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Society Exposed In Crookman's Black No More

359 Words2 Pages

I find it interesting the way the society in Black No More shifts throughout the story to continually uphold racist beliefs. The world in the book changes massively from beginning to end. It will never be the same again. As Crookman’s treatment changes more and more people, those in power struggle to stay at the top. If everyone is white than oppression is no longer holding anyone back from holding that power as well. When Matthew first speaks to Givens he appeals to this fear, “You see how great the menace is? At this rate there will not be a Negro in the country in ten years, [...] Don’t you see that something must be done about this immediately?” (69). The idea that people are changing their skin color to white scares those in power because they no longer have a way to oppress and control the blacks. In fact, nothing sets the two races apart …show more content…

The white upperclass continuously tries to find ways to put themselves above everyone else. However, in the process they realize that nobody is any different from the next person. As Givens states, "I guess we're all niggers now" (193). The ultimate reversal of society comes when they find that the turned blacks are actually lighter than the natural whites. Suddenly being pale is a bad thing. Everyone then starts to darken their skin. In the last part of the book Crookman sees a picture of Matthew’s family, “All of them, he noticed, were quite as dusty as little Matthew Crookman Fisher who played in a sandpile at their feet” (222). This part shows that racism isn’t really about skin color. In the end it is just about prejudice. It is startling how far people will go to continue these beliefs even though they have no sound evidence to their claims. This all goes back to power and the lengths people will go to keep it. Even when it means trodding on the backs of

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