The House Behind The Cedars Analysis

For some time colored people have been missed judged because of their genetic makeup; and because of it they had to live under different circumstances. While white people had the right to live where they want and get any job they wanted. That is still true today and because of it we have colorism “prejudice or discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone”. In, the novel “The House Behind The Cedars” by Charles W. Chesnutt points out how the mulattos struggle dramatically in racial society and even their own. Compare to mulattos and blacks, white people were privileged and respected, which is Charles W. Chesnutt primary message about race relation.

If you are white your more or likely lived comfortable and if you where black you struggled. Citied isn’t now or ever been comfortable with colored

people having the same privilege as the lighter skin people. The mulattos had more difficulties in life because of their various cultures. The racial circumstance does not only pertain to mulattos, but it also expresses the suffering of black people. The novel tells us how black people crave for fairness and how all the whites were titled such as Mrs. Tryon and Doctor Green.
Dr. Green speaks to Mr. Tryon, ‘‘the niggers,’’ he explained to Tyron, ‘’are getting mighty trifling since they’ve been freed. Before the war, that boy would have been around there and back before you could say Jack Robinson; now, the lazy rascal takes his time just like a white man.’ ” (76) shows the racial significance that whites had against the mulattos. In the novel john is accepted as Judge Straight’s assistant, while Rena was interviewed by Mrs. Tryon. Although George married Rena there is still colorism.
Like when Mrs. Tyron found out the Rena was colored, she was upset. “The lady, who had been studying her as closely as good manners would permit, sighed regretfully.”(167)’ although the plan Mrs. Tryon might have had for Rena was good. It still wouldn’t been embrace by the racial society. By Rena being mulatto, there was nothing Mrs. Tryon could do to help her in “white” social life. This situation also pertained to black people, and demonstrates their suffering. In the novel black people wanted to have equitable love with each other; not having the ability to do not even toward the mulattos.
Like how Frank felt about Rena, “he would have given his life for Rena. A kind word was doubly sweet from her lips; no service would be too great to pay for her friendship.” (128) He basically like other colored people sacrifice his dreams and live just to have a fulfilled life of their own. Sadly the jarring racial class divided colored people from the white people world. Frank’s father adopt and acknowledge the boundary of living in the white people’s world. “Now’s de time, boy, fer you ter be lookin’ roun’ fer some nice gal er yo’ own color, w’at’ll ‘preciate you, an’ won’t be ‘shamed er you. You’re wastin’ time, boy, wastin’ time, shootin’ at a mark outer yo’ range.” (88) Although Frank knew it, but because his infatuation for Rena was strong he was a loyal person. Frank was an example to show how blacks and racism was, in the novel its shows how they were the poorest people. They were this way because they had been slaves for so many years. That was fine with the white people because they wanted them to remain on the last level of class.
They worked to try to get money from anywhere even from farming to labors and even lower position all because of poverty. Like when Plato does something for Mr. Tryon to link up with Rena he received a fifty cent. In this novel black accepted their destiny, although they were friendly and easy going. The mulattos learn racial encounters and gave up their dreams and background to be where they wanted to be in society. Chesnutt’s viewpoint in his novel about the mulatto is the roughest. “One drop of black blood makes the whole man black.” (117) now because a mulatto has black in their blood in order for them to have a good life they put a risk to their life just to accomplice their goals. The fact that they don’t really understand where they belong the truth is that don’t belong to black or white society. Of course they don’t want to live their lives in lower class but they have to leave their families in order to live a white life. Like john in order for him to be a lawyer he had to leave his home and family, to live a white life. If you have black parents you weren’t allowed to live in the high class world.
John’s license would be taken from him and he would be put back in the lower class. However their base status on the color of their skins and their behavior, so that gives mulattos a chance to live their life differently. Unfortunately if society found out that they have blood of a black person they would receive straight rejection. Like when Mr. Tryon discover Rena’s truth, his demeanor changes, “I would never have sought to know this thing; I would doubtless have been happier had I gone through life without finding it out; but having the knowledge, I cannot ignore it, as you must understand perfectly well.” (106)
Mr.

Tryon loved Rena greatly, he felt he couldn’t marry or live a life with her because Rena was mulatto. Being denied by whites, mulattos was happy to live a life different from the blacks. Like the party at Rena house, all the mulatto’s enjoyed themselves but stayed away from frank and he wasn’t even invited until later on. Chesnutt shares the inconsideration from the whites showed to the mulattos and how it was also shown towards the blacks not only the whites but the mulattos too. This novel shows racism not only on two different levels because that’s not only what he have learned or heard about. It shows it on three different levels, Whites to Mulattos, Whites to Blacks, and Mulattos to Black. Chesnutt shows each has their own since of pride and life style. With White people having higher standers above colored people, while blacks and Mulattos had to struggle and couldn’t achieve their needs. At the end he shows that he wants racism to change, and if it’s not changed its only lead to death for colored people. Chesnutt wants people to treat each other better not only whites to colored people but also mulattos to blacks and he shows that when Rena

dies.