Discussion Q on 'The Mulatto'

I would like to expand on one of the discussion questions on ‘The Mulatto,’ which we briefly discussed in class on Wednesday. The question was whether or not Georges’ actions would have been different if he were aware that Alfred was his father. After our class discussion, I believe that this question was being addressed in two manners. Some of my classmates were thinking of Georges’ actions as a slave to his master such as being loyal and informing his master when he was in danger. Others thought of his ‘actions’ in being the end result when Georges killed Alfred. If Georges’ had known Alfred was his father early on in his life, it is possible that he wouldn’t have been such a loyal slave as he would have despised Alfred for raping his mother, and for disowning him as a son. The evidence that Georges would not have had such a loving relationship with his master is how Georges acted when he heard what Alfred had had planned for his wife, Zelia. If Georges would stand up to his master for the life of his wife, I think he certainly would of done the same for the life of his mother. Even knowing that Alfred was his father, I don’t think Georges would of hesitated to hurt or kill Alfred in honor of both his mother and his wife. Generally, men are very protective of the women in their lives, in particular, their birth mother, and their spouse. Georges had an even stronger feeling of needing to protect his mother with the fact that his father was ‘non-existent’ to them as a family. Having said this, there is one fact that would make one believe that Georges may not have acted on the killing of his father had he known Alfred truly was his father. This is at the end of the story where Georges finds out and screams ‘I’m cursed’. This seems to suggest that he regret his actions and now believes he is going to pay for them.