The Color White and Its Role in 'Ann Veronica' Michelle Qiu College

The world of H.G. Wells’ Ann Veronica includes distinct colors in every scene. A particular color that comes up often is the color white. The many associations made with white seem to be on two opposite poles. At first, it is used to describe fear and is linked with predatory behavior, specifically in men. Other instances of the color white are associated with purity, feminine values, and comfort, indicating the multi-faceted significance of this single color within Wells' narrative.

White is first used in instances of fear, to represent the physical effect of fear on a character’s face. The first mention of white used in this way is when Ann Veronica describes her sister’s wedding day. She describes how nervous Alice was, and how often she cried about getting married. On the day itself, Ann Veronica “had an effect of Alice's white back and sloping shoulders and veiled head receding towards the altar. In some incomprehensible way that back view made her feel sorry for Alice,” (56). In this instance Alice’s white back is one of the features in the scene that make her seem small, frail, and pitiful. Even Ann Veronica as a child could recognize that. A similar usage of white comes when Anna Veronica’s aunt comes to chastise her...