Race Identity in Toni Morrison’s Tar Baby

This paper aims at analyzing Toni Morrison's work Tar Baby. We are going to apply the post-colonial theory to deal with the issues of racial identity. Also, we are going to focus on the binary opposition as one of the main concern of post-colonialism to analyze the relationship between blacks and whites. This analysis is based on the actions, thoughts, and behaviors of the major characters to deal with the problem of racism and identity.


Introduction
Identity is a very recurrent theme in African American novels; because the search for identity is natural for every human being. From the very beginning of their presence in America, the black were subjected to slavery, their basic human rights have been often violated and they suffered from all forms of humiliation. Thus, the search of identity is pictured in the literary works. Writers such as Richard  Toni Morrison is a prominent Afro-American writer; her well known novel Tar Baby represents the dilemma of identity. This issue shows its power as one of the main thematic concerns of African American literature. Her novels are deeply concerned with the issues of gender, race, slavery and identity. She has often been known as a voice of African American culture, and she addressed the position of African American person and specifically women in the contemporary world.

Race Identity
In abroad sense, post colonialism studies how European culture influences colonies in most fields. Also, it studies how these colonies react and resist the colonizer. Thus, the oppression imposed on them in different fields such as sociology, psychology and culture make them feel inferior. This inferiority makes them aware of being colonized and leads them to struggle for ethnic and self-governing. Moreover, the main focus of post-colonial theory is the binary opposition, which means the relation between colonized and colonizer, white and black, rich and poor.

The Binary Opposition
This term can be defined as the relationship of one to another and how they operate within a large society. Its problem is that it creates boundaries between them and leads to discrimination, each side seems like opposite to the other (Jakobsen, 1999).
In literature, binary opposition means exploring differences between groups of individuals like black and whites, male and female, high and low and so on (ibid). Blacks were inferior to whites; thus, in the novel Valerian Street is the patron and Sydney was the butler. The binary opposition is shown through the act of Valerian street towards Sydney " pressed the button that called Sydney"(TB, ch1, p13), that shows him in a high position and at the same time shows Sydney in low position. The expression "press the button" Valerian uses to call Sydney like he is calling a machine and not a human being.
Class differences are shown through the racist act of Valerian towards the black character Sydney.
"Mrs. Street awake?" "I believe so. Anything else special you going to want for the holidays?" "No. Just the geese. I won't be able to eat a bit of it, but I want to see it on the table anyway. And some more thalomide." "You want Yardman to bring you thalomide? He can't even pronounce it." "Write a note. Tell him to give it to Dr. Michelin." "All right." (TB,ch1,p16) The idea of illiteracy is shown here so that yardman who is a black cannot read or even pronounce a word properly. As known that blacks were brought as slaves, only for work particularly in agriculture. Hence, this extract from the novel shows the ideology of Imperialism which means that the colonizer is shown as more educated, more civilized and In this quote Valerian ordered Sydney and uses the expression(can I or can I not order) to serve him and that shows him in a position of power, but not the way that harm or minimize from Sydney's dignity. Here, Valerian is the person who has the power over the black character Sydney, means that there are boundaries that oblige black person to act obediently because of the harsh reaction of white one in terms of race and discrimination.
Sydney (unbidden but right on time) removed the glass and placed a fresh white napkin over thewine spot. Then he collected the salad plates, replacing them with warm white china with a single band of gold around the edges. (TB,ch3,p57) This quote as well shows Sydney as inferior and as worker, because of his blackness; he does not interfere in their issues. The expression " unbidden but right on time" prove the differences; Sydney in this case is not waiting the orders whether to do or not, it becomes as a habit for him as a black servant which create the sense of differences between groups and individuals.
Margaret Lenore stared into the spaces and thought desperately of coffee, but she did not want toring up Sydney or Ondine, for that would begin the day she was not sure she wanted to participate in.She had had no "Right, nigger, instead of throwing him right out of here." "Maybe we're making something out of nothing." (TB,ch5,p97) In this quote Jadine and Margaret are talking about the strange man. They discuss the black man and what to do about the whole situation. Margaret is mad at Valerian for letting the man stay. At one point she hesitates to call him "nigger" in front of Jadine, but Jadine volunteers to finish the sentence for her with "nigger" and then in another description she compares the man in her closet to a gorilla which makes Jadine uncomfortable and she tells Margaret that they are all scared and that they would have been equally scared if the man was white. Consequently, the white woman Margaret compares the black character to an animal because of his physical appearance and his unclean clothes and body which shows the concept of race and discrimination.
Yardman's face was nothing to enjoy, but his teeth were a treat. Stonewhite and organized like a drug store sample of what teeth ought to be. (TB,ch1,p39) Race is shown here via the description of physical and biological traits. The narrator describes the Yardman's teeth as good looking and his face as ugly. This description of his face goes in parallel with his occupation as well his blackness. So, the power of white racists leads blacks to be disabled to take care of their selves. The expression "nothing to enjoy" because of his blackness, which means that there is "something to enjoy" in the other race and here the binary opposition is completely shown between the two races.
The agency wouldlaugh her out of the lobby, so why was she and everybody else in the store transfixed? The height? The skin like tar against the canary yellow dress? The woman walked down the aisle as though her many-colored sandals were pressing gold tracks on the floor. Again, there is another description of physical characteristics that shows the differences between races. The word "Tar" denotes the color of skin which is very dark. Here, Jadine finds her very attractive and follows her; she considers that this woman represents everything which embodies real blackness from her beauty to her clothes and marks in her face. Though her classy appearance, white race looks down upon her; this action shows the racism of white against black.

Ambivalence
Ambivalence refers to two racial groups that regard one another in a strange way. The white look to black as inferior and non-civilized, while black regard white as enviable and superior (Burton, 2004) "And I am not a cook and I never have been. I don't want to see the kitchen. I don't like kitchens." "Why work yourself up this way every year? You know he'll disappoint you." (TB,ch1,p23) This quote shows the differences between races; Margaret completely opposes the idea of cooking or working in the kitchen. So, the feelings of being different or being other is shown here. In this quotation above, the author indicates that the white race never do black's works, and he will never be. Thus, Margaret totally opposed the idea of working in the kitchen, because she considers it like something not of her statues and her race. Here Jadine is careful in her discussion with Valerian; this caution emerges through her position in comparison to him. Thus, this carefulness shows Valerian as other and superior to her. The ambivalence of the two races is shown here, blacks who are inferior to their counterpart whites. This behavior of Jadine shows the differences between classes, though Jadine is considering herself one of them but her color of skin makes her inferior whether she behaves like them or not. This dialogue between Ondine, Sydney and Yardman shows the signs of being marginalized and being a minority, so that, they are not allowed to eat such kind of fruits. The concept of discrimination is shown here, blacks and whites are not alike. This marginalization creates a sort of resistance between the two races. Whites who are the oppressors and blacks who are the victims, they are deprived from such kind of fruits through a racist act.

Hybridity and Identity:
Hybridity refers to the state of when the colonizer gets out from the country, then, the colonized man affected a lot by the colonizer's past behavior, conviction or what is so called neo-colonialism (Ashcroft, Griffiths, & Tiffin, 1995).
Jadine loosened the straps of her halter and fanned her neck. "Well, let me tell you your face is prettier than your kitchens." Ondine smiled.
"Look who's talking. The girl who modeled for Karen." "Caron, Nanadine. Not Karen." "Whatever. My face wasn't in every magazine in Paris. Yours was.
Prettiest thing I ever saw. Made those white girls disappear. Just disappear right off the page." (TB,ch1,p37) This quote shows the traits of hybridity, means that "colonized" is behaving the same way as the "colonizer". When Ondine praises Jadine because she appears in the first pages of magazines in Paris, which means that a black poor girl that originate from slave ancestors in a European white society honored with this honor of being a model. Thus, through her praising for Jadine she is defining herself and proud of her belief among others (whites). The black character (who is the oppressed one) is behaving the same way that white character( who is the oppressor) do, so that, blacks are imitating whites' behaviors as a consequence of the oppression and the effect of racism imposed on them. The pronoun "us" shows that they are proud of being blacks. They define their selfconcepts and their identity, though Jadine is considering herself not one of them. Jadine was living in Europe but she does not forget her origin of being black. The black protagonist Jadine finds herself helpless to deny her identity, changing the place or the homeland does not mean to exchange or replace your identity. Identity is something that cannot be separate from one's mind. Also, identity is not something to be affected by racism or discrimination.
The woman appeared simply at a time when she had a major decision to make: of the three raucous men, the one she most wanted to marry and who was desperate to marry her was exciting and smart and fun and In this quote, Jadine who is one of the major characters is confused about her identity whether she is black or white, African or American. She is thinking about the right man that she wants to be with him. She is concerned however that he wants to marry her only because she is black while in truth she rejects all forms of blackness and black culture and that she sometimes even wishes she could get out of her skin so as not to be black or American but just herself. She ran away to the island after that because Ryk is white and the woman in yellow dress made her think about her identity so she decided to go to her aunt and uncle to take their opinion. In fact, she is defining her identity as being black although she is living inside a white European society. She is not sure about her position, so that she is still considered as black minority. The black protagonist Jadine has doubts about her relationship with the white boy as a result of the racism imposed on her.
Within the question of identity we can discuss ethnicity which is incorporation of traits like values, belief, behavior, memories, experience and loyalties belong to a specific group of community.
"Mango all right?" she asked without turning her head.
"She ate a mouthful," said Sydney.
"Contrary," murmured his wife. She poured the eggs into a shallow buttered pan, and stirred them slowly with a wooden spoon.
"It's all right, Ondine. Lucky you had one." "I'll say. Even the colored people down here don't eat mangoes." "Sure they do." Sydney slipped a napkin from its ring. The pale blue linen complemented hismahogany hands.
"Yardmen," said Ondine. "And beggars." (TB, ch1, p32) In this quote when Ondine ate from the mangoes fruits in front of Yardman ,forgetting that those workers are deprived or not allowed to eat mangoes. Ondine at that moment remembers her belief and her origin though she is the butler's wife, so that can do whatever she wants. Thus, being in high position does not mean to forget your ethnic identity.
Consequently, blacks are a minority and within this minority there is a classification of peoples like the case of the black Ondine who is the butler's wife and the black yardman.
Blacks are aware of the racism behaviors towards them, but they never forget about their racial and ethnic origin.
Identity and ethnicity are much related to diaspora. This term refers to the people who enforced to migrate from their nature homeland. In literature diaspora has a relation which the question if people save let their identity culture, religion, language while they are in another country or culture (Ashcroft, Griffiths, & Tiffin, 1995) "Ondine dreaming of sliding into water, frightened that her heavy legs and swollen ankles will sink her. But still asleep she turns over and touches her husband's back-the dream dissolves and with it the anxiety.
He is in Balti moreno was usual and because it was always a red city in his mind-red brick, red sun, red neck sand cardinals-his dream of it now was rust-colored. Wagons, fruit stands, all rust-colored. He had left that city to go to Philadelphia and there he became one of those industrious Philadelphia Negroes-the proudest people in the race" (TB,ch2,p49) Sydney here is dreaming about his homeland and he feels diasporic. Diaspora is one element of post colonialism which means enforcing individuals to migrate from their homeland. This feeling of Sydney is a quest for identity as well; he feels that he does not belong to this country though he is living in it since long time. Here, the black character Sydney feels nostalgic to the place who belongs, where the place of all black, so that, there is no kind of racism, oppression or discrimination.

Conclusion
In this paper we have focused on a deep analysis of the novel on hand. We have extracted many quotes that fulfill our concern. We have deduced that race identity is strongly shown through the author's depiction of the main characters. A collection of characters who are completely different from each other in terms of skin color on the first place. Thus, this difference creates a sort of binaries and ambivalences under the name of racism.