Zach and Lily’s relationship is representative of the Civil Rights movement that was taking place around them. Some people wanted integration and for the racism to stop, like Zach and Lily want to be together, but there were others who were set in their ways and wanted everything to stay the way it was. Those people are represented in Zach’s and Lily’s hesitation to act on their feelings for each other. Zach wants to be with Lily, to end their segregation, but he also has a loyalty to his other black friends when they’re in trouble and he stays with them even though he wasn’t involved in their crime. Lily says, “He was trying to say to me, I’m sorry, but these are my friends” (179). At that point in the story, Zach’s loyalty to his race overtakes his feelings for Lily. Even the people who wanted integration had times when they chose to remain loyal to their race during the fight for civil rights. When Lily and Zach finally get together, it’s not without them realizing the difficulties that are still ahead of them if they want to continue their relationship, just like everyone knew that there were still going to be racial issues even after the Civil Rights movement.
Zach and Lily’s relationship is representative of the Civil Rights movement that was taking place around them. Some people wanted integration and for the racism to stop, like Zach and Lily want to be together, but there were others who were set in their ways and wanted everything to stay the way it was. Those people are represented in Zach’s and Lily’s hesitation to act on their feelings for each other. Zach wants to be with Lily, to end their segregation, but he also has a loyalty to his other black friends when they’re in trouble and he stays with them even though he wasn’t involved in their crime. Lily says, “He was trying to say to me, I’m sorry, but these are my friends” (179). At that point in the story, Zach’s loyalty to his race overtakes his feelings for Lily. Even the people who wanted integration had times when they chose to remain loyal to their race during the fight for civil rights. When Lily and Zach finally get together, it’s not without them realizing the difficulties that are still ahead of them if they want to continue their relationship, just like everyone knew that there were still going to be racial issues even after the Civil Rights movement.
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