Poquette has a bachelor's degree in English and specializes in writing about literature. In the following essay, Poquette discusses Hughes's message in Mulatto.

As many critics have noted, Mulatto is an extremely emotional play. The drama builds throughout the work, highlighting the race-driven conflicts that took place between African Americans and whites in the American South in the 1930s, and culminating in a tragic end. Ultimately, this highly charged drama has a purpose—to demonstrate that whites should accept African Americans as equals, since everybody loses in a race war.

All of the conflict in the play at first appears to be caused by Robert, who instigates many fights with Norwood. However, it is Norwood's genes and contradictory behavior which lead Robert to become who he is. Norwood is sympathetic to African Americans, and even seems to enjoy the exclusive relationship that he has with Cora...