Racism and Identity

The children of Belseys, especially Levi, seem to be suffering identity and racist crisis. Levi is obviously trying to be more black than rest of his siblings. He becomes a hustler while Jerome goes to Brown and Zora is also in a prestigious university, Wellington. But is that the definition of being “more black” or is that simply the national prejudice against the race? This brings out the question of what exactly do people mean by being black? What is Zaddie Smith saying about people’s impression of what being black should be through her method of introducing Carol and through her contrast of Carol and Levi? When Carol was first introduced in the novel, his portrayed image, his speech or his accent automatically tempt me to fit him in the African American race. I felt like I was checking off a list of traits that makes him African American. So has the society, the media create in us an unspeakable racism that Zaddie Smith tries to reveal? Well, I think by creating a character such as Levi, Zaddie Smith is doing just that. Levi is trying to be more black and he seems to be extremely concerned of how society sees him as. I think Levi, like Smith, knows that there are assumptions and prejudices in the society regarding what a African American male should be like that he tries to become one to conform to society’s view. He confirms to the society’s prejudice of blackness. But yet, he is only half-black. (Well, I want to say more about this but I am not sure how to proceed. I think this issue is very interesting but I have trouble getting my thoughts on paper. Therefore, I tend to jump from thoughts to thought).

Then what does it mean to be half black? It is interesting that if a person is half black, people tend to associate that person with African American decent rather than with white decent. But the Belsey childrens do not think that they are authentic black enough. At least for Levi, which we could see it in his action.

As for Kiki, I think she is the one who tries to get her children away from the idea of trying to conform to be black. She slaps Levi when he says the f word and say something in the lines of “I try..” I think this enough to justify that Kiki tries to get Levi away from the conformity.