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Iris Maldonado

Michele Percival

English III

04 May 2018

Bleached Skin, Can You Notice Me?

Can you picture an unfairly structured society based around the aspects of wealth, power,

classism, and racism against colored people? As an African American constantly being

mistreated and judged in ways it feels overwhelming. The best options you had at the time were

being white and privileged, or being a person of color with an unjust amount of restrictions.

“Black No More” by George S. Schuyler is centered around the issues of racism.

Schuyler added what might happen if America were to find a means to rid itself of the “Negro

problem.” Dr. Junius Crookman, a respected black physician invented a process solution where

black people were able to turn themselves permanently white. This was a solution for African

Americans that have lived a portion of their lives as low class people. Marxist theory discusses

the ideas that people are oppressed by others and that they should attempt to overcome their

oppression.

Marxist criticism offers a unique understanding of George Schuyler’s novel, “Black No

More,” because it is an influential example of how power is related to economics, wealth, and

racial discrimination.

To begin, Marxism is shown through the racism that occurs because in “Black No More”

the African Americans are specifically targeted, and treated unfairly. Directly from the beginning

of the book, Schuyler illustrates the theme of racism and it is shown towards the end of the

novel. Clearly, during this time labor for a colored individual was an utmost necessity. Black
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people, like all had the responsibility of taking care of their families and needed food on their

tables. Although, the difference is they were colored people and needed much more support.

Unlike African-Americans, white people had an advantage because of their economic class.

African-Americans, on the other hand, were not receiving as much help because they were part

of the lower class and white people viewed them as inferior. For example during chapter 2

Schuyler explains, through the novel the society is being classified because the black people are

willing to pay any amount of money for housing because they will do anything in their ability to

get an occupation so, they are able to maintain their lives. Essentially, during this period it was

difficult to get a decent paying job. On page (31) “As a general rule the Negroes were paying

one hundred per cent more than white tenants in other parts of the city for a smaller number of

rooms and worse service.” This quote represents the Marxist Lens because, it shows how African

Americans are being oppressed by the white people, because the black people are paying more in

return just to recieve less.

Furthermore, another example of Marxism occurs when Max tries to dance with a white

woman at the Honky Tonk Club. When he asks her to dance she replies, “No...I never dance with

n*****!” (5). This quote shows oppression because Max is being turned down based on his skin

color specifically, by a white women. Particularly, it shows how both of the races don’t associate

with each other. In this situation, Max is judged based on his skin color. He decides to overcome

that judgment and oppression by changing the color of his skin. The day he gets the Black No

More treatment, he feels that there will be “no more discrimination; no more obstacles in his

path. He was free!” (14). This supports the discrimination that exists among African Americans,

and Marxism through classism. This is an example of classism because, Max is seen as a lower

class individual because of his skin color and, white people feel that they are superior due to
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having more opportunities. Therefore, racism through the marxist lense is very noticeable

because the white people feel they are more superior and valued more than African Americans

through the color of their skin.

Above all, between the time of the 1930’s it was the new normal for white people to

mistreat black people. They did not want to be surrounded by them and if they were, African

Americans were treated disgustingly as if they had some sort of disease that no one wanted to be

around or catch. White people would continuously push the idea that they didn’t want to be near

a colored individual. The author mentions, on page (76) “The working people here are talking

about going on strike next week unless Blickdoff and Hortzenboff, the owners of the Paradise

Mill increase pay and shorten hours. The average wage is around fifteen dollars a week, the work

day eleven hours. In the past week the company has speeded up the work so much that the help

say they cannot stand the pace.” This demonstrates that the proletariat are being oppressed by the

bourgeoisie because, the upper class is controlling the lower class to work very long hours for

little pay, over the power they contain. Throughout the beginning of chapter 7 the people are

going on strike, because the people of Knights of Nordica perceive they aren’t being paid good

enough like they recognize they deserve to be. According to the Communist Manifesto, “The

proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win”. As of how our

society is based, it is most likely that a person will receive the raise they are asking for, if the

person is a hard worker. Clearly throughout the book “Black No More”, it is shown that this is

the total opposite for African Americans. This proves, that the problem of African Americans

being rejected in society has been happening for a while, because Caucasians are denying to

work with them, through the color of their skin. These quotes both relate to the perspective of the

Marxist Lens, because they are clear examples of proletariat, classism, and so forth. This proves
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it is an example of classism, because people of color work very long hours than expected, and

get paid a small amount due to being apart of a low economic class. Which is the prime reason,

they get paid a little amount of money, and it is unfair because they are being judged from where

they stand on the social status. Also, there are higher classes that work much less hours, but they

get paid double than what the people of Knights of Nordica earn. This demonstrates, that the

quote is an example of proletariat because the low class people of Knights of Nordica need the

money in order to earn a living. Clearly, through the quotes it expresses how poorly they’re

being paid in comparison of how, an individual of a high economic class lifestyle is like.

In closure, the novel “Black No More” written by, George S. Schuyler overall is a great

example of the Marxist Lens because, it represents the aspects of proletariat, and classism that I

am pushing to get across in this essay. These two aspects are linked to race, and the views of

power. In some kind of way, these ideas usually lead to a confrontation against colored people.

Some examples of this happening in the book are, when Max is faced with an act of a racist slur

coming from a Caucasian women when he kindly asks to dance. Also, during the period of the

Harlem Renaissance when colored individuals went through a procedure, just so they can

transform into a white person with much more privileges. There are many more examples, as I

described before that link to these ideas. So, ultimately the book continuously shines a bright

light on Marxist criticism because, African Americans are being oppressed and pushed to the

curve as if they are less humane to Caucasians in the society. Tell me now has your mindset

changed? What would happen if everyone in the world was white, and no one in the world was

colored? Would people then be able to live freely?

Works Cited

Schuyler, George S., and Danzy Senna. Black No More: Being an Account of the Strange and
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Wonderful Workings of Science in the Land of the Free, A.D. 1933-1940. Penguin Books, 2018.

“The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win” Marx/Engels

Selected Works, Vol. One, Progress Publishers, Moscow, 1969, pp. 98-137;

https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/ch04.htm