Analysis

The story “Sweet Potato Pie” by Eugenia Collier has a traditional structure with non-linear elements. The story focuses on Buddy’s relationship with his brother, Charley, while also showing how Buddy escaped poverty with the help of his family.  

The characters include Buddy as the main character, and his older brother Charley as a secondary character. Charley’s wife, Bea, and their daughters also appear in the story. Buddy and Charley’s siblings - Lil, Alberta, and Jamie - their parents, Jess (Buddy’s wife), and Jake (Lil’s husband) are also mentioned in the story.

The events take place in New York, in several locations that suggest the difference between Buddy and Charley’s circumstances. Flashbacks take place in Buddy’s childhood home. The social setting explores aspects related to the relationship between siblings, parent-child relationships, poverty, social class, and education.

The events are described by a first-person narrator. The narrator reflects on his life, presenting his own different points of view in various moments of his life, starting with his childhood.

The language used by the narrator is descriptive. The story is told mostly through narration, conveying Buddy’s subjective perspective on his circumstances.

You can read the full analysis in the following pages.

Further help

For more advice about analyzing short stories, you can read our general guide to short story analysis.