Meridian Lesson Plan

Why is Meridian so bewildered by Truman's preference for white women? How does Meridian view white women as compared to black women?

Meridian had been taught that "nobody wanted white girls except their empty-headed, effeminate counterparts—white boys." As far as she could remember, this was something that was simply understood. White men would occasionally have sex with black women, but it never went in the other direction. Truman dating the exchange students is the first time Meridian has ever come across interracial dating and it is baffling to her.

Meridian thought that the only thing enviable about white women was maybe their hair if it was particularly fine. In...