Tension
The tension between the individual and the community is depicted where the community is believed to be able to only sit on other coaches. In contrast, the whites sit on the other. It is seen that the individual is not allowed to speak up, and if they do that, it’s against the authority.
The writer, the mother and the sister and told to move from the coach to the ‘coloured’ coach when the train is in motion. The mother’s writer tries to explain that they can only move to that sit once the train stops. It’s very evident that the third party, that is the author’s mother would love to solve this. She feels her children’s lives are in danger if she makes them move from that coach to the coach designed for them to sit on. She, therefore, tries to resolve the situation by agreeing to move to the designated sit once the train stop. This is a means she is using to help solve both ends. The conductor agrees and promises to signal the engineer to stop the train for them to move to the coloured seat.
The train comes to a halt the conductor does not direct the writer, the mother and the sister to the African American seat, but he commands them to leave the train. This is a clear indication that the African has to power to communicate their opinion, and it’s not respected. As earlier agreed by both parties, the agreement is not met. When the involved are told to come out of the train before getting to their destination. The concerned party has no option but to alight before getting to their designed destination. They do not disagree or talk in a way to brings conflict between them and the conductor but what they do is to alight. This action has brought peace between them in as much as they do not get to their destination.