Petry intentionally contrasts the two couples – Mamie and Powther, and Camillo and Link – in this story to show that although Mamie and Powther are a same race couple, does not mean they are a successful couple. She breaks the social ideals of the time instead by showing how Camillo and Link develop a relationship and find love. We see examples of this in the text when we read from Link’s perspective, “And he thought he had never seen one quite so beautifully put together – like a swimmer or

Between the two men we see them sacrifice much time for their women, but each of their sacrifices are very different. Link says to Camillo, “Because every night for the last two weeks I waited or you. Right here. On the dock. And some nights it rained, and some nights there was fog, and some nights it was cold enough to freeze the tail off a brass monkey.” (86) Link doesn’t care what he must endure to reach Camillo, he not only sacrifices his time, but willingly does so. Powther sacrifices not only some of his time – but much of his life for Mamie. In contrast to Link, he holds deep regret in his decision. The book states, “He watched her walk down the hall toward the kitchen, watched the rhythmic motion of her legs, her arms, and thought, yes if I’d married Mrs. Crunch or someone like her I would never have wondered if I’d come home and find that she’d run off with another man…” When Powther reflects on his marriage (or time) with Mamie, he is really thinking of how much better his time would have been spent with another woman. Petry uses these examples to demonstrate that sacrifice, time, and even trust in the case of Powther doubting Mamie, does not spring from same-race couples, it springs from personal choice and situation. This difference in sacrifices although crucial, is not as important as how Powther and Link view their women in terms of love and possession. Link sees his relationship with Camillo as love, whereas Powther basis it more on possession. Link states, “I am falling in love with her. Not falling in love with her. I am in love with her.” (96) Link’s love for Camillo is almost a dream. Petry purposely writes of it poetically to heighten it to our typical sensations of what love means to us. The repetition in the three lines phrased slightly differently each time strengthens Link’s claim that he loves Camillo, and enforces our belief in his feeling. When Powther, however, initially meets Mamie, his thoughts are not on her, but on money. “He thought, enough money. I’ll be back here again. I can spend money, I’ve saved it all my lie but I’m going to spend it now, spend and spend and spend, until I can buy Mamie Smith.” To Powther, love is only a form of wealth and money. He expects to buy her like a man would buy a prostitute, like a man would buy a car.

Petry contrasts Link and Camillo with another same-race couple

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