Chapter 2

Parallel - "Brenda among them was elegantly simple..." (14)
"right from the start she was a practical girl." (7)
Paralleling to what Neil described about Brenda in Chapter 1, how she is a practical girl. In Chapter 2, she is described as being simple, echoing the first description of her from Neil.

Contrast - "The next day I held Brenda's glasses for her once again, this time not as a momentary servant but as an afternoon guest." (14)

Contrasts to the time when he first held her glasses, where Neil felt momentarily like a slave.

 Props -  Brenda's Sunglasses (14) - Neil seems to make this object very important as it is connected to the relationship he has with Brenda. He relates how he feels to Brenda, to how he feels when holding her sunglasses.

Class Consciousness - "I could not shake firmly from my elephant's brain that she-still-thinks-we-live-in-Newark remark." (26) Class judgment, as he felt talked down to by Brenda when she made the remark, since she is wealthy and does not live In Newark, while Neil does.

Language - "I did not want to voice a word that would lift the cover and reveal the hideous emotion I always felt for her, and is the underside of love." (27) In short Neil says this entire time he has lusted after Brenda. While I'm not really sure if he confuses love with lust here, Neil is openly admitting to the reader he lusts after Brenda.

Meaningful - Using the quote from the "Language" section, the passage clarifies to the reader the feelings that Neil feels towards Brenda. He seems to be confusing love with lust, or has possibly realized that he loves her, but a definite part of it has to do with him physically lusting after her.

Chapter 1

Parallel: "I'm...Dark" "Are you a negro" (7)
"What does your cousin Doris look like?"
 "She's dark-"
"Is she-"(12)
Basically say the same thing, only the second conversation is about Doris, while the first one is about Neil.

Contrast: "right from the start she was a practical girl."(7)
"Her passion for winning a point seemed outmatched by an even stronger passion for maintaining her beauty as it was."(10)
He calls her practical at first, but later Neil describes as basically obsessed with her physical looks, contradictory statements.

Props:
-Brenda's Glasses- Definitely the most important as that is how Neil initiated a conversation with Brenda, talking about him holding her glasses.
-Tennis Racket and Cover           -Phone Book         -Phone        -Stone that Brenda kicks

Class Consciousness: Brenda asks Neil if he is a negro, as well as Doris. Brenda is white and during the time period of the novel, racial inequality was a common occurence. Also Neil's description of Newark, makes it sound like it is a poor area, or at least more poor than the area where Brenda lives.

Language and insights/truths: When Neil asks Brenda why does she "always rush the net after dark", he makes a unique connection with her. Brenda even tells Neil that not many people would even notice this, showing Neil is a distinguished individual when it comes to Brenda.

Meaningful/Confusing Passages:
1. Why would Brenda accept a meeting with a complete stranger? Is it something acceptable or normal during that time?

2. What social class is Brenda in?