Race

By Meisam Khalilinejad

General Context

Race has been a keyword in the twentieth- and twenty-first century cultural and political discourse. The word comes from Middle French rasse c1480, referring to a group of people connected by common decent. Gradually the notion of the same hereditary traits became more significant in its definition. For example, a group of animals born to the same mother (1611), or subdivision of humankind which is distinct from others by the relative frequency of certain hereditary traits (1684). There was a shift in the concepts of race from biological fact to social and political construct in the 20th century. In fact, it became problematic when associated with fixed traits, such as intellectual and appearance characteristics, which led to concepts such as racial purity in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.  

Connection to the Novel

In Of Love and Dust, the word race is used only once, in chapter two where Jim complains that Miss Julie, who is of his race, is not honest about Marshall’s intention to bond Marcus out. However, one can find how Gaines tries to fight against racial discrimination in the novel through various descriptions of the miseries of black people. For instance, in chapter five, Jim mentions that the best parts of land were for white folks, and the worst part for black folks. Also, there were privileges for whites such as a special place for drinking in the plantation store. However, there are some complexities that muddle the black-and-white color line. Bonbon is portrayed as Cajun, which is white but not “solid white,” as Marcus puts it (57). Cajuns were employed by the white landowners to control African Americans, creating a clear hierarchy on the plantation. This can also mean that in addition to race, Gaines intends to show us power relations are important, as Marshall used both Bonbon and Marcus as tools to achieve his ambitions.