The Garies and Their Friends

Content Warning: This section refers to racism and discrimination.

Throughout The Garies and Their Friends, Charlie Ellis is dedicated to the game of marbles, a motif that relates to the theme of Solidarity and Resistance Within Black Communities. Marbles is a children’s game where players attempt to knock the opponent’s marbles out of a circle. When Charlie is first introduced, he is described as being so passionate about the game that he does not try to keep his clothes clean. When he is put into service at the Thomas residence, he dirties his uniform when playing marbles. Later, he is pulled away from his duty to bring his sister dinner when he “several times stop[s] to act as umpire in disputed games of marbles” (86). Charlie’s passion for play, and play at marbles specifically, represents his resistance against racist attitudes about and expectations of Black children, namely that they should be obedient and serve white people.

The game of marbles is also a way that Black children build solidarity and community. Charlie is acknowledged as a leader in this youth community because of his knowledge of marbles. When he leaves for the countryside to recover from his broken arm and subsequent illness, he symbolically gives his best friend, Kinch, “a number of marbles” as a parting token (109).