The Vanishing Half: A Novel

“A town for men like him, who would never be accepted as white but refused to be treated like Negroes. A third place.” 

The founder of Mallard dreams of a refuge for mixed-race people like himself. Implicit in his dream is the belief that Black people are inferior. The light-skinned founder passes his own prejudice on to succeeding generations of Mallard residents. 

“Lightness, like anything inherited at great cost, was a lonely gift […] He imagined his children’s children’s children, lighter still, like a cup of coffee steadily diluted with cream. A more perfect Negro. Each generation lighter than the one before.” 

Like the preceding quote, this one emphasizes the elite nature of being of mixed race. The founder’s choice of the word “perfect” to describe his light-skinned progeny reinforces the prejudice that will become a common belief among the villagers. Jude will later be condemned as flawed because of her dark skin. 

“Negroes always love our hometowns […] Even though we’re always from the worst places. Only white folks got the freedom to hate home.” 

Desiree’s husband Sam makes this sweeping observation even though Desiree has already expressed a hatred for Mallard. Ironically, she will return to her hometown, just as her husband’s comment suggests. However, Stella exhibits a White person’s contempt for home, proving that attitude isn’t dictated by race.