Bebe always had her mother and aunt hovering over her, and making her speak proper English, but Bebe considered it "acting white" and felt that in order to be considered black she could not speak in a white manner. Many people felt that they needed to have power. This occurred in many situations, "Being there(Wagner's) wasn't any more fun than being at the Imperial, but it made me feel more powerful"p.264. Bebe tried to teach her father proper English, taking after her mother and aunt. "She corrects everybody. Besides, what's wrong with speaking properly?"p.268. Bebe's grandmother was always putting things into Bebe's head, whether it was good or bad. Nana had an idea that there always had to be competition with whites, "All those white folks down on that job and you get the promotion, and you tellin" me not to brag?" p.227. There was always competition with whites and blacks in how they did in school, competing against each other, and either trying to be as good or better than them. "What the white children learned, that's what her child had to learn." p.228. Bebe's mother put many ideas into her head about why speaking proper English was the right thing to do. "Speaking impeccably proper English was a strategy in the overall battle for civil rights. Bebe, we have got to be prepared." There are many different perspectives in the book about what "acting white" is. Speaking correct English should not be a put down, because no matter how you talk, that should not put a label on you. You are what you are, and being educated should not be labeled as being white. If somebody is not educated, that should not be labeled as acting black, or talking black. Labels put races down, and the people do it even to their own races.
Some African Americans felt they had to change their natural looks, to be something they are not. They thought that "good hair" was white people's hair, and tried to make their hair look straight.
