Book Summary: Symbolism Behind The Color Black

The church scene where Florence is seen praying with her outfit (described intentionally), wearing white clothing and a “scarlet cloth”, seemed symbolic as it’s connected with the page right after it. The symbolism behind the color white may be that of cleansing or righteous as described in various writing, one example being the Bible. The scarlet cloth which may be a scarf, seems to represent blood as the color: scarlet red, brings up the idea of blood. This in mind, I found these two symbols significant as the spilling of blood occurs when Deborah’s father searches for white men to kill. Ironically, the skin color of the white men are neither righteous nor “clean” as they had raped Deborah, leading to the hunt led by Deborah’s father as retaliation. I saw that retaliation through bloodshed was to be seen as a sort of cleansing of sins as Christ both in this book and the Bible is seen brutally killed by execution on the cross. And so seeing that, the murders

However, Florence is seen applying bleaching cream to her skin while stating, “And I know you don’t want a coal-black woman”, this displays her hopes of becoming more like the white people who are despised in the book. And although the end of the institution of slavery in the United States had ended in the year 1863 due to the signing of the emancipation proclamation by President Lincoln, the tension between races are seen as prevalent as the book being set in 1935 are continuing to have bad blood between each other. In the past I never really understood and had only thought that “bleaching of the skin” was a joke as I had and still admire all tones of skin, however I was appalled to see that people around me have actually used the cream due to their insecurities and aspirations to be a lighter tone. I still believe that society needs change from the traditional idea that “lighter tones are