4. In "Why, You Reckon," by Langston Hughes, explain how the stranger knows that the narrator is hungry too. Provide evidence from the story that shows the answer.

5. What is the central tone of "Why, You Reckon?" Provide words and phrases from the story that support your opinion.

In "Why, You Reckon", the stranger knows that the narrator is hungry too because he saw him on the charity trying to get some food. He was there and both him and the narrator did not get any food at the charity. That is why the narrator eventually decides to join the stranger in robbing the first white person that they see. This short story is set in Harlem during the Depression years, so it was likely that both of them were hungry and the stranger would assume the narrator was.

The central tone of the story is ironic. While the setting, in Harlem during the peak of the Depression could mark a grave tone, once the characters drag the white guy to the basement where they rob him the tone is clearly ironic. There is a dregree of social criticism in that white people went to Harlem almost as "tourists" looking for the hip music and clubs but did not care for the social conditions in the Black neighbourhood: "Wearin' diamonds up here to Harlem, and me starvin'!"

On the other hand, when the stranger is robbing the white guy, it looks like he is actually scolding him for not having the things he wanted to rob, and he even lends him a cigarette after taking them from him. "Don't you know no coloured folks smoke these kind of cigarettes?"

Another ironic mark, situational irony, is that the stranger betrayed the narrator and fled with all the stuff they robbed. He had already told the narrator that people like them should take what they needed no matter how, and he ended up abandoning the narrator, leaving him hungrier than before. In the end, the final irony is shown when the white boy is thrilled because this was the most autentic and intense thrill he had ever felt, leaving the narrator thinking that money does not necessarily bring happiness to white folks. The white boy said "This is the first time in my life I've ever had a good time in Harlem." to which the narrator replied "I'm glad you had a good time."