Research Paper On Plum Bun By Amie Redmon Fauset

1482 Words6 Pages

The Harlem Renaissance. These three words changed African-American history forever. One of the greatest accomplishments of the Harlem Renaissance was the sense of hope and opportunity it offered the black community. Despite this great progressive movement, racism, colorism and traditional gender roles were still a great influence in the urban affairs of the Harlem Renaissance. Through facing their many adversities, they expressed their troubles through different forms of art. One of the most recognized female African-American literary artists/writers of the time period was Jessie Redmon Fauset. In her critically acclaimed novel, Plum Bun, she brings to light the struggles that blacks faced with colorism, racism and/or being a woman when trying …show more content…

Mattie and her daughter Angela, being fair-skinned and having “good hair” were each able to pass as white and therefore bonded more, while her husband and their darker daughter Virginia often spent their time together because they were both very similar in the way in which society viewed them : “Each took a child... Mattie accompanied by brown Virginia could not move as freely as when with Angela... As it happened the children themselves quite unconsciously solved the dilemma...” (Fauset, 16-17). With this, the racism in the society of this time period is introduced into the novel. Just from going out with their parents, the impact of being considered less-than for being black led the girls to find what seemed to be their “place in society”. Even as children, they each were able to understand the disadvantages that blacks faced. Hinting that society during the Harlem Renaissance made it very clear who were “superior”. According to Assumption: Race Riots, black hate crimes were still on and rise, including the growth of the Klu Klux Klan group; hinting at the fact that despite the new found respect for African-American culture, blacks were still looked down upon and that their rise in success made many in the racist society feel the need to put African Americans back in “their place”. This separation of their family, due to the pressure of society, and event of realization contributed to Angela’s development of