Community and family
This novel introduces the characters as a network of people within circles of influence. The family is the smallest unit, and in the family, the reflection of the broader community can be seen. When Louis harasses his wife for the shame they experience, he is blaming her for a problem that exists outside of his marriage, but when they have a blue-black child, their odds of acceptance go down, and he can't seem to keep his dignity. These concentric circles are a complex network of assumption, judgment, prejudice, and community.
Racism in the broad sphere
These characters experience two kinds of racism. The first is the racism of the broader American world at this time. The assumptions that dominate public perception are that people of color are less human, less intelligent, and less qualified for opportunity. This makes a reality where the disenfranchiesment keeps the Black community from attaining real opportunities, and the scale tips against them. Now, the community is so fractured by racism and poverty that they struggle to have hope in a better future.
Racism in the Black community
The second kind of racism is one that is less apparent to the characters in this plot. They know that lighter-skinned people do better in the broader world than dark-skinned people. This results in a scale of preference. People don't want to be associated with darker people, and when Sweetness and Louis have an extremely dark daughter, they hate her and fight among themselves. They don't realize they are clearly guilty of prejudice.
Self-love and respect
This is the imagery that the plot raises as a potential solution to the problems that racism causes. Bride struggles to understand self-love, but she understands why she wants it; she can't seem to keep her head up high. This is because although she wants to believe the best about herself, she can't help but learn a different narrative from the world around her. Her feedback is universally negative, so she can't seem to believe she is worthy of love. She struggles because her experience is completely removed of respect. If her parents had taught her to respect herself, she would find hope.
