Race and appearance: In the world Maya grows up in, beauty is narrowly defined as being white, with blond hair and blue eyes. Maya believes as a child that being black means being ugly, and thinks of her appearance as a "black ugly dream" that she will wake out of. Romance vs. reality: Seen in the lives of the cotton pickers of Stamps, and of Maya too; they become idealistic and happy, only to be …showed first 75 words of 870 total…

…showed last 75 words of 870 total…her relationship with her mother, as well as being a mother herself. Racism: Maya faces blatant instances of racism at several points during her story; at her graduation ceremony, when she goes to the Stamps dentist, and when she applies for the streetcar job are the most prominent examples. Racism is institutionalized and seems overwhelming to Maya, but she is finally able to make process and beat the system when she gets her streetcar job.