Ann Petry's "Like A Winding Sheet" shows the frustration and anger of being a poor black couple living in a "Ghetto" during the mid to early 20th Century. As the story unfolds, it is obvious that racism and frustration bring about the unforeseeable climax of anger that has festered within Johnson's mind. This story illustrates the graphic nature of how insults and injustice can fester and lead to blind anger along with domestic violence despite the fact that Johnson brings bout his own downfall through his misconception about his wife, job, and racism.
             One of the first points to mention is that the relationship between Johnson and Mae would appear to be a good one, since the author points out that Johnson "had planned to get up before Mae did and surprise her by fixing breakfast" (117). Certainly, it would be more than obvious that they loved one another very much because they were always playing after getting home from work instead of trying to get sleep in preparation for the next night of work. Another sign of Johnson's love for Mae is when they were arguing about being late for work and "he couldn't bring himself to talk to her roughly or threaten to strike her like a lot of men might have done" (118). Although this appears from the outward appearance to be a normal relationship it's hard to ignore the inward emotions that Johnson has been keeping bottled up, such as the envious feelings he has toward Mae's ability to be energetic and refreshed after having worked all night.
             A second point is to mention the fact that it is early in the 20th Century and jobs are particularly hard to find especially for a black man with no special trade. With this in mind it would seem that Johnson would be thankful to have secured employment anywhere in town instead of grumbling and complaining by making statements like "all that standing beats the hell out of my legs" (120). While at work "he pushed the cart out on the concrete floor, thinki...