Where's Waldo?

I found this book to be rather interesting. The white and black motifs that were constant throughout the novel made it almost like a Where’s Waldo? Game by the time I had reached the end. I was playing Where’s TIM? on every page. The point the story was making was still a valid one in today’s society and everyone can see the relation to today. There were many complicated symbols but even at surface value this book had a good ring to it.

"But don't you think he should be a little blacker?"(303)
This statement just shows how the Brotherhood views him as a replaceable resource and not as a human being. This seems to be a common theme throughout the novel as well. He is chosen for his voice and that is it, and no one cares one whit about him so long as he is doing as he is told. This-, being stated right in front of his face shows how unimportant he really is to the woman and how much more the “cause” is than the humans involved. This seems strange for people that call themselves The Brotherhood.

One major symbol in TIM is the “optic white’ paint. The interesting part of this paint is the black base required to make it. Without this black base the white paint is not what it should be. This white paint, which clearly symbolizes the nature of the white population of the time, is used to cover anything and everything. As was true in society at the time, there was often more than one black hand involved in things white folk received credit for.