How we cite our quotes: (Story.Section.Paragraph) or (Story.Paragraph)
Quote #10
Anastasia was glad that she was finally able to say these things. All her life she had felt compelled to take and take and take from black people, anything they gave. Compliments and curses with the same benign, understanding silence. After all, she was exempt from their more predictable suffering, and must not presume to assert herself. (Source.206)
Anastasia finds herself on the fringes of both white and Black society since she is biracial. Her ability to confront Irene about the isolation and confusion she felt because of Irene's treatment of her helps her feel relief. Irene becomes symbolic of the entire Black community to Anastasia, so her ability to speak to Irene is especially cathartic.
While Anastasia can, as Irene points out, skip out on the everyday hostility that she faces, Anastasia is not exempt from marginalization. Irene doesn't realize that she's been a figure of oppression, especially to a friend. Now that the tables are turned, Irene is hugely uncomfortable with her lack of tolerance.