Theresa's Engagement To Aristide

There are many characteristics that make people unique. This applies to people from different countries, those from different families or regions of the same country, and from individuals of the same direct heritage. Depending upon the society an individual is placed in, their varying phenotypes are uplifted as beautifying or disgustingly debilitating. For example, models are often selected from menial jobs because they contain a certain structure that is slightly unusual, such as a large lips with a bony face. To contrast the beautifying example, someone who is overweight can experience stares or harassment frequently from friends and strangers alike. However, weight, to an extent, can be controlled. An additional example, a feature that cannot

Oliver is described as especially beautiful and talented. Oliver lives in multiple worlds but does not particularly belong anywhere. His literal home is not his emotional home. His sense of hope comes from his three other homes. The Cary house teaches him the importance of claiming your heritage. His grandparents could have passed as white but chose not to because of the pride in their familial roots. His grandparents instill this in Oliver to directly contrast Olivia’s mindset, thus her neglect of Oliver. His grandparents leave him money, that he cannot claim until he turns twenty-one, to raise his chances at achieving success. In the Blake household, Oliver learns that success will only come from himself and hard work. Literature carried Janet and Ralph to where they are, so Oliver learns not to take education lightly. Younger Janet even explicitly tells Oliver that his darker skin tone is what makes him beautiful. In Marise’s house, he learns about happiness and the arts of dancing and music. In his fabulously furnished home, he walks on his toes in a state of confusion, never quite knowing what he does to upset his mom. The person he trusts the most to protect and nurture him is Theresa, even though she is away in New

The only signs of African American heritage Theresa expresses is half-moons on her fingernails and Christopher expresses curly hair (32). All of these tell-tale signs can be written off as distinctions of other nationalities. Olivia uses her children to further confirm the notion that she is white, and it seems to be the only reason she had children in the first place because she has no real connection with them otherwise. Olivia went to Christie’s in order for Theresa to make more associates and further her networks, which would really be an extension to Olivia’s network. Olivia continues to push Theresa towards her ultimate dream, saying how other colored girls can only dream of their mother’s helping them out as much as she is (81). She goes as far as to blatantly tell Henry there is no way he can be with Theresa because he is colored. She tells a lie by saying Mr. Cary was involved with promoting Theresa taking a spot in the white world through marriage, as that is the only way to escape the colored world. She emphasizes further by saying she would rather see her daughter dead than waste all of efforts by marrying a colored man. This statement translates well to how she feels with Oliver’s death. She feels no remorse because it is beneficial to