The House Behind The Cedars Essay On Identity

The appearance and identity can determine the livelihood and lifestyle of an individual, and potentially place each person in a certain spot in the societal map. In certain cases, part of the higher class consists the whites, while the colored races, for instance the “Negros,” are far beyond the range of the whites’ upper class, creating disputes as to which region and class people would acknowledge “mullatos” to be since they are black in identity, but instead appear to be white; this confusion causes a dilemma as to how and who they would classify themselves as? Hence, overall, who are they? By developing the characters of Doctor Green and Judge Straight, Charles Chestnutt’s The House Behind the Cedars reveals the opposing perceptions of

how the “Negros” as well as the “mullatos” belong in society, either with tremendous acceptance or a misfortunate as well as brutal disapproval and desolation. Doctor Green and Judge Straight’s conflicting beliefs represent the dramatic struggle this community must endure to succeed or merely survive.
Even despite the disgust and hatred the white community has for “Negros” and “mullatos,” Judge Straight truly does care for the colored community and attempts to support the “mullatos” in order for them to not entirely struggle with their identity, image, and success. The Judge believes in the idea of equality in society, where “Negros” and “mullatos” can prosper and coincide with the rest of the world, but in reality, though, he acknowledges that this utopian of a society cannot reasonably occur due to the stronger opposing idea that “Negros” cannot reside and be present side by side with the white folks. Despite such a belief, he still tends the colored community by any means possible, like boosting and advancing John Warwick’s career as a lawyer, where Judge Straight offered John a job as his office boy,” ‘If you are willing to come into my office, sweep it, keep my books dusted, and stay here when I am out, I do not care. To the rest of the town you will be my servant, and still a Negro. If you choose to read my books when no one is about and be white in your own private opinion, I have no objection’ “(Chestnutt 134). Even though he knows the usual stigma of society, Judge Straight respects the colored community and adjusts his judgment to promote John’s career and to guide him to become a successful black lawyer, which usually is a career that the white community has predominately embodied. His attitude towards the colored community represents the taste of humanity toward every individual and the idea of equal opportunity for all, even if with risk of his credibility plummeting as a judge can plummet if the people discovered him assisting a “Negro.” To Straight, “Negros” and “mullatos” are people as well, and they deserve the same respect as any normal white person receives.
While Judge Straight attempted to mentor John to a successful career and to cherish the colored people, Doctor Green belittles the mulattos and “Negros,” often disdaining them and criticizing their coexistence with a white dominated society as though they are affiliated as such.

To Doctor Green, their colored identity, despite their white appearance, determines the fate and destiny of the black community, hinting that even “mullatos” cannot legitimately pass as white due to their true character and image. To most of society, the “Negros” are not included and should not act as though they belong as members of the community or affiliate themselves as a white individual because quite frankly, the upper class still notice the colored groups’ inferiority, and quite frankly, their previous freedom and “integration” is pointless and insignificant to the white state as well as Doctor Green. In a conversation with a visiting George Tryon, Doctor Green commented,” ‘The niggers,…,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.’ ” (Chestnutt 73). The “mullatos” and “Negros” disgusted and sickened the white community and the doctor since they felt that sharing basically everything with these groups of people was outrageous and unacceptable; becoming equals to what was their property is not an idea that the whites took well. Although Judge Straight might respect the colored community, Doctor Green and most of society do not consider color and white integration as a viable option, in which the “Negros” and “mullatos” have no place standing parallel with the whites’ higher class position and do not possess the privilege to imitate the whites’ daily lifestyle or actions as they deserve or belong as such. Doctor Green’s attitude towards the “mullatos” and black individuals exemplify most of the society’s conclusions,

judgments, and opinions during the period Chestnutt wrote the novel, where the colored community has no place next to the white people and that they should be nowhere near close to perform any task as though they belong as part of the same class. To the doctor, if the white people are lazy, it certainly does mean that the black folk can be as well.
The one similar view that both Straight and Green share is the brutal fact that society does not accept the black community and “mullatos.“ Judge Straight does provide assistance as much as possible, but still recognizes that society will not accept a “Negro” to work side by side with a white person, forcing him to somehow adjust to what society dictates. He appoints John as his assistance, particularly as an office boy, but if anyone were to see, Judge Straight would instead consider John Warwick as his own servant. Judge Straight and Doctor Green’s opposing attitudes toward the “Negros” and “mullatos” essentially described the South during this time, where these two colored groups struggle to genuinely find success or pride in them. The colored community struggled to decide whether to continue as a colored person or attempt to appear as a white fellow. If they agree to remain true to their identity, most of society will completely ridicule and depreciate them, excluding the colored community doing being a person. If they attempt to assimilate into the white state, however, the colored individuals would abandon their culture authentic identity; with either choice they want to choose, they still would not enjoy the luxury of completely achieve their goals and aspirations without judgment and misfortunes. Judge Straight might be caring and considerate, which is truly rare to seek for during this time period, but the usual person anyone would find is someone of the Doctor’s beliefs, where the “Negros” and “mullatos” have no place next to a white man or woman.