As man sows, so shall he reap. In works of fiction, such men are sometimes converted. More often, in real life, they do not change their natures until they are converted into dust.

Several commentators have noted that Chesnutt broke new ground in American literature with his innovative explorations of racial identity use of African-American speech and folklore and the way in which he exposed the skewed logic of Jim Crow strictures. Marriage and family
In 1878 at the age of 20 Chesnutt married Susan Perry and they moved to New York City. Washington he became one of the early 20th century's most prominent activists and commentators.

Charles Waddell Chesnutt (June 20 1858 – November 17 1932) was an African American author essayist political activist and lawyer best known for his novels and short stories exploring complex issues of racial and social identity in the post-Civil War South. The legacy of slavery and interracial relations had resulted in many free people of color who had attained education before the war as well as slaves and freedmen of mixed race.