Wealthy
In his first diary entry, John travels to New Orleans to have his skin temporarily changed. There, he is able to notice the different way the whites and the African-Americans live. John describes in great detail the opulence, the big houses and the fashion of the white people that contrasted sharply with the way African-Americans lived. But while John saw the differences, he still wasn’t able to understand completely the way the blacks lived.
Black
The moment when John first sees himself as a black man is shocking for him. John sees himself in the mirror but is unable to recognize himself. He describes his feeling in that moment and admits that he feels like he was given a new identity. The image described through this scene is that of a person who defines himself through his skin color. He is shocked when he sees himself with black skin and his feeling of anxiety worsen even more when he realizes that there is no turning back.
The bus
During the 1950s, black people were not allowed to sit in the same part of a train or other form of public transportation as their white counterparts. Instead, they had to sit in the back, separated from the whites. When John travels for the first time as a black man, he tries to be nice to a white lady by offering her his seat. The woman not only refused, but she also criticized John for his actions and mocked him. What is more, the black people on the train also looked at John with disapproving and harsh looks. The image portrayed through this scene is that of a society divided. The whites tried to keep themselves completely separated from the blacks and the latter would look down upon everyone who tried to get along with the whites. The idea transmitted through this is that the ones to blame were not only the whites, but the blacks as well because both groups were against change and against showing compassion and acceptance towards the other group.
The ghetto
One of the black men John encounters early in his experiment describes the life inside the ghetto and how different it is from the white neighborhood. Even the smell differs from one part of the city to another and the black man admits coming to the white part of the city just to escape the foul smells and the dismal sights. Through this descriprion, the author creates a harsh image of the black ghetto, a part of the city and a life hard to tolerate even by the people who live inside it every day.
