A Warm Golden Brown by Alexander Reid

A Warm Golden Brown” by Alexander Reid is set in modern Britain. Throughout the story the author concentrates on the theme racial discrimination. In this essay I will examine how Reid uses characterisation and structure to describe the theme in more detail.

It is about a coloured girl, Daisy who wants to be friends with a white boy, called Ben. However Mrs Preddy, Bens mother, doesn’t approve of this. She doesn’t allow her son to play with Daisy because of the colour of her skin. Reid makes it clear to the reader at the beginning of the story that the mother is racist. Daisy asks Ben if she can come over into his garden and play with him. When Ben hears his mother inside the house he tries to get Daisy to leave the garden, however Daisy demands “But why won’t she let me play with you? What’s the matter with me?” Ben tells her “It’s because you’re a nigger”. Here Reid reveals the attitude Bens mum has taught him to have and straight away the reader gets an impression of Mrs Preedy as being racist which captures the theme of racial discrimination. The author then goes on to add more opinion from the reader about Bens mother when he describes her appearance as ‘bump’ with a ’colourless complexion’. She is described in a very unattractive way which makes her unappealing to the reader.

As the story develops the reader gets an insight into the contrast between Ben and his mother. It is clear that Ben only wants to play he doesn’t care about the colour of Daisy’s skin however Mrs Preedy does not allow this at all. Daisy begins to cry after the young boy telling her to leave. Ben doesn’t know any better as he is only doing what he is told by his mother. Mrs Preedy behaves in a horrible way, she is controlling person especially towards her son. After she calls Ben in the house she gives him a lecture about the importance it is not to be friends with ‘that nigger’ this shows how low the mother is a how much of a bad influence she is towards her son. Ben then try’s to defend his new friend Daisy but offends his mother even more she is appalled at the fact of him even considerating associating with Daisy’s family. When Ben stood his ground and tried to stand up for Daisy, Mrs Preedy was outraged and started to make racist comments like ‘coffee coloured rubbish’ and ‘tarbush’. She gives no reason for these racist remarks other than warning her son not to play with Daisy. His mum thinks she is obviously better than everyone else in their neighbourhood

Another reason why the readers view of Mrs Preedy is strengthened as more racist is at the end of the story. Bens mother is being a hypocrite as story. Mrs. Preedy orders her son to bring her a bottle. When Ben leaves the room, she pours an amount of dark fake tan on “her pale plump legs” and begins to stroke them “A Warm Golden Brown.” This is unusual because throughout the story it is made clear to the reader that Mrs Preedy is against black people and discriminates against them being severely racist .After saying Daisy is a disgrace because of her colour of skin but then has the nerve to make herself the same colour the same colour. This shows the sever use of racial discrimination in this story.

In conclusion,