Madame John kept a very important secret from her daughter Tite Poulette. Madame John raised Tite Poulette as her own daughter, but revealed that her biological parents were Spaniards. As a fever nurse, Madame John took care of sick people. Among her many patients was a Spanish couple. The couple died days after each other “and left an infant,” which happened to be Tite Poulette (200). Not telling Tite Poulette about her real racial identity helped form her to be a different person than what she could have been. Living in New Orleans after the Louisiana Purchase, a person’s race factored in their life. During that time there was the Code Noir where a person that was black or multiracial and a white person could not marry each other. Tite Poulette
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Madame waited a while until she revealed that Tite Poulette was actually Spaniard. Madame John revealed to Tite Poulette and Kristian Kopping that Tite Poulette was not multiracial. Kristian liked Tite Poulette’s, but he was unsure if would take it the next step in marriage. Kristian had an internal conflict were he did not know if he could be in a relationship with Tite Poulette because he thought she was multiracial. In letters written to his mother, Kristian professed his love for Tite Poulette but he was hesitant to have a relationship with multiracial woman. Kristian said to his mother, “In this wicked city; I see none so fair as the poor girl who lives opposite of me….She lives a lonely innocent life in the midst of corruption…. I know it there is a natural, and I think proper; horror of mixed blood” (192). His letters to his mom showed that at the time the amount of love he had for Tite Poulette was not enough to over some the hatred he had. It could have been Madame John’s instincts, and pass experiences with her relationship with Monsieur John that caused her not to immediately reveal to Kristian that Tite Poulette was not multiracial. Furthermore, Madame John wanted to know if Kristian was willing to break the Code Noir before she allowed Kristian and Tite Poulette could begin a
Madame waited a while until she revealed that Tite Poulette was actually Spaniard. Madame John revealed to Tite Poulette and Kristian Kopping that Tite Poulette was not multiracial. Kristian liked Tite Poulette’s, but he was unsure if would take it the next step in marriage. Kristian had an internal conflict were he did not know if he could be in a relationship with Tite Poulette because he thought she was multiracial. In letters written to his mother, Kristian professed his love for Tite Poulette but he was hesitant to have a relationship with multiracial woman. Kristian said to his mother, “In this wicked city; I see none so fair as the poor girl who lives opposite of me….She lives a lonely innocent life in the midst of corruption…. I know it there is a natural, and I think proper; horror of mixed blood” (192). His letters to his mom showed that at the time the amount of love he had for Tite Poulette was not enough to over some the hatred he had. It could have been Madame John’s instincts, and pass experiences with her relationship with Monsieur John that caused her not to immediately reveal to Kristian that Tite Poulette was not multiracial. Furthermore, Madame John wanted to know if Kristian was willing to break the Code Noir before she allowed Kristian and Tite Poulette could begin a