The Street (End)

I was not a big fan of how this novel ended... although I didn't think that it would be a very happy ending, I lost some respect for Lutie. I gave her credit for her strength throughout the novel, and then to see her throw everything away in the end by killing a man and leaving her son. I think the thing that I didn't like the most was Lutie leaving her son. After all she had sacrificed for him and all that she had done, she gave up. She let "the street" (and all that it symbolized: racism, poverty, etc) win. I was very dissappointed with her as a character. I do think that she evolved and changed throughout the novel, but I'm not sure if it was necessarily for the better.
I think the cultural work that this novel does is that it is pretty realistic and shows what can really happen to a woman in this situation. I really enjoyed the realism, and the novel as a whole, I was just saddened by Lutie's choices at the end... but I somehow understand. Sometimes can be so overwelming for a person, she just didn't know what else to do. I think she felt she was out of options... and everyone makes mistakes. Although, killing someone is not usually among those mistakes.