Answer:
The setting.
Miguel Street is set during World War II on Miguel Street located in Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago. V.S. Naipaul is known for setting his novels in areas of the world that are typically forgotten about and overlooked in traditional literature canons. Most books set in this time period occur where the war was actively occurring. Yet, World War II altered the entire world. V.S. Naipaul contributes a meaningful voice to literature from this time.
Characters
The Men
We see the goings-on of the people of Miguel Street through the narrator's eyes. He begins the story as a young boy who regularly interacts with some interesting characters. There are construction workers like Popo, drivers like Eddoes, and poets like B. Wordsworth. The men enjoy the ladies, especially George, who briefly runs a brothel-of-sorts. Elias, George's son, is educated and ''serious and ambitious.'' Man-man is also serious, even mad, regularly running for public office.
Life is not always serious, however. Morgan, whose house fire prompts an awe-inspiring fireworks display, is the comedian and ''pyrotechnicist.'' He may have also benefited from the teachings of Titus Hoyt. Hoyt is a ''a natural guide, philosopher.'' He's the street's educator and book enthusiast. Uncle Bhakcu is educated, but not about books. He is, per the narrator (but not his wife), a ''mechanical genius.'' The award for the saddest man on the street goes to Bolo, a barber duped by a house co-op purchase. The award for the most jovial goes to Hat. He taunts, commiserates, and bonds with the others. He offers advice (albeit unsolicited). As Hat observes, ''Everybody's growing up or they leaving.''
The Women
While everyone seems to be leaving, the women aren't. Dolly, Hat's wife, ''seemed to spend a great deal of her time at the front window looking out.'' Mrs. Bhakcu doesn't hide behind a window as she taunts her husband. ''But how you want me to shut my mouth up? You is my husband, and I have to stand up for you.''
Whether they intermingle or not, one common characteristic among many of the women is their maternal instinct. The narrator's mother gives guiding advice and commentary. Another mother, Laura, who, according to the narrator, is not much of a looker, has borne eight children. And as the women bring life to the community, for some of the women, like Miss Hilton, death is the only way out. ''While she lived, her front gate was always padlocked and no one ever saw her leave or saw anybody go in.'' The women are a stronghold among the men, even if they do not dominate the focus.
The plot
The reader encounters 17 men and women, revealed to us by an unnamed narrator. Miguel Street reveals a lot about the human condition and about how failure alters lives.
The conflict
Bogart is arrested for bigamy or having two wives. This is an example of a man vs society conflict in two ways: Bogart feels the pressure to father a child because of cultural beliefs about masculinity, and he is eventually punished by that same society for attempting to fulfill this idea.
Popo has similar issues proving his masculinity to the others on Miguel St. The ways that he struggles with his reputation because of his relationship to his wife represent a man vs society conflict as well. In another case, Popo's failure to finish any of his woodworking projects could be considered a man vs self conflict.
When Morgan's house burns down, Morgan experiences a man vs nature conflict because no one set the fire, but it still destroys so much of his life.
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