Identity In America

In the late 19th century America was grappling with who it was as a country. With African American's being freed with the end of the Civil War it did not make it any easier. Before the war America was predominately seen as a country run by Caucasians. While after the war African Americans were not necessarily treated any better. The war did not give America a sense of identity. African Americans were not treated any more equally. The search for an identity was not merely between black and white. It also involved the Native American culture. Alone each culture had there own identity. However, they were mixed together. This was confusing not only from the standpoint of one culture looking at another but, of the person that does not know they have a mixed heritage. Writers not only male and female but white and black wrote about the hardships of being the culture that was not liked. Through there stories George Washington Cable and Grace King are two writers of this era that depicted the hardships of searching for an identity.

George Washington Cable was born in 1844 in New Orleans. His mother's side of the family was Puritan from New England. His father's side was German from a Virginian slaveholding family. At the age of fourteen his father died. This forced Cable to leave school to get a job. When he was nineteen he enlisted in the Fourth Mississippi Cavalry. After the war he worked as a surveyor for Atchafalaya River levees. While working he contracted malaria allowing him to begin writing. He started by writing columns for the New Orleans Picayune. After marriage he worked as a newspaper reporter followed by keeping books for a cotton firm. He did not go to school to receive his education. He spent his time before work reading and writing, teaching himself French and learning much of the old New Orleans records. This helped give him knowledge for many of his writings that would garner him national recognition. By using his knowledge of various cultures he crafted them into stories about the different cultures in the region.

The story 'Tite Poulette takes place in New Orleans, focusing on race and the relationship between races. Kristian is a white male who moves to New Orleans. 'Tite Poulette is being taken care of by of Zalli. Zalli was given given a house by a man named John when he was dying. She is referred to as Madame John because his name was John and if he would have had a wife it would have been that. Madame John sold the house only to lose all the money. Kristian lives across the street that Madame John does now. Through talking to people in the street Kristian takes interest in 'Tite Poulette and Madame John. At this point of the story Cable has identified three people. Cable uses conversations between Kristian and the people of the town to get details of "Tite Poulette and Madame John. "So beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! White?--white like a water lily! White--like a magnolia!", is how people on the street describe "Tite Poulette to Kristian (188). The way that it is written overemphasizes beautiful. By stating it many times it shows that white is seen as beautiful. Cable then describes it as white like a water lily or a magnolia. White can also be described as pure. This goes along with the notion of that time period that white was the better race.

In a conversation between Madame John and 'Tite Poulette, they discuss the future. Madame John tells 'Tite Poulette that she is not like other people. "There is no place in this world for us poor women. I wish that we were either white or black! (191)" Madame John says this to 'Tite Pouletee trying to tell her how her life will be compared to other girls. 'Tite Poulette asks her if she could be whiter than she is. Madame John responds by saying "Oh no, no, no! 'Tite Poulette, but if we were only real white!--both of us; so that gentleman might come to see me and say 'Madame John, I want your pretty little chick (191)." This shows how even though the daughter was white, by her mother being black she was overlooked by man. As beautiful as "Tite Poulette was, she was seen as not being pure.

Kristian writes to his mother describing the city and "Tite Poulette. He says that she is cursed by the caste system that is in place. Saying that if she was in Holland no one would detect that she was of mixed race. "Tite Poulette and Madame John are discussing marriage. Madame John says that if any gentleman should ask "Tite Poulette to marry him that she should not tell him that she is not white. 'Tite Poulette responds by saying "And break the law (192)?" Madame John tells her that the law is not right, and even though it is the law she should not speak of it. Kristian feels that 'Tite Poulette is beautiful. That the caste system had trapped her and if she was to be anywhere else that it would not be noticed. Madame feels the law is not right. She does not want "Tite Poulette not getting married because of she thinks she is not white. Whites still looked down on anyone who had black in there heritage.

In the end of the story Kristian is sick and wants to speak to Madame John. When Madame John leaves the room she tells 'Tite Poulette to go sit with Kristian. Kristian tries to kiss 'Tite Poulette's hand. She pulls it away saying that she cannot. Kristian says "Though wrong'st me, 'Tite Poulett. Thou dost not trust me; thou fearest the kiss may lossen the hands. Buit I tell thee nay. I have struggled hard, even to this hour, against Love, but I yield me now; I yield; I am his unconditioned prisoner forever. God forbid that I ask aught but that you will be my wife (201)." He is telling her that he forced himself not to love her. All 'Tite Poulette can say is that it is against the law. In the end Zalli comes in and says "Take her! she is thine. I have robbed God Long enough. Here are the sworn papers--here! Take her; she is as white as snow--so! Take her, kiss her; Mary be praised! I never had a child--she is the Spaniard's daughter (201)!" This is Zalli giving up 'Tite Poulette to Kristian. Zalli had kept 'Tite Poulette as her own and everyone believed her to be her mother. No one wanted