Power and Perception in Brownies

Brownies, by ZZ Packer, follows the story of a girl scout troop of African American girls plotting revenge against Troop 909, a troop of white girls, because of the misconception created and spread by Arnetta that a girl from Troop 909 called Daphne a racial slur. Deeper than a narrative solely about race and racism, Brownies also confronts the theme of power and perception, especially through the character of Arnetta, the perpetrator of the fabrication. Rather than going off the truth, the African American girls believe Arnetta and express explicitly and implicitly that they have experienced racist interactions, resulting in them generalizing about Troop 909. The racial tensions and well as mental disabilities and discrimination portrayed throughout the story exhibits the implications of systemic racism through young girls.