Another Brooklyn

Hair is a point of pride for August and her friends. When August compares her situation to the children of Biafra, she notes that while they are unkempt, her hair is combed. Living in Brooklyn, she must, however, rely on a salon to do her hair: her father washes it and sends her across the street. When Sister Loretta begins to spend time at their home, she does August’s hair. Well-kempt hair is essential to August’s self-image, and when Sister Loretta is able to help her achieve this within her home, it builds intimacy between them. August is likewise fascinated with Sister Loretta’s hair.

Gigi’s hair is also a source of fascination for August and her friends. When they wish to comfort and console her, they unbraid it and play with it. Her hair is an essential part of her beauty, and when she commits suicide, August wonders if it fanned out behind her. Her friends believed her beauty (and her beautiful hair) would carry her to stardom; when it doesn’t, it comes as a shock and surprise