The Color of a Lie

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of racism, graphic violence, and death.

“‘You can be you,’ Dad said. ‘Just watch how you talk and who you friendly with.’

I almost unraveled right then, knowing he meant no Black friends. I flung a betrayed look to Mom. This fresh start wouldn’t just be about starting a new life. It’d be about playing white.”

This quotation characterizes Calvin’s father and establishes one of the novel’s main themes, The Psychological Impact of Passing. Calvin’s father holds contradictory opinions about how their family can navigate their identity while passing. He says Calvin can “be” himself, but he also tells Calvin to change major parts of himself—a request that makes Calvin feel like he is coming undone, evidenced by the metaphorical phrase, “I almost unraveled right then.” This contradiction makes Calvin feel like he is “playing” at being a different racial group, exacerbating his stress.

“The image had illustrations of happy Black families. The prices in Levittown were ten thousand dollars, while the prices for the designated homes for Black families were at least fourteen thousand. No VA loan guaranteed.”

This quotation informs the themes of Racial and Social Inequality in Midcentury America and Expectations and Reality of the American Dream in the Post-War Period. Communities like Levittown were set up so that veterans and their families could get houses and achieve upward mobility, but Black families had to pay much more than white families. Here, the author juxtaposes “illustrations of happy families”—which depict a false image of happiness and inclusivity—with the oppressive reality of Black families having to pay more for houses than their white counterparts.