Role of Race to Readers.

In the three books we have read so far race has played a role in how readers see the characters, and how the authors target a certain audience. Of the three novels Cotton Comes to Harlem, and The Chinese Parrot, race plays a large role on how characters act. The Big Sleep on the other hand used certain hints at sexual orientations to tie the storyline together. For example, we found out that after Carol shoots Joe Brody, that he was living with Geiger, and he moved the body so he could get revenge for his "friend". All in all, The Big Sleep deals with whites; I will use this as a basis of comparison for the other two novels.
In the Chinese Parrot race is used to let Chan weasel his way into being able to find clues. Chan and Bob Eden are sent to deliver the pearls to the Madden ranch. Chan is carrying the pearls, but he is the one who is disguised as the servant. This is due to the time period this story takes place. During the 30's a white man having a Chinese servant would not be suspicious looking, and because the audience can accept a Chinese servant. If we look at it in reverse a white man being a servant to Chan would have be very suspicious to readers of the time and not that believable. As compared to The Big Sleep race in The Chinese Parrot is used to make Chan's actions follow general stereotypes at the time.
On the other hand, Cotton comes to Harlem is going to use race as a source of major conflict. The first chapter gives a foreshadowing of these events on page 7 " A police cruiser was parked at the curb. Two white cops in the front seat cast sour looks over the assemblage. "Where do you think they got a permit for this meeting?" "Search me. Lieutenant Anderson said leave them alone." "This country is being run by niggers." " I had an idea what the book was going be about just from the title, but after reading this passage I knew that the main conflict would be caused by race relations. In comparison with The Big Sleep Himes uses race instead of criminal activity as the source of conflict in the novel.