When Easy first meets Daphne Monet, he perceives her as an attractive, wealthy white woman.

Easy is
quickly enveloped in Daphne's world of power and privilege but, upon realization of her true identity,
the boundaries between the two characters' social standings become rigid. Unbeknownst to Easy,
Daphne actually comes from a background very similar to his own. Due to the stigmas attached to
people of color, Daphne's race and the walk of life she has chosen to lead have become somewhat of a
burden to her. In order to rise above her station, Daphne has adopted a second "identity" that she
adopts when she wishes to distance herself from her roots

Society's perception of Daphne Monet viewed as an object of beauty and possession, Daphne
Monet symbolizes the "ultimate" woman in our society. Not only is she present for purely
aesthetic reasons, but also to provide a sense of power and give the main characters a goal to
achieve. As a woman of a biracial background, Daphne Monet exists in a time where it is
difficult for a woman of color to find a place in society. Throughout the novel, Daphne Monet is
portrayed in a negative light. Her promiscuity is known to all, and this ultimately leads to her
demise. Daphne is an interesting character in that she is, in a sense, at the peak of double
consciousness. She is an educated woman who, even in her private life, outwits the men who
think of her as only an object. Her dual nature comes from her racial background. Although she
has the physical characteristics of a black woman, she often "passes" for white to further her
status in the world. When Easy Rawlins first encounters Daphne Monet, not knowing who she is,
he is stunned by her beauty. He notes that although she is black, she is arguably the most radiant
and enticing woman he had known, and this causes him to accept her proposition (Devil in a blue
dress pg.81).

Daphne Monet did not want to be identified as colored because society would almost automatically cast
a negative connotation upon her. Monet would have been uneasy if she had been what she perceived to
be fully "colored" in the surrounding all-white society. Living in constant fear of the assumed social
boundaries, Monet is unsure of the role she must play as a biracial woman.

Daphne Monet is the walking symbol of the black man's attempts to rise in the world. She is trying to
attain acceptance into the mainstream of white America. It is not that she is unhappy with her own race,
but she sees the whites as the people in control and thus the position to be in. On the first level, Daphne
is another black femme fatale character. This is a stereotype that black women have been fighting for
years. The stereotype is summed up here by the way Daphne speaks and acts. She ultimately has a fling
with Easy Rawlins that nearly tears him away from the mission he has accepted from the white Mr.
Albright. It is revealed at the end that she is not even black, but instead is just a white woman who plays
the part of a black woman in order to take advantage of the bias and willingness of the white men of the
town. This is the key point of double consciousness. Daphne Monet has a self-identity as a white woman
and a racial identity as a black woman. These two conflicting identities cause her to be more self-
destructive. Easy Rawlins even says that "Black or white, it was hard to be a woman." This statement
gives a clear impression that he believes something is causing her pain. Now, whether he realizes it or
not, this pain is caused by her black identity. In all of her actions, she is the black femme fatale, but this
is not fulfilling to her true white identity.
After the dialogue
In Chapter 25of "Devil in a Blue Dress," a scene where Daphne visits Easy's apartment offers a
subtle look at her struggle with double consciousness. Imagine a fancy woman used to nice
things walking into Easy's messy place. Daphne is a Black woman who's lived a life of luxury,
but she's also had to deal with the challenges of being Black in a world where racism is still a big
problem. So, when she sees Easy's place, it might make her think about her own past struggles
and the times when she didn't have it so easy. This scene shows us how Daphne has to deal with
two different sides of herself: the privileged woman she's become and the Black woman who
knows what it's like to face discrimination and hardship. It's like she's always trying to find a
balance between these two parts of her identity. But things get even more complicated when
Easy asks her about Coretta’s death which is tied to Daphne's brother, Frank, When Easy brings
this up, it scares Daphne because it could expose her true Black identity and all the secrets she's
been hiding.
Daphne Monet was a woman who lived two lives, the life she lived as a white woman and the life she
left behind as a mixed woman named Ruby Hanks. The definition of double consciousness is the
awareness of belonging to two conflicting cultures which in effect makes an individual have a dual
identity. Daphne Monet clearly fits into this category based on the life she left behind and the way she
presents herself now. It is apparent that she struggles to determine her true identity. Throughout the
novel, Daphne Monet was constantly attempting to prove that she is a white woman in hopes to escape
her previous life as a black woman named Ruby Hanks.

ntroduced as a white passing mysterious figure, Monet’s character almost embodies the concept of
double consciousness within an African American setting. Monet is a biracial woman. She chose to pass
for white because it was what suited her situation best. As society has constructed race to be black or
white, Daphne was determined to choose a side. During a time of heavy segregation and discrimination,
much like African Americans, Daphne saw how beneficial it was to pass as a white woman.

Walter Mosley's "Devil in a Blue Dress" explores the complexities of racial identity
through the character of Daphne Monet. Daphne embodies a dual identity, constantly
navigating a world where race dictates social status and opportunity. This analysis
examines how Daphne's performance of innocence and her ability to pass as white
intersect with her internal struggle for self-preservation and the yearning for authenticity.

The Captivating Facade: Innocence and Manipulation

From the outset, Daphne presents herself as a demure young woman, playing into
stereotypes of femininity and vulnerability. Her use of a fabricated French accent during
her initial call with Easy Rawlins (Mosley, 76, 77) exemplifies this performance. This
"sweet and helpless girl" act serves a dual purpose: disarming Easy and gaining his
trust, while simultaneously establishing a racial ambiguity that allows her to pass as
white. This manipulation highlights the complexities of her situation – navigating a racist
world requires a calculated performance.
Though a bit one-dimensional, Daphne Monet is central to Mosley's narrative. Her appearances
are often nuanced and serve to demonstrate the powerful self-interest and duplicity that underlies
most other characters' actions in a tense and race-conscious 1940s Los Angeles. Monet hires
Easy to look for her friend Coretta, who is often implied to be more than a friend to Monet, when
in fact she is looking to quell some damaging rumors that have been spread by her political
associates. These rumors stemmed from the public knowledge that Coretta had been involved
with Joppy and in giving him money which he later used to buy the prized Malibu Blue. This
connection is what sparks violence against Joppy and provides an impetus for the subsequent
events in Devil in a Blue Dress. Later, Monet attempts to cover up her association with Coretta
and Easy by hiring him to find Daphne herself after Coretta has already been found dead. This
leads to a tenuous and complicated relationship between Monet and Easy, as he gains more
knowledge of her actions and becomes increasingly wary of her attempts to manipulate him into
dangerous or illegal activity. Step by step, Easy discovers the lengths of Monet's vindictive and
callous nature, and though he is resourceful enough to avoid direct harm from her, the aftermath
produces a disillusioned and slightly bitter emotional climax for Easy.

Daphne Monet has an extremely varied and ambiguous association with different characters in
the novel Devil in a Blue Dress. As Mosley's mystery unravels, the reader realizes that Monet is
a chameleon, constantly changing her identity to suit her purpose. She feels very comfortable
with her true identity with Easy, as they both share the plight of the African American. This is
evident when Monet says "I'm glad I met you Mr. Rawlins. Sometimes I get really tired of being
around white people" (78). However, when Monet is with Terrell or Miller, pretending to aid
Easy's investigation of Coretta, she is a shill, acting as bait to lure Easy into a trap. This role is
similar to when she is with Easy, acting as if she wants to hire him to find Daphne Monet.
However, her facade as Daphne Monet starts to waver towards the end of the novel when she
pleads with Easy "I didn't mean to hurt you" before Easy hits her in anger after realizing she
framed Coretta. This is because she finds it difficult to maintain her chameleon-like nature,
switching between identities.

Double consciousness creates a scenario in which the black individual has to reconcile two
opposing identities. The first is his and his race's identity fostered by the American society, and
the second is his true self, striving to find a means of self-expression. Daphne Monet is one such
individual struggling with her dual identity. On one hand she is a light-skinned black woman
who takes advantage of the black community for her own personal gain, and on the other she is a
woman who is deeply rooted in the black culture. This struggle between her two identities is
always present in her daily life. Though she hates to be around black people, she constantly finds
herself moving back to the black community. She is like a chameleon, constantly changing her
identity to suit her purpose, sometimes she feels very comfortable with her true identity with
Easy, as they both share the plight of the African American. This is evident when Monet says
"I'm glad I met you Mr. Rawlins. Sometimes I get really tired of being around white people"
(78). However, when Monet is with Terrell or Miller, pretending to aid Easy's investigation of
Coretta, she is a shill, acting as bait to lure Easy into a trap. she finds it difficult to maintain her
chameleon-like nature, switching between identities. And this creates a constant inner conflict
over the duality of her lifestyle and which identity she should comply with. This is seen in the
novel where Daphne is often times found drinking herself into unconsciousness and then
participating in various sexual acts.(Devil in a blue dress P.191-194) These are actions which she
would not normally partake in but are due to the fact that they are a means of assimilation into
the white lifestyle and an attempt to free her from the bonds of her black culture. These acts are a
desperate mean to escape her reality and are just but a few examples of her attempts to rid herself
from the confines of her black culture. These actions are a reflection of her second identity which
wishes to assimilate herself into the white lifestyle and rid herself from the misfortunes that she
has experienced growing up in the black community.

"From the very start, Daphne creates a persona to navigate her challenging reality. She
adheres to traditional feminine stereotypes by portraying herself as a shy and delicate
young woman, as seen in her fake French accent when first meeting Easy Rawlins. This
"sweet and helpless girl" act serves a clever dual purpose. It first makes Easy lower his
guard, making him feel trusted and willing to assist. Second, by putting on a fake accent,
she blurs her racial identity, possibly passing as white.

However, Daphne's true identity is much more complex than just an act. This facade
collapses when she is faced with the harsh truth of her friend Richard McGee's death. The
innocent girl vanishes, replaced by a more assertive and even ruthless individual. This
shift is evident in her demands for money and her ruthless attempt to erase any
evidence that might link her to the scene (Devil in a Blue Dress pg.101-103). This ability
to morph between contrasting identities reflects the internal struggle Daphne faces. The
innocent persona serves as a shield, a carefully crafted defense mechanism to protect
her from the potential dangers of revealing her true racial identity in a world steeped in
prejudice. The assertive side, however, emerges when the stakes are high, revealing
the complexities and potential ruthlessness necessary to survive in a hostile
environment.
From the very start, Daphne creates a persona to navigate her challenging reality. She

adheres to traditional feminine stereotypes by portraying herself as shy and delicate young

woman, as seen in her fake French accent when first meeting Easy Rawlins. This "sweet and

helpless girl" act serves a clever dual purpose. It first makes Easy lower his guard, making him

feel trusted and willing to assist. Second, by putting on a fake accent, she blurs her racial

identity, possibly passing as white. However, Daphne's true identity is much more complex than

just an act. This facade collapses when she is faced with the harsh truth of her friend Richard

McGee's death. The innocent girl vanishes, replaced by a more assertive and even ruthless

individual. This shift is evident in her demands for money and her ruthless attempt to erase any

evidence that might link her to the scene (Devil in a Blue Dress pg.101-103). This ability to

morph between contrasting identities reflects the internal struggle Daphne faces. The innocent

persona serves as a shield, a carefully crafted defense mechanism to protect her from the

potential dangers of revealing her true racial identity in a world steeped in prejudice. The

assertive side, however, emerges when the stakes are high, revealing the complexities and

potential ruthlessness necessary to survive in a hostile environment.

Daphne might be afraid of how both white and Black communities would perceive her. White
society might reject her for not being truly "one of them," and Black society might be wary due to
her attempts to pass as white.