Racism in the South

Though the reader is not aware until the end of the novel, the prevalence of racism in the South is a determining factor in Liza’s breakdown and in the disagreement between Pete and Liza. Grisham demonstrates in many different ways, including the case of miscegenation heard by the grand jury. Because blacks were treated so differently than whites, Stella and Joel learn that their family might have had a different outcome if Liza had not lied about the identity of the man with whom she had an affair.

Grisham sets up a precedence for Liza and Jupe’s affair with the story of the miscegenation case. Grisham demonstrates how seriously the people of the South took affairs between whites and blacks when Truitt has to explain to Hobard that this type of relationship is against the law. It is noted that the...