The Ways of White Folks

Every story in The Ways of White Folks tackles racism in some way. By tackling the same issue with each story, Hughes addresses the topic of racism from a variety of vantage points, revealing new insights with each story. Stories like “Cora Unashamed” and “Berry” depict Black characters at the bottom of the economic totem pole. Their tales find them trapped in exploitive jobs, where they are treated as subhuman. Their feelings are discredited by those in power, even though they are both caring people. In “Home,” “The Blues I’m Playing,” “Poor Little Black Fellow,” and “Father and Son,” Hughes crafts tales centered on Black characters with more economic advantages, and yet these characters suffer, too. Roy Williams, Bert Lewis, and Willie Lewis are all lynched by the end of their stories. While they have more economic power than the poorer characters, they still become victims of hateful and violent cultural norms. Each of these stories shows the main characters working hard and leading with strong moral centers, but many of them end up losing their jobs or dying, even if they did nothing wrong. Such endings create a somber