Identity in Black Enough by Varian Johnson and Warning: Color May Fade by Leah Henderson

“Perhaps it's impossible to wear an identity without becoming what you pretend to be.” (Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game). Identity is a prevalent message in literature, especially in books centered around teens or a minority or oppressed group. It is also a significant theme in the short stories "Black Enough" by Varian Johnson and "Warning: Color May Fade" by Leah Henderson, as both Cam, from "Black Enough" and Nivia, from "Warning: Color May Fade" reflect on their identities after being forced to look back at their past actions and consider if they were true to themselves or if they were only doing things to make other people happy. While Cameron and Nivia both react separately to the similar problems that they face throughout their short stories, they both appear very conflicted about their identities.

When forced to look at themselves under a critical lens, Cam seems to be in denial about himself and who he has become since his last visit, while Nivia is very sure about who she wants to be. When Cam and his cousin, Myron, are on their way to a party, Cam asks Myron about the girl he likes, to which Myron responds: "I bet she doesn't even like guys anymore. Especially not guys like you." (Johnson, pg 27-28). Cam thinks he knows what he means by this statement, but he does not understand how Myron is any different from him, thinking that "Myron should have said 'guys like us.'" (Johnson, pg 28). What Cam thinks Myron is saying is that he is "a Black boy trying to be white" (Johnson, pg 28) and that he is different from him, but what Cam does not understand is that Myron was not talking about their personalities, but rather if they care about important issues in their community. Nivia, on the other hand, wanted to be less like other people. After sneaking back into her dorm, she catches a glimpse of her early admissions letters for college and thinks about the "years of work [that] went into those pages. Work [she's] now willing to jeopardize." (Henderson, pg 41). Nivia's parents want her to follow in their footsteps, going to law school to study policy, but Nivia dreams of going to art school, a topic that she has a difficult time discussing with her parents. After reflecting on their actions, Cam and Nivia both seem confident in how they feel, but while Cam tries his hardest to fit in and act like his other friends, Nivia tries to differentiate herself and break free from her family's expectations.

As Cam and Nivia begin to face the main problems in their stories, they become unsure of themselves and other peoples' perceptions of them. When Jess confronts Cam about him acting unusual, he asks her why she has cut herself off from him and what he did wrong, even asking her if "[she stopped] talking to [him] because [he's] not Black enough." (Johnson, pg 34). Jess doubles over laughing at the idea, making Cam regret even saying this. Similarly, when Nivia confronts Ryan about wrongly taking credit for Nivia's work, Ryan tells her that "[she] had [her] chance," (Henderson, pg 57) to which Nivia responds, "it's not so simple. [...] I have a ton to lose." (Henderson, pg 57). Both of these quotes directly contrast Cam and Nivia's attitudes at the beginning of the story, clearly showing that they are at least somewhat less confident about their identities than was previously shown.

Following reflection on their past actions, both Cam and Nivia can come to concrete realizations about themselves and who they want to be. After learning about Linton McCants, the boy who was shot by a police officer in his cousin's neighborhood, Cam comes to understand that he is different from Myron and the people in Myron’s town. He realizes that he was too sheltered to know what happened to Linton and help, let alone share his story. After realizing this, he goes to Myron and asks him, "Myron [...] tell me about Linton McCants," (Johnson, pg 39), which is significant character growth because it shows how he is willing to admit that he could have done more to help and that he does care. When Nivia talks to her father about her dream to attend art school, he adamantly tells her that she is making a mistake and she will get very few opportunities because she is Black. When Nivia's piece is on display, Ms. Teresi says to the crowd that "the creator [of the piece]...[has] still failed to sign it," and despite her father's warnings, Nivia decides that she will be an artist, as she stands up to take credit for her work, saying "This is [her] story. This is [her] truth." (Henderson, pg 65). In saying this, Nivia is showing notable character growth, as she is no longer worried about what she has to lose but rather what she can accomplish and how she wants to spend her life. Both of these quotes show significant growth in Cam and Nivia's identities, as they have become entirely sure of themselves and how they want to be viewed by other people.

Although Cam and Nivia respond differently to the comparable problems they face in their short stories, they both seem to be torn between their identities. Where Cameron tried to change himself for other people, Nivia stayed true to herself despite going against her family's wishes. Although it took some internal struggle, both Cam and Nivia were able to make the difficult decisions that will benefit them and others in the future, showing that it is best to stay true to who you are, even if it seems impossible.