Quicksand

The way that Helga rationalizes her discontents with various communities (usually followed by departure and entrance into another community) is often, in part, with reference to race. She does not like Naxos because of the uppity, conformist approach the black bourgeoisie has there for black "uplift." Though Harlem is fun, she leaves Harlem partially because of the incessant discussion of the race problem. She refuses to marry a dane because he is white and leaves Denmark because there is no black community. In the final part of the book, she grows resentful of the religious rural community she lives in because of its commitment to the white man's god that will alleviate all their racial sufferings after death. Throughout the novel, Helga strives for community but always ends up disappointed and withdrawn. She both strives for community but refuses to admit dependance on anyone or thing. A good example of this is her attitude towards money. In one scene she muses on wanting to marry a financially successful man, have a nice car, live in a nice house, and shortly afterwards declares how little money matters (46). Even more revealingly, in a later chapter the narrator reveals, "Always she had wanted, not money, but the things which money could give, leisure, attention, beautiful surroundings"(67). In order to fulfill some longing insider her, Helga personalizes the things she enjoys in a way that  neglects the context of the thing. She likes the things money can buy but neglects the necessity of marrying into money, and neglects to understand class society that make concentration of wealth possible. She likes the fun of Harlem but would rather not deal with racism. She enjoys, for a time, the communal single-mindedness of a religious experience, but comes to detest it because of the context of white oppression that makes the religious experience necessary for the black religious community. Helga never seems to be able to balance being an individual with being a part of a community.