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158 Unit 2 ■ Analyzing Comparisons and Representations

8 CONTRAST Violet is not only very different 165 At the moment she was especially into lis- she kicked him in the face once, delighting in
from Fatima in personality and disposition but tening to Daniel Johns whine, reading his fat lip and his inability to hit girls who
also her physical features. It is ironic that Violet Charles Brockden Brown, and daydreaming weren’t his girlfriend or baby mama.
is a pale Black girl (with natural green eyes and of a sickly boyfriend like Arthur Mervyn, for 210 “I’m kidding,” Violet said. “We don’t all get
blond hair) teaching Fatima, who has an overall reasons limited omniscience can’t or won’t locked up.”
darker complexion, about what it means to 170 explain. If black people wouldn’t accept her, Fatima stuttered.
speak, act, and appear to be “black enough.” she would stick to what she knew. “I can see I’ma have to teach you a lot of
8 But Violet’s judgment held more heft in things. You ready?” Violet meant ready to
But Violet’s judgment held more heft in
9 CHARACTER Fatima values academic study her critique — a possibility for transforma- 215 leave the food court, but Fatima meant more
Copyright (c) 2023 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Uncorrected proofs were used with this sample chapter.
her critique—a possibility for transforma-
and rigorous intellectual analysis. This is a skill tion. When a black girl with natural green when she said, “Yeah, I’m ready.” And thus
tion. When a black girl with natural green
and habit that helps to serve Fatima’s overall 175 eyes and blonde hair and a big chest and began her transformation.
eyes and blonde hair and a big chest and
goals but reflects the inauthenticity of the bubble butt that wiggle independently of
bubble butt that wiggle independently of
endeavor. each other tells you that you, with your sable • • •
each other tells you that you, with your sable
Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Strictly for use with its products. Not for redistribution.
skin and dark hair, are not black enough,
skin and dark hair, are not black enough, If only Baratunde Thurston had been writing
sometimes you listen.
sometimes you listen. when Fatima came of age, she could have
180 “It’s not that I’m trying to be white. It’s 220 learned how to be black from a book instead
just that’s what I’m around.” of from Violet’s charm school. Even a quick
“You don’t have no church friends? You glance at Ellison could have saved her a lot of
adopted? Your parents white, too?” Violet trouble, but she wasn’t ready for that, caught
didn’t seem to want a response. “Where do up, as she was, in the dramas of Arthur
185 you stay?” 225 Mervyn and Carwin the Biloquist and all of
them. With Violet’s help, Fatima absorbed the
“With my parents,” Fatima wondered if 9 them. With Violet’s help, Fatima absorbed the
something was wrong with Violet for asking sociocultural knowledge she’d missed, not
sociocultural knowledge she’d missed, not
through osmosis or through more relevant
such a stupid question. through osmosis or through more relevant
“I mean where do you live?” Violet said. literature, but through committed, structured
literature, but through committed, structured
ethnographical study.
190 “Upland,” Fatima said. 230 ethnographical study.
230
She immersed herself in slang as rigor-
“They got black people there. My cousin She immersed herself in slang as rigor-
Frankie lives there,” Violet said, chewing the ously as she would later immerse herself in
ously as she would later immerse herself in
Spanish for her foreign language exam in
dots of ice cream in a way that upset Spanish for her foreign language exam in
Fatima’s teeth. Violet wore a tight white grad school; she pored over
grad school; she pored over VIBE Magazine
195 top, cream Dickies, and white Adidas 235 and watched Yo MTV Raps and The Parkers,
tennis shoes. trying to turn her mouth around phrases
“Yes, but not on my street.” Fatima wore a with the same intonation that Countess
pink cardigan, black Dickies, and skater Vaughn used — a sort of combination of a
shoes, Kastels. Jersey accent and a speech impediment.
200 Violet paused her crunching and talking 240 When she couldn’t get into those texts, she
for a moment. “You have a boyfriend?” encouraged herself with old episodes of
Fatima shook her head. “Do you?” Fresh Prince that played in constant
“I’m in between options right now. Any- early-morning and late-afternoon rotation,
way the last one is locked up in Tehachapi.” feeling assured that if Ashley Banks could,
205 Fatima nodded. She had a cousin who had 245 after five seasons, become almost as cool as
served time there. He called her bourgie, and Will, then she could, too. Her new turns of
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158 Unit 2 Analyzing Comparisons and Representations

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