Why does Ann Petry just leave us hanging at the end of The Street. I think she should at least tell us what happens after they discover the body and if Bub gets sent to boarding school. I don't like it, what do you think?

-- Anonymous, April 07, 2000

Answers

I didn't like it either. I hate being left hanging like that. Lutie did a complete turn at the end. I didn't think that she would run away like she did and abandon her son. She became exactly what she didn't want her son to be.

-- Anonymous, April 12, 2000

Petry leaves us hanging at the end because she wants us to realize that we, along with Lutie, does not know what will happen to her. The future is an unknown to the characters in the book, therefore it should be an unkonwn to us also. Lutie fell apart and ran away. We are left to figure out what will happen ourselves.

-- Anonymous, June 22, 2000