Tepper Reads discussion

Hey there, Tepper Readers,

For our final discussion, I'm curious, now that we've read the book, or are close to the end, what does the phrase "The Vanishing Half" mean to you? I have my own opinions on the subject, but don't want to influence anyone, so I'll chime in if we get a few responses. I can't wait to see what you think!

I think my thought of the book is that it shows the magnitude of privilege that is out there. From a lens that family is above all else in typical southern culture, to forsake it in order to pursue the privilege just shows how much privilege is out there. I think I also think about it metaphorically, that some people change their behavior in order to fit in better so as to not evoke negative acts just for being different. I think this is pretty common among all people, but especially so for the different minorities.

Tenny wrote: "I think my thought of the book is that it shows the magnitude of privilege that is out there. From a lens that family is above all else in typical southern culture, to forsake it in order to pursue..."

Thanks for adding to the discussion, Tenny. The first half of your comment brings to mind this quote from the book about Kennedy, on page 299:

"Her whole life, in fact, had been a gift of good fortune--she had been given whiteness."

Kennedy is a character absolutely dripping with privilege. How she looks, the family she was born into, the opportunities she has, they all make her a ridiculously privileged person. And it's upsetting to see her squander all of these advantages she has. You're right, there's a lot of privilege to be had out there.