# Racial Prejudice and Identity in There Is Confusion

> Theme guide for There Is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset.

The book explores the pervasive impact of color prejudice on the lives, ambitions, and relationships of African Americans, from daily humiliations to systemic barriers in careers, education, and love, while characters grapple with their racial identity in a segregated society.

## Where it surfaces

- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/chapters/i): Joel's color and poverty are described as limitations he must overcome, and Joanna learns about discrimination and the achievements of African Americans who overcame slavery.
- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/chapters/ii): Joel Marshall's advice to Joanna about her color being a potential asset and his discussion of historical enslavement and racial progress highlight the theme of navigating racial identity in pursuit of success.
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/chapters/iii): The chapter contrasts the white Byes' assumption of superiority with the black Byes' struggle for pride and independence, as seen in Isaiah's rejection of subservience and Ceazer's hatred of slavery.
- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/chapters/iv): Peter Bye grows up with a deep dislike for white people, believing none are kind or just, rooted in his family's history of being treated badly by the white Byes.
- [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/chapters/vi): Peter's initial doubt that 'colored people don't get any chance' contrasts with Joanna's defiant belief that color should not interfere with her goals, underscoring the theme of racial prejudice and identity.
- [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/chapters/viii): The chapter notes that Mis' Sparrow's hardships are compounded by being 'black in a country where color is a crime,' and Maggie's discovery of the Marshall family reveals the existence of a prosperous African American middle class, challenging stereotypes.
- [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/chapters/xii): Joanna and Peter discuss the challenges of racial prejudice in the arts and society. Joanna plans to overcome it through superior artistic achievement, while Peter notes the difficulty of finding white Americans willing to help.
- [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/chapters/xiv): Maggie faces racial discrimination in Atlantic City theaters and struggles to find her place within the colored community, feeling cut off from the Marshalls and lacking background.
- [XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/chapters/xvi): Managers reject Joanna as a classical dancer because of her race, highlighting the barriers faced by Black artists.
- [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/chapters/xvii): Peter's litany of racist incidents—from the barbershop refusal to the seminary seating—underscores the daily indignities faced by Black Americans, and Joanna's insistence on perseverance reflects a struggle to maintain dignity and ambition in the face of systemic oppression.
- [XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/chapters/xxi): Brian Spencer explains how the 'color complex' affects every ambitious Black man, including Peter, and how it disrupts dreams, education, marriage, and family life.
- [XXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/chapters/xxii): Peter's encounter with Mrs. Lea and his internal struggle with being labeled an 'entertainer' due to his race highlight the pervasive prejudice and his quest for self-definition.
- [XXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/chapters/xxiv): Vera's choice to pass for white and the discrimination Joanna faces highlight the pervasive impact of racial prejudice on identity and daily life.
- [XXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/chapters/xxvii): Joanna's plans are frustrated by color prejudice, and Essie's daughter faces discouragement from white teachers. The theater's need for a 'colored' dancer underscores racial barriers.
- [XXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/chapters/xxviii): Joanna's success is shadowed by racial prejudice; she must wear a mask to play 'America' and later confronts the audience's bias, asserting her American identity.
- [XXIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/chapters/xxix): Meriwether's guilt over slavery and Peter's encounter with Philip's scorn highlight the enduring impact of racial prejudice and the search for identity.
- [The Inferno of War and Brotherhood](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/chapters/xxx): Racial clashes between white and Black soldiers, and the French civilians' confusion, highlight systemic racism even among allies.
- [XXXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/chapters/xxxi): The discrimination faced by Black soldiers in France underscores the theme of racial prejudice.
- [XXXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/chapters/xxxii): Philip articulates how racial persecution in America has consumed his life and prevented him from pursuing personal happiness.
- [XXXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/chapters/xxxiii): Vera's undercover work and Harley's decision to stay in France highlight the pervasive racism and the struggle for identity and belonging.
- [XXXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/chapters/xxxiv): The chapter explores the pervasive impact of racism on personal choices, relationships, and self-perception, as seen in Peter and Joanna's discussion of the 'color line' and the widow's racist outburst.
- [XXXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/chapters/xxxv): Philip's reflection on being 'colored' as a distraction from life's essentials underscores the theme of racial identity and its burdens.
- [XXXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/chapters/xxxvi): Peter confronts the legacy of his white Bye ancestry and the racial prejudice embedded in his family history, ultimately rejecting the offer of inheritance to assert his own identity.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/themes/racial_prejudice_and_identity
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/there_is_confusion_se/themes