There are several subtle images in Walter Mosley's detective novel, The Devil in a Blue Dress, that suggest an unusual ending. Throughout the novel, the main character, a black man named Easy Rawlins, sees people as black or white. He is particularly aware of the white people around him and constantly comments on their color. This distinction is a common theme throughout the novel and places the novel in the context of post-World War II America and also helps complicate the ending by showing that the binary world of black and white is not only a question of perception. Say no to plagiarism. . Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original EssayThe character of DeWitt Albright is introduced in the first paragraph of the novel. On seeing Albright for the first time, Rawlins considers: "It was not only that he was white, but he wore an off-white linen suit and shirt with a straw Panama hat and bone shoes over socks white silk flashing." (45) He not only describes Albright as a white man, but he is literally, in every aspect, a white man. The word “white” is used three times in this sentence alone. As the novel continues and other characters are introduced, Mosley continues to describe them in terms of skin color. In a scene where Easy goes to see Albright in his office, he is confronted by a "small white man wearing a suit that was also a uniform." (58) Although this encounter with the security guard is brief, Rawlins notes the color of his skin four times. The constant emphasis on skin color reminds the reader of the time period in which the novel takes place. This repetition makes it clear to the reader that race will be an issue and play a role in the story. Rawlins' mission in the novel is to find a woman named Daphne Monet, and often throughout the story she is referred to as "the white girl". The reader only discovers at the end of the novel that Daphne Monet is half black and passes for white. In every scene involving Daphne, there are subtle clues to her true identity that might not be easily deduced without knowing the ending. For example, Daphne lives in a duplex which involves being divided in two. The choice of colors is also revealing. When he first meets Daphne, Easy describes his "half living room. There were brown rugs, a brown sofa with a matching chair, and brown walls. There was a bushy potted fern next to the brown curtains ". (135) The repetition of the word "brown" and the idea that it is used in relation to half of the duplex suggests that the author is trying to give the reader a subconscious clue. In the same scene, Rawlins comments on "the soap she used, Ivory." (135) The image of ivory is obviously white and in this case seems to be used to contrast the surroundings of Daphne's apartment. In the next scene involving Daphne, there is another clue to her secret duality. Easy later describes her as being "like the chameleon lizard". (230) This metaphor is appropriate because, although Easy uses it in regards to his actions towards men, it also refers to the change in skin color. Although her skin does not literally change color, the idea that color is not a static quality can be seen through Easy's observation of Daphne's eyes. Easy constantly comments on other characters' eyes, so it's no surprise that he mentions Daphne's on several occasions. He goes to meet him and “His eyes were green then”. (222) However, later during their meeting.