Metaphors In Giovanni's Room

Most, if not all book titles have significance behind them. A book title gives you essential information related to the text: it’s theme, setting, or main characters. James Baldwin’s novel, Giovanni’s Room is titled such for the purpose of demonstrating how the room’s symbolic value is linked to David’s life. Throughout the novel Giovanni’s Room is often characterized as a jail cell which can be correlated to David’s inner conflict with his homosexuality. Giovanni’s Room also portrayed an overall negative metaphor to homosexuality as carried on by the American society at the time. And lastly, the room is Giovanni’s room, which gives David a feeling of guilt whenever he is in that specific room or an any other room because it reminds him of his forbidden love, Giovanni. While Giovanni is in jail, David wonders if his jail cell is anything like his

Armengol says, “It is my contention that David’s homophobia and fear of himself are indissolubly linked to his racially white heritage, as I hope to demonstrate (679). Which leads to the second point: Giovanni’s Room also portrayed an overall negative metaphor to homosexuality as carried on by the American society at the time. James Baldwin displays a negative interpretation of homosexuality as recognized in American society by showing the many metaphors contained within Giovanni’s room . The metaphors within Giovanni’s room: Giovanni’s prison (his room), the symbolism of Giovanni’s life, and gripping Giovanni and David’s relationship together, are metaphors of homosexuality for David and they hold the room’s symbolisms of being a prison cell to both Giovanni and David. They are negative metaphors and are there to help reveal to the audience that homosexuality is controlling, manipulative, and filthy. These negative implications of homosexuality are brought from the American society and many other societies. They are internalized by David and Giovanni which eventually creates the inner conflict of self