Black and White

[Nathaniel Owolabi]

I think losing her sons made her lose her perception of beauty in life, or perhaps it just made her see life differently: void of colors hence she decided to live a live of simple colors. It also showed how much she was still in mourning for her sons.

[19blueofficial]

My mind never went to the colour aspect of things. But I think that she wears what she wears to show the pain that she feels, in the book when she wore a different colour to Maureen's birthday she just wanted to move on with her life.

[Rizki Pradana]

I simply count more agree with you because that is what I thought of why Lena is wearing black clothes, even though her apartment is white.

[Oyedele Tomijane]

I believe Lena wore black as a symbol of her grief after losing the twins, not knowing if her second son was dead or alive, and being estranged from her first. The horrible secret surrounding her husband's death, as well as her belief that her weakness and refusal to leave her dead husband were the reasons her boys turned out the way they did, were all reasons for her wearing black. I believe her white flat was because she was empty on the inside. I believe it was because she was hollow, and her life was devoid of colour. It was as if she was waiting for death to claim her.

[Akangbe Opeyemi]

The black had probably signified the mourning of her sons and all she had lost through her marriage. The white could have signified hope or it could have had just been a better choice for her when she lost the connection to colours

[Chinazo Anozie]

Lena wears black all of the time, yet everything in her apartment is white. I think she wears the black because of the son she lost, and because of estrangement of her other sons; and I think the white signifies hope that one day her other sons will want to be a family again. That is what my thoughts are on this. What are your thoughts? Why does she wear black and why is everything in her apartment white? I would love to hear some more ideas on that!

I think she wore the black to mourn her sons especially. I also think the lack of furniture in her house and her almost Spartan way of living was because she was in some way punishing herself for killing her husband. She didn't think she deserved to be happy or living in luxury.

[Manas Ranjan Mishra]

I felt she wore black due to sorrow. She lost her twin sons in the war of Vietnam and the rest of her sons estranged her. Colour imparts joy and happiness, and maybe she could not find happiness in anything, so her house was just white.
Also maybe she has seen a lot in her life, so to have peace, she painted her house white.

[Tebogo Eugene M]

I will be short I think she wears black because of her sons, and her apartment is white because she had a lot of money that's my opinion.

[jimmy02]

Black in most cultures around the world signifies mourning. But, I think white instead of representing hope, signifies the blandness and blankness of Lena's life. Our families are what spice up our life, and paint it with vivid colours! That's something that Lena is missing on. And hence, the white paint on her apartment walls.

[Bridgette C 2]

I think, Lena wears black all the time because she has been grieving for her family. It signifies her sorrow and sadness for her estrangement to her own sons and her husband who abused her. She wears black because she feels like the past is still haunting her.
Meanwhile, her apartment was all white because I guess shes the color as peaceful. That there is hope.

[Berry_]

That is a great analysis. I think black and white both signify her loss since she has been through a lot of loss, her husband, twin sons and being enstranged from her two older sons. I also think it signifies the abuse she went through in her marriage to Joey.

[Samuel Mamo]

I understand it as obvious. black is cultural, a cloth in time of funeral times. It shows someone lost someone important. In our culture, people wear black for 80 days after they lost someone important. It is a religious culture here in our country and I wasn't wondering about Lena.

[Shillah Andeso]

The black clothing may be because she's mourning. I would say that maybe her apartment was just originally white but on the other hand it could present the emptiness she feels as a result of the loss. This is something that could be interpretted in many ways.

[fire_spice]

Lena wears black all of the time, yet everything in her apartment is white. I think she wears the black because of the son she lost, and because of estrangement of her other sons; and I think the white signifies hope that one day her other sons will want to be a family again. That is what my thoughts are on this. What are your thoughts? Why does she wear black and why is everything in her apartment white? I would love to hear some more ideas on that!

Lena wears black because she is mourning. She feels that she failed her children. Lena's house has a lot of white. I think it's because white is less baggage, a lot less going on. When your soul is heavy, you resonate well with simple things, light things that are not heavy. You want as little clutter as possible. I also think it signifies a need for a clean place, a clutter free space that is clear for the mind.

[Shillah Andeso]

There are crtain cultures were women were black especially mothers all their life after losing a spouse of a child. I am not sure if that is what the author wanted to do here. Maybe she chose the contrast to adhance the grief she feels but on the other hand her will for change in her life. Losing two sons to war and two to life obstacles must be horrible. I didn't even notice taht part about her appartment being all white. Excellent obervation B.

What are your thoughts on grieving mothers wearing an all-black outfit after losing children or spouses? What does it symbolize.