Theme From American Literature

                   In American literature the most common theme is racism. In the twentieth century, it was a major issue and topic that everyone in America had to deal with. Many authors focus on the problems and issues caused by racism. Some of them have seen this through personal experience or hearing about it. When writing a story set in the 1920's and 30's in Alabama, racism has to be a major issue discussed. 
                So far in the novel, racism has been a reoccurring theme. The sub plot takes place in the 1920's and 1930's in the south near Birmingham, Alabama. Even in the small town of Whistle Stop, colored people and white people lived and ate separately. Idgie of course, rebellious as always, allows colored people to eat at her cafe if they come and pick it up from the back. It was frowned upon for her to do this in those days. Colored people are there throughout the novel. Colored people cook the food for the Whistle Stop Cafe and they take care of the people at the nursing home. When Ardis goes to Birmingham we see the Harlem of Birmingham where the colored people go to hang out. There were a few mentions of the Ku Klux Klan who had come over from Georgia. The KKK was still pretty big in the 1930's. They were upset that the cafe was selling food to black and white people. One of the people in the KKK happened to be Frank Bennet, Ruth's husband. Back at the nursing home Mrs. Threadgoode said something interesting to Evelyn about how most of the old people who lived in the home resented black people. It happened to be that most of the workers were black and took care of them. The old people in that nursing home in the 1980's were the ones living back during the depression and when there was still a lot of racism. Especially since the nursing home was located in Birmingham Alabama, these people only knew to be racists.                            

           Flagg brings up the great depression and how hard it affected the deep south. We first notice it with Railroad Bill, who throws food off the train for the poor people living along the tracks. They are all starving and thanks to Railroad Bill they can collect a little bit of food to survive. "Birmingham, the town during the Depression had been named by FDR "the hardest hit city in the U.S."(p.227)           
          She puts in another historical reference when she writes about the war and how Ruth and Idgies victory gardens are looking the best. During both world wars, people would make gardens so that more food could be used for the military and allies.