where she would “probably just hire someone to do it for her” (Reid, 2019, p. 226). The described unhealthy relationship dynamics, where African American people are seen as servants for the White community, becomes the leitmotif for the novel, where Alix could not possibly even remotely consider the idea of being friends with Emira (Reid, 2019, p. 223). Moreover, the specified concept internalized form childhood, which is exposed in all its unfairness with the help of Blaire’s character.
Representing a blank slate, Briar symbolizes hope for further improvements in the relationships between the communities. The sense of hope is evident in the following line: “she’d never say good-bye to Emira” (Reid, 2019, p. 214). Moreover, the specified bond is reciprocal since Emira could not be “completely free from her” (Reid, 2019, p. 214). At the same time, the author makes it explicit that the specified hope is incredibly fragile, mostly due to the lack of the understanding of the issue in the new generation: “she felt her heart crush even further into her stomach” (Reid, 2019, p. 225). Thus, the question of future reconciliation remains open.
Furthermore, the specified issue of age and aging can be considered one of the novel’s core leitmotifs. Indeed, though age as a concept mentioned in the title could be referred to several notions. For instance, it could be representative of Emira’s age: “It’ll make sense when you’re older” (Reid, 2019, p. 36). However, it could also be interpreted as an era that the characters inhabit: “Emira had met several “Mrs. Chamberlains” before” (Reid, 2019, p. 140). Therefore, age as the concept of time, while remaining pliable, is emphasized throughout the novel.
The focus on the passage of time allows exploring the characters in greater depth. Specifically, one could claim that Emira demonstrates impressive character growth: “I’m just grabbing my stuff” (Reid, 2019, p. 216). The specified sentiment demonstrates that Emira’s perception of the world has become more nuanced and complex: “Emira very publicly stuck it to Mrs. Chamberlain” (Reid, 2019, p. 226). In turn, Alex is portrayed as creating “narrative that suited her best” (Reid, 2019, p. 220). The described propensity toward building self-serving narratives is evident in her fabricating a story about Alix’s supposedly racist behavior: “I know you know what I did, and I also don’t care” (Reid, 2019, p. 217). Therefore, unlike Emma, Emira fails to grow and evolve, confining herself to the same environment of entitlement and carelessness.
Since Briar is a side observer in the overall narrative, she performs the functions of not only a major character but also as a catalyst for the plot development and a symbol for the possible future reconciliation. Specifically, Briar interacts with Emira and other characters, therefore, contributing to their development. In addition, Briar quickly becomes one of the key plot devices as the protagonist gets entangled with the police. Finally, Briar represents hope for the future chance to mend the rift between the Black and White communities. Therefore, despite her seemingly minor role, Briar remains an essential functional and symbolic part of the story.
Reference
Reid, K. (2019). Such a fun age. G. P. Putnam’s Sons.