The Blacker the Berry: A Study of Harlem Renaissance and Colorism

This essay provides an analysis of Wallace Thurman's novel, The Blacker the Berry, focusing on the central theme of colorism within the context of the Harlem Renaissance. The essay explores the experiences of Emma Lou Morgan, a dark-skinned woman who faces prejudice from both within and outside her race, highlighting the intra-racial and inter-racial discrimination she encounters. It examines Emma's evolution from a young woman seeking acceptance to a self-aware individual who comes to terms with her skin color. The essay further discusses the significance of Harlem in Emma's journey of self-discovery, illustrating how her experiences in Harlem ultimately lead to her self-realization and acceptance. The essay references the novel's exploration of societal prejudices and the impact of colorism on individual identity during the Harlem Renaissance, culminating in Emma's understanding of where she belongs.

Running head: HARLEM RENAISSANCE IN THE BLACKER THE BERRY
HARLEM RENAISSANCE IN THE BLACKER THE BERRY
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

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HARLEM RENAISSANCE IN THE BLACKER THE BERRY
Central theme of colourism in The Blacker the Berry
Wallace Thurman’s The Blacker the Berry is a novel that narrates the story of Emma
Lou, a girl born with dark skin who was abandoned even by her father because of her skin
colour. Emma was born in a black family but her skin colour was a little more dark than her
parents’ skin colour because her mother belonged to a family with European ancestry (Thurman).
The theme of colourism has been explored in the novel on several levels. The abandoning of
Emma by her father because of her dark skin is the first instance of colourism explored in the
novel. Secondly, her mother having concern about Emma receiving no proposal because of her
dark skin is a further evidence of the the theme of colourism. Emma became the sensitive with
her skin colour that she thought it prevented her from achieving her dreams in life. With this
perception, Emma always tried to mix with the right kind of people who had lighter skin and a
better position in society. The aspect of being dark-skinned penetrated so much into her thoughts
that she too involved herself in racially demeaning another girl with dark skin during her time in
university. The theme has been beautifully explored throughout the novel especially in the part
where Emma finally realizes where she belongs. All her life she had been trying to escape any
situation that involved her dark skin or anything remotely associated with it.
Emma’s evolution
Emma Lou Morgan, the dark-skinned girl has had to face prejudice of at both intra-racial
and inter-racial levels. She was looked down upon by the lighter skinned people in the society
including her own father who had abandoned her. She evolves from a girl rejected and neglected
by her own family to someone who herself accepts that her skin colour is a flaw. Throughout her
journey of growing up, she finds herself in situations where she is made to question her skin

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colour. “Whiter and whiter, every generation” is the notion Emma adopts from her family and
believes to be true (Thurman). During her college days, Emma always tried to associate herself
with people belonging to the right type of class and skin colour. She intends “not to go out of her
class” and be with someone who has a tolerable skin colour (Thurman). However, she struggles
to do so and instead is rebuked and humiliated. She faces discrimination not only from the white
people but also people of her own race with a lighter skin tone. As she grows to become a lady,
she meets men who use her because of her foolishness and self-delusion. Alva, one of Emma’s
closest friends whom she thinks accepts her skin colour also engages in racial prejudice against
her. In the end, Emma realizes that she has to live with her dark skin and stop looking for
acceptance from other lighter skinned or white people.
Significance of Harlem to Emma’s maturation
Emma spends a major part of her life believing that her dark skin is the reason for all her
worries and that she should be in the company of lighter skinned people. She however, fails to
understand that the people she wants to befriend or be with would not accept her with her skin
colour. Born in the town of Boisse in Idaho, Emma is raised with the belief that she would not
find a suitable man because of her skin colour and her mother tries every trick to make her skin
lighter but fails. She is discriminated against by everyone within and outside her race because of
which she chooses to move to Harlem in New York City at the age of 18 where she could be
accepted. In Harlem, she hopes that she would be accepted because most of the people their
belonged to her race. However, there too she faces rejection from people of her own people who
seem to prefer white and lighter skinned people. She also meets Alva in Harlem who also insults
and uses her (Thurman). At the house-rent party, Emma’s self-realization journey begins when
she confronts Truman, a writer who supports the prejudice against dark skin. Emma then realizes

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that the actual problem with her was her inability to accept her skin colour. She attains the
maturity to understand that these people would not accept her with her dark skin and she has to
meet people who have the same skin colour.

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Bibliography:
Thurman, Wallace. The Blacker the Berry: A Novel of Negro Life: A Library of America eBook
Classic. Library of America, 2017.