Coalhouse

Coalhouse is a stark break from the status quo. He is a black man who is “proud” and far from submissive. His unique personality does not sit well with much of society, especially white society, and he tends to either shock or enrage the people he meets. Coalhouse seems to already put himself on equal footing with white society which is not something that black men of his time did. Upon his car being vandalized he believes that he is entitled to the same form of justice as the rest of society. Society, however, does not respond to his demands. Father remarks that Coalhouse does not realize that he is black. This suggests that Father, and many other members of society, believe that Coalhouse acts outside of the lines drawn for him by his society.