Final answer:
In 'Black Ice' by Lorene Cary, the central themes are racial identity, class, and educational inequality, exploring Cary's experiences at an elite school and the challenges of fitting in while staying true to oneself.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theme in the story Black Ice by Lorene Cary is an exploration of complex social issues such as racial identity, class, and educational inequality. The memoir recounts Cary's experiences as one of the first African American female students at the predominantly white and affluent St. Paul's School in New Hampshire. Through her journey, the author examines the tensions between her background and the elite world she enters, which is emblematic of broader societal structures. A pervasive element of the story is Cary's struggle for acceptance and self-definition in a community where she feels like an outsider. Additionally, her resilience and determination throughout the narrative underscore themes of personal growth and the challenge of reconciling multiple facets of one's identity.
Analyzing the theme in Black Ice involves considering repeated imagery and symbols, the interaction of characters, and the emotional arc of the narrative to understand the core message about human experiences within certain social frameworks.