The Outing continues in the same world and with the same cast of characters as the first story, "The Rockpile," but in this story the brothers Roy and Johnnie are teenagers. In this story, too, the title also refers to the setting of the narrative, here an outing organized by the congregation for which their father, Gabriel, is a deacon. The outing is a yearly event put on by the church as a way for congregants to enjoy nature together and praise God in a wide-open space.
The Harlem church group escapes the city for a summer day-trip of prayer and, more importantly, romance. Every summer, the Harlem Mount of Olives Pentecostal Assembly gives an outing, around the Fourth of July. There is boating, testifying, and illicit steps towards young love. Delving deeply into the jaded thoughts of the youth about religion and church community, Baldwin is exploring the young minds and their expressions.
Compared with the previous story, "The Rockpile," containing the same core characters, "The Outing" contains far more biblical allusions, religious references, and overt religious themes, which makes sense seeing that the setting of the story is a church function, rather than a short, domestic sequence of events. Johnnie and Roy's relationship has developed into a complex, perhaps unexpected dynamic, more loving than resentful, wherein their father, Gabriel, is regarded with mutual disdain.
Adapted from Baldwin heritage blog
Image - The Black Christ by Countee Cullen with illustrations by Charles Cullen.
Countee Cullen was one of the leading poets and intellectuals of the Harlem Renaissance. This book of poetry, published at the height of his career, examines the relationships between faith and injustice. Cullen draws parallels between the suffering of the crucified Christ and the suffering of African Americans in the climate of racial violence that characterized the 1920s.
Courtesy- Missouri Library Edu
Courtesy- Missouri Library Edu
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