Another Country

by

James Baldwin

Another Country: Book 1, Chapter 2 Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
The morning after Rufus’s suicide, Cass sits in her living room as rain comes down outside. The telephone rings and Cass picks it up to find Ida on the other end. Ida reintroduces herself to Cass—they have only met once before—and asks if she has seen Rufus. Cass remembers meeting Ida and thinking she was strikingly beautiful. The alarm in Ida’s voice worries Cass, but she tries to act reassuring because she saw Rufus the night before. When Ida hears this news, she breathes a sigh of relief, though she is annoyed that her brother did not reach out to her.
Baldwin creates dramatic irony by informing the reader of Rufus’s suicide before anyone else in his life finds out. Rufus’s disappearance and death draws together people in his life that otherwise would not have interacted with one another. While the first chapter explains what happened in Rufus’s life to drive him to suicide, the rest of the novel will examine how his suicide affected those around him.
Themes
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Cass tells Ida that she does not know where Rufus ended up after she left him at the bar. However, she knows Vivaldo was with him and will be coming to her house later in the afternoon. As such, she invites Ida to come over as well so she can talk to Vivaldo. Ida thanks Cass and says she will come over later.
Cass does her best to be supportive; she genuinely thinks Rufus is okay and wants to help Ida find her brother, who she believes is a troubled but redeemable person.
Themes
Alienation and New York City Theme Icon
After hanging up the phone, Cass goes to check on her children, Paul and Michael, because she hears them fighting. She finds the boys arguing over a broken chess set, so she breaks them up and starts them on their morning routines. Paul asks if he can wake up Richard because he wants to have breakfast with his father—something that has not happened lately. Cass tells Paul to leave his father alone; they were out late, and Richard needs his sleep.
Unlike the rest of the characters in the novel, Cass and Richard are an established couple with a family. Although they have problems, their problems are relatively minor, as their fundamental needs in life are met (and then some). Notably, Richard and Cass are far wealthier than the other key players in the novel.
Themes
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After getting the kids ready, Cass phones Vivaldo’s apartment, but he does not answer. Cass suspects he spent the night with Jane, but she does not have Jane’s phone number to confirm her suspicion. Moments later, Richard stumbles out of bed and joins Cass in the kitchen. Cass tells Richard that Ida called and explains that she invited Ida over to speak with Vivaldo. Richard does not mind that Ida will be joining him, though he has little sympathy for Rufus. He suggests that Rufus is missing because he “found some other defenseless little girl to beat up.”
Richard is the first character in the novel to express outward contempt toward Rufus and, although Baldwin does not depict Richard’s position as the most admirable, he also doesn’t fully demonize it. After all, Rufus did brutally abuse Leona to the point of driving her insane. There is much about him to detest, and it is understandable that Richard wants nothing to do with him.
Themes
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Alienation and New York City Theme Icon
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After his conversation with Cass, Richard walks Paul and Michael to the movies—something he had promised to do. As Richard and the children walk out into the rain, Cass thinks about her 12 years of marriage. They married 12 years ago, in the middle of World War II. The army shipped Richard off to North Africa where he served in a quartermaster depot.
Richard, like Rufus, is a veteran. However, as a quartermaster (an officer who provides supplies and necessities to other soldiers) in North Africa, he likely never saw combat, nor would his life have been in grave danger. Possibly, he managed to get such an advantageous station because of his race and class.
Themes
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A few minutes later, Richard returns as Cass begins making dinner. While she cooks, Vivaldo shows up soaking wet and with wild hair. Cass invites Vivaldo inside and hands him a drink. Vivaldo admits that he got quite drunk and spent the previous night with Jane; he still hasn’t fully sobered up. Cass asks Vivaldo if he knows what happened to Rufus. Vivaldo explains that Rufus said he was going to the bathroom and then disappeared. 
Although Vivaldo obviously treats Jane better than Rufus treated Leona, there are similarities in the two relationships. Similar to Rufus’s attraction to Leona, Vivaldo only appears interested in Jane when sex is involved, often accompanied by booze. As soon as his lust wears off, Vivaldo gets as far away from Jane as he can.
Themes
Love and Sexuality Theme Icon
Cass switches the topic to Jane. She says she does not know what Jane and Vivaldo see in each other. Vivaldo explains that he simply needed a woman for the night. Cass suspects that “need” is the wrong word, and that Vivaldo is harming himself more than he is helping himself when it comes to Jane. Cass encourages Vivaldo to straighten himself out and finds someone he loves rather than using sex as a coping mechanism.
Indeed, like Rufus, Vivaldo uses sex and alcohol as a coping mechanism for his insecurities. Rather than focus on writing his novel, Vivaldo spends his time drinking and hiring sex workers if Jane is not available. Notably, Cass’s advice will prove relevant to her own situation later in the novel.
Themes
Love and Sexuality Theme Icon
Richard enters the room, greets Vivaldo, and hands him the manuscript for his novel. He tells Vivaldo to temper his expectations—to Richard it is a good book, not a great one. Cass suggests that Richard is being modest and asserts that the novel is strong work. Vivaldo says he will read the manuscript as soon as he sobers up and promises to tell Richard truthfully what he thinks about it.
Whether Richard is being humble or genuinely means what he says about his novel is unclear. Similarly, it is difficult to know what Cass thinks about the novel and whether Vivaldo actually plans to tell Richard his true feelings. After all, the novel is already completed, and it would be difficult for both Cass and Vivaldo to admit that they hated it—if that was indeed the case.
Themes
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At 4:00 p.m., Ida arrives, and Cass lets her in. Cass offers Ida a drink and mindfully warns her that Vivaldo is unsure of Rufus’s location. This news is alarming to Ida, who immediately starts worrying about her brother again. Cass leads Ida to the living room and introduces her to Richard. There, Ida questions the three of them about Rufus, trying to figure out where he could be. Everyone tries to reassure Ida that Rufus is okay and was in a good headspace when they last saw him. However, they are not entirely convincing, and Ida continues to worry.
Although Ida cannot possibly know anything for sure, she seems to sense something is wrong. It is as though she knows Rufus is dead before she learns that is the case. Everyone else knows Rufus was struggling but they saw him so recently that they cannot help but assume he must be okay. Additionally, they see no reason to make Ida fear more for her brother’s safety than is already the case. 
Themes
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Alienation and New York City Theme Icon
Ida asks Vivaldo why he did not call her immediately after Rufus showed up at his apartment. Vivaldo explains that it was already late at night, and he did not want to wake her. Richard asks if Ida has talked to the police. Ida responds that she has but does not think they will devote any resources to finding Rufus because he is a Black man. Richard balks at the notion that the police would discriminate based on race, but Ida assures him that they do.
Unlike Rufus, Ida has no issue with stating her feelings about the treatment Black people receive in America. Meanwhile, Richard’s protest comes off as tone-deaf and ignorant of the Black experience with law enforcement in the 1960s. Of all the social structures and systems that Ida and Rufus feel have failed them, the police are among the worst offenders.
Themes
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Alienation and New York City Theme Icon
Quotes
Vivaldo asks Ida if there is anything he can do to help her; he loves Rufus too and wants to help find him. Ida appreciates the sentiment but is unsure whether there is anything Vivaldo can do. Vivaldo says he will walk around town with Ida and help her look. Ida accepts his help, thinking he might be able to get more out of Rufus’s friends and acquaintances than she ever could. Richard assures Ida that everything is most likely fine, and they will likely be wasting their time by walking around in the rain. Upset, Ida responds that Rufus’s recent behavior is unlike him. Previously, even at his worst, Rufus would always check up on his family. Ida claims that things changed after Rufus got involved with “that damn crazy little cracker bitch” (Leona). In response, Richard can only shrug and sigh.
Seeing that Ida will not calm down until she has found her brother, Vivaldo offers to help. Meanwhile, Richard has less sympathy—in part because he thinks Rufus is fine but also because he does not like him—and Ida’s comments about Leona only make him less sympathetic. It is unclear how much Ida knows about Rufus’s treatment of Leona or how far she would go to justify it if she did. Regardless, Ida does not understand Leona’s position any more than Leona understands hers. Like most other characters in the novel, Ida is a sympathetic but flawed figure.
Themes
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Hoping to calm everyone down, Cass suggests that Ida and Vivaldo stick around for dinner. She believes Rufus could show up later in the day, so it might be better if Ida and Vivaldo stayed put anyway. This way, they can at least wait until the rain subsides. Eventually, Ida gives in and decides to stay for dinner.
Seeing that a fight could break out, Cass plays the role of peacemaker. She understands where both her husband and Ida are coming from—at least superficially—and wants to calm both of them down before the situation gets worse.
Themes
Race in America Theme Icon
The morning before Thanksgiving, Cass goes out alone for a walk in her neighborhood. Her neighborhood has a large Puerto Rican population, who Cass admires for their gentle and playful demeanor. When Cass returns from her walk, she finds Richard in their apartment with a grave look on his face. When Cass asks what is wrong, Richard explains that Rufus committed suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge a few days before—Vivaldo just called him and gave him the news.
Although Cass is a well-intentioned person who thinks and speaks positively about minority groups, she still tends to generalize and patronize. This is not a quality that is unique to her—indeed, she is probably the most progressive white character in the novel when it comes to thinking about race—but it does demonstrate the ways in which she considers herself separate from other groups of people.
Themes
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Cass fixes herself a drink while wondering what she could have done differently. Richard insists that Rufus was already beyond help by the time they saw him at the bar; he encourages Cass not to blame herself for what happened. Cass knows Richard is right, at least in part, but Rufus’s death pains her, nonetheless. She tells Richard that there was something sweet about Rufus—even if his hard exterior did not show it. Richard responds that, if that is the case, then Cass is more perceptive than he is, as he found Rufus to be quite self-centered. Richard also admits that he thinks Cass and Vivaldo treated Rufus differently because he was Black. Otherwise, they never would have stuck by his side after what he did to Leona.
Previously, Richard claimed Rufus was probably fine and that no one need worry. Here, he has changed his tune entirely to say that Rufus is beyond help. It isn’t that Richard was lying before, he simply just does not care about or like Rufus. Meanwhile, he does care about Cass and wants to protect her feelings. Baldwin does not provide easy answers for the difficult questions Richard brings up, including his claim about why Cass and Vivaldo treat Rufus differently. Rather, he lets them sit and fester throughout the novel.
Themes
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Quotes
Cass thinks that Rufus acted the way he did because he was in pain. Despite the way he behaved, Cass believes he loved Leona. When Richard scoffs at this idea, Cass reminds him that they have hurt each other in their relationship, yet they still love each other. Richard does not think the comparison is fair and tells her so. Cass says that although Richard did not hurt her in the same way, she has had to sacrifice parts of herself to please him and fit into his world. She found this transition painful, yet she did it for love. Richard holds Cass close to him, trying to show her support, yet still not fully agreeing with what she says. Cass looks out the kitchen window and thinks about Rufus’s death.
Here, Baldwin provides a glimpse into the cracks that have begun to show in Cass and Richard’s marriage. For the first time, Richard learns that he “hurt” Cass because of the person he has turned her into. Of course, Cass’s willing transition into a different type of person is not the same as Rufus’s abuse of Leona. However, it is an example of the ways in which love can change and hurt people. For Richard, the comparison is too much of a stretch. However, it is Cass’s attempt to empathize with Rufus’s situation.
Themes
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The following Saturday, Cass and Vivaldo get in a taxi to go head uptown for Rufus’s funeral. On the way to the funeral, Cass and Vivaldo discuss how their parents are disappointed in them. Cass’s parents—who are exceptionally wealthy—treat her coldly because they do not approve of Richard. Meanwhile, Vivaldo has an abusive, alcoholic father. He grew up in a rough part of town—most of the kids he knew are now dead or addicted to heroin. In comparison, he feels lucky.
Cass and Vivaldo come from vastly different backgrounds. Cass is from a family so wealthy that they do not approve of Richard working as a teacher and a novelist. Meanwhile, Vivaldo had an upbringing quite similar to Rufus, though he did not face the type of racial discrimination that Rufus did.
Themes
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Vivaldo tells Cass a story about how he and his friends picked up a gay youth when they were teenagers, drove him to a garage, and made him perform oral sex on all of them. Afterward, they beat him and stole his money and clothes. To this day, Vivaldo does not know what happened to the boy or even if he survived the assault. After finishing the story, Vivaldo wonders aloud if he is still the same person who was capable of doing such a terrible thing.
Again, Baldwin has one of his characters admit to a story of horrendous abuse and asks the reader to still have sympathy for him. Vivaldo’s past also explains why he might be more understanding toward Rufus compared to someone like Richard, who, as far as the reader knows, has never committed such a despicable act.
Themes
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Alienation and New York City Theme Icon
Cass thinks about how secrets can fester and destroy people if they are not exposed to the world. She contemplates her relationship with Richard and his novel. Secretly, both of them think that his novel—which is not particularly good—is the best he can do. Richard speaks openly about wanting to write something better, though neither he nor Cass think he is capable of doing so. Cass reminds herself that she must stay strong and support Richard no matter what.
Cass is in a difficult spot because she and Richard are living a shared lie that they need to keep up in order to maintain their current standard of living. However, Cass does not respect Richard’s writing abilities and Richard likely senses the truth. She may have been trying to tell him as much in their last conversation.
Themes
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High Art vs. Low Art Theme Icon
Quotes
Vivaldo tells Cass that he went to visit Rufus’s family following his death. When he walked through their door, Rufus’s family thanked him for coming. However, Vivaldo could tell that they blamed him for Rufus’s death. It was a terrible feeling, and Vivaldo desperately wanted to take their pain away. He felt this way especially about Ida, who looked so beautiful and seemed so hurt.
Vivaldo was supposed to call Ida as soon as he found Rufus and didn’t. As Vivaldo mentioned in a previous scene, he didn’t because of the time of night. However, he still feels like he is somehow to blame for Rufus’s death, in part because of how Ida and her family treat him.
Themes
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Vivaldo couldn’t help but think his skin color was creating a divide that made the moment more painful for everyone. Cass tells Vivaldo that nothing happened because of his skin color. However, a lot happened to Rufus because of his skin color—he and the rest of the Black community have suffered more pain than Vivaldo could ever hope to fix. Vivaldo looks outside the cab and sees Cass is right. The cab drives through the “ghetto” and all around are Black people who have been treated with indifference and contempt by society at large.
Cass tries to explain that while Vivaldo might be part of the system that hurt Rufus, he is not the primary source of Rufus’s pain. If anything, Vivaldo is the reason Rufus lasted as long as he did in a society that otherwise did not care about him. Vivaldo and Cass’s surroundings prove Cass’s point; nothing Vivaldo said or did could have saved Rufus. Only a societal shift in the treatment of Black people could begin to fix the problems Rufus faced.
Themes
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Vivaldo tells Cass about the only time he ever met Rufus’s family prior to his death. At the time, Ida was only 15 and had her hair in pigtails. As he says this, the cab pulls up to the church. Suddenly, Cass gets upset because she realizes she forgot to bring a hat or scarf to cover her head. She worries she will be seen as disrespectful if she enters the church without one. Vivaldo assures her she will be fine and tries to get her in the church. However, Cass insists she must go to a store even if it means being late to the service.
Although Rufus and Vivaldo were friends, Rufus kept Vivaldo away from his family, perhaps because of Ida’s willingness to openly state how she feels about white people. Meanwhile, Cass is embarrassed about her lack of a head covering because the last thing she wants to do is appear disrespectful at Rufus’s funeral, especially as one of the few white people in attendance.
Themes
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Vivaldo gets out of the cab and heads into the church. Meanwhile, Cass asks the cab driver to take her to 125th Street so she can find a hat or scarf. When Cass arrives at her destination, she gets out of the cab and clumsily makes her way to a store. She is the only white woman in the area and feels self-conscious about her race. A Black woman in the store asks Cass what she needs. Cass tries to explain but comes off slightly unhinged and rude. The woman passes her off to another clerk and Cass tries to explain herself again, this time with more success.
Although Cass tries to be conscious of the Black struggle in America, she is not used to being a minority herself. When she momentarily becomes one, it is deeply unsettling for her. She forgets how to properly behave, even though she is only shopping, a relatively easy and mundane activity. Although Cass does not suddenly have a holistic understanding of the Black experience because of this temporary shift, it does affect her understanding of her environment.
Themes
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Eventually, Cass manages to purchase a scarf and exit the store. Her knees shake as she walks outside and hails a cab. Finally, she makes it back to the chapel for Rufus’s service, just as it is starting to get underway. As she enters, everyone turns around and looks at her, and an usher shows her to a seat in the back row. Cass notices that she and Vivaldo are the only white people present. She also notices that the attendees of the funeral are all spread out, making the service feel emptier than it is.
Although Cass tried to avoid doing something disrespectful by purchasing a scarf, the crowd ended up noticing her lateness more than they would have notice her lack of a head covering. The spread-out groups at Rufus’s funeral suggest that he had many small social groups that did not know about one another.
Themes
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At the front of the church, a young woman sings a song and then an elderly man named Revered Foster takes her place. He introduces himself to the audience and then gives a lengthy speech about Rufus. Revered Foster does not mince words; he describes Rufus as “full of the devil” and talks about how he always got in trouble. However, he also acknowledges that Rufus went through life carrying a lot of pain, much of which was not his fault. He assures everyone that he loved Rufus and knows that they did too. Although it is a dark day, he encourages everyone not to lose hope and become bitter—the world is already bitter enough without adding more pain and sorrow to it. Reverend Foster finishes his speech by reminding everyone that—despite everything—Rufus was trying to make himself better, which is something that should make them proud.
Reverend Foster’s speech roughly outlines some of the novel’s core themes. He does not excuse Rufus’s poor behavior but asks the attendees of the funeral to place it in context. Rufus did not start misbehaving out of nowhere, nor did he die by suicide without having been beaten down by the world. In other words, Reverend Foster wants to reassure Rufus’s friends and family that he is a redeemable figure, and it is this passage that have led some critics to go so far as to call Rufus a Christ figure, even as Reverend Foster claims he was “full of the devil.”
Themes
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Alienation and New York City Theme Icon
After Reverend Foster finishes speaking, he invites three of Rufus’s friends up on stage to perform another song. After the song is over, pallbearers come and take Rufus away, and the church slowly empties. Cass finds Vivaldo and asks if they should go to the cemetery. Vivaldo says that only the family is going. Ida walks up to Vivaldo and Cass, and she thanks them for coming. Cass tells Ida that she is always around to help if Ida needs anything. Ida thanks Cass again and then leaves.
Here, as in the jazz clubs, music is used as a tool to express frustration, sorrow, and grief. It is also fitting that there is so much music at Rufus’s funeral, given that he was a musician himself. Ida appears grateful that Cass and Vivaldo came to the funeral, though Cass left wondering if she, like Vivaldo, may be partially to blame for Rufus’s death.
Themes
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High Art vs. Low Art Theme Icon
Alienation and New York City Theme Icon
After Ida leaves, Cass wonders aloud whether Ida really appreciates her presence. She worries that Ida distrusts white people and does not think Cass’s behavior is genuine. Cass hopes that one day she can change Ida’s mind. Vivaldo agrees and then admits that he likes Ida and wishes to date her. He thinks he can help her grapple with Rufus’s death and see the world in a different way. With a smile, Cass tells him he is juvenile and knows nothing about life or women. Vivaldo asks Cass what she knows about men. Cass admits that she once thought she knew a lot but now, she is no longer sure. 
Notably, when Cass thinks about Ida’s attitude toward white people, she is understanding rather than judgmental. Although she hopes to change Ida’s mind, she understands where Ida is coming from and does not blame her for seeing the world in such a manner. Cass and Vivaldo’s brief conversation is yet another reminder of the gap in experience that exists between different groups of people.
Themes
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