questions

Sandy and Cole have a typical relationship. Every mother and daughter produce some kind of harsh tension between one another, especially as they get older. It definitely is difficult for Sandy to rase Cole. Society frowned upon interracial relationships. The difficulty of having to go through this added some strain to their relationship. Birdie is white and looks like her mother. The fact that both the daughters are different skin colors makes it hard for Sandy. I feel that Sandy treats Cole a little harsher for that reason.

I would view Sandy as more of a hero. She’s had to raise two children and deal with these vast problems with race and sexual orientation. I would say that her inner motivations and self determination has led her to lead a life political activism. Seeing the differences in race and having dealt with these problems, I feel she wants to be active in trying to change societal perceptions.

I do agree with Deck and the statement that race is a complete illusion. You make the decision whether or not you want include people appearance into your perceptions of them. In order to eliminate stereotyping and racism, you have to be able to look past that and see everyone as a human being. I feel that it is very arrogant to base views of people of their appearance. I feel that Birdie and Cole see their skin color as more of a costume. They are related, just because their skin is different doesn’t separate them. I think it has made them really find what their true identity is and has allowed for them to grow.

I see where Deck is going with the assumption that mulattos are canaries in a coal mine, but I do not feel the same way. I don’t care what the color of your skin is and I’m not trying to seek out if you are mixed race or not. It doesn’t make a difference in my views of people. I feel that Birdie is another human being put under the spotlight of society because Birdie looks different.

The significance of Cole having a name is that Cole is white. Birdie is black and the lack of having a set name plays into the characters image. Birdie is looking to be accepted into society for having black skin. Her lack of a name aids in the depletion of her identity. She can not truly be accepted in this time period because she is black.

Knowing where you come from is definitely a defining factor in your perception of your own identity. Knowing where you came from can make one feel like they have some sort of purpose or direction. Knowing what struggles have been dealt with in order to be where you are know is important for some people. Those who don’t know where they are from tend to struggle with their identity more. They tend to not know where they belong or fit in. I feel that knowing your heritage puts pride into people. Being told the stories of ones ancestors and relatives contributes more to ones own identity. Being told the struggles of people on a personal level motivates people more than generic generalized stories.