Battle of Intersectionality

In all that is portrayed through Laurel's eyes, it seems Arnetta has been raised to believe so thoroughly that she is inferior to no one. I'm not sure we're given enough information to know if Arnetta acts out in intra-racial racism, being the 'top dog' among peers of her own color. Regardless, it is obvious that she is the leader and will put down anyone and anything to keep her reign as the superior. And since these girls live in a place in Atlanta that is so secluded and sheltered from white people, the exact opposite of internalized racism seems to have grown inside Arnetta's soul. I would imagine her parents fought long and hard for equality, thereby instilling in their daughter the belief that blacks deserve to be 'on top' and she should do everything in her power to ensure that.

I believe Packer made Troop 909 a special needs group to make it evident that Arnetta was lying in order to exercise her believed power over the white girls. The mere possibility that Arnetta is telling the truth is squashed when we read one of the girl's response, "That's a BAD word! We don't say BAD words!" (23). Troop 909 has been taught to be kind and generous, and to use social graces - despite race or any other differences. We see this exemplified when Laurel narrates, "My restroom group had passed by some of the 909 girls. For the most part, they deferred to us, waving us into the restrooms, letting us go even though they'd gotten there first" (7).

This experience, coupled with Laurel's remembrance of her father and the Mennonite family stir up questions about what race really means in the world. She becomes truly aware that there is "something mean in the world [she] could not stop" (31). This sense of awakening allows Laurel to start on a new path as an "emergent woman" - 'creating a new life and new choices for herself' (Tyson, 390). And I just have to say, the tender interaction between Daphne and Laurel is a beautiful tale of friendship, change, and growing up.