Abeng

One morning in September, when Clare is 12, she gets up early, takes a rifle, and goes to meet Zoe in order to hunt a wild pig that has lived in the area for 20 years. Zoe has brought her machete, but once they get to the hill where the pig lives, she attempts to dissuade Clare from going through with her plan. Zoe claims that Clare does not understand how things are: the light-skinned girl will go back to the city, but the local people will blame Zoe for their behavior and will keep criticizing her. Clare denies being a city girl, evoking the history of her family. She still believes that the two of them can become teachers if they want. Zoe, however, tells her that to be a teacher she would need to go to college and that Miss Ruthie does not have that kind of money. At that moment, Clare feels split between her white, privileged life in town, represented by Boy, and her not-white country existence, represented by Kitty. Zoe also has a moment of understanding as she perceives that Clare cannot truly comprehend what it means to be poor or dark-skinned.