Say Yes

“Unlike most men he knew, he really pitched in on the housework. A few months earlier he’d overheard a friend of his wife’s congratulate her on having such a considerate husband.”

The beginning of the story shows the husband and the wife cleaning dishes together, revealing a sense of harmony and balance between them. Not only does this give insight to their bond, but also it also serves as a calm before the storm—a moment of unity before their intense argument.

“I went to school with blacks, I’ve worked with blacks, and we’ve always gotten along just fine. I don’t need you coming along now and implying that I’m a racist.”

After Ann pushes back on her husband’s rejection of interracial marriage, he defends himself with this quote. His attempts to reassure her that he’s not racist—because of his historical proximity to Blackness—highlight his racial bias and overall fear of Black Americans as foreign.

“‘They don’t come from the same culture as we do. Listen to them sometime—they even have their own language. That’s okay with me, I like hearing them talk’—he did; for some reason it always listed his mood…”

This quote presents the husband’s perspective of Black Americans. He sees Blackness as a monolith, assuming all Black Americans talk the same way and engage with the world similarly. His admiration for their speech highlights the comfort he feels with a stereotypical understanding of Blackness.