Louise Beavers: Delilah Johnson

Imitation of Life

Delilah Johnson

Delilah Johnson: What's my baby want?
Peola Johnson, Age 19: I want to be white, like I look.
Delilah Johnson: Peola!
Peola Johnson, Age 19: [gesturing to mirror] Look at me. Am I not white? Isn't that a white girl?

Beatrice 'Bea' Pullman: Don't you want your own house?
Delilah Johnson: No. How am I to take care of you and Miss Jessie if I aint here?

Delilah Johnson: Peola won't you be a good child like you can be, darling, and do something for your mammy?
Peola Johnson, Age 19: [annoyed] Oh, don't say "mammy."
Delilah Johnson: Look here, baby. You go down South, to one of them high-toned colleges, where only the high-toned goes. Wouldn't you do that for me, honey?
Peola Johnson, Age 19: [taken aback] A Negro school?
Delilah Johnson: Ain't nothin' to be ashamed of, daughter dear. Meet your cross half-way. It won't be near so heavy. Go amongst your own. Quit battlin'! Your little head's sore now from buttin' against stone walls. Open up and say, "Lord, I bows my head." HE made you black, honey. Don't be tellin' Him His business. Accept it, honey. Do that for your mammy, your mother, dear.
[Peola starts to sob, Delilah hugs her close and starts to sing a spiritual song]

Jessie at 8: Let's go.
Peola at 10: Let's do it over again.
Jessie at 8: All right. England?
Peola at 10: London.
Jessie at 8: France?
Peola at 10: Paris.
Jessie at 8: Italy?
Peola at 10: Don't tell me now. Rome.
Jessie at 8: Now you ask me.
Peola at 10: Germany?
Jessie at 8: Berlin.
Peola at 10: Denmark?
Jessie at 8: Don't tell me now. Copenhagen.
Peola at 10: Belgium?
Jessie at 8: Sprouts?
Peola at 10: You mean Brussels.
Jessie at 8: Oh, yeah.
Peola at 10: First thing you know, you're going to get a D again.
Jessie at 8: Good-bye, Mommy.
Beatrice 'Bea' Pullman: Good-bye, honey.
Delilah Johnson: They sure likes each other, them two.
Beatrice 'Bea' Pullman: Peola's smarter than Jessie.
Delilah Johnson: Yes'm. We all starts out that way; we don't get dumb till later on.
Beatrice 'Bea' Pullman: Oh, Delilah.

Beatrice 'Bea' Pullman: I've got Jessie... and you've got Peola.
Delilah Johnson: Yes'm. I've got Peola, Miss Bea. What am I gonna' do about that poor child? She's so unhappy.
Beatrice 'Bea' Pullman: You know, Delilah, I've been wondering, if it might be better if you could send Peola to one of those good colleges in the South - for colored people. Where she could finish her education, and where she wouldn't be faced with the problem of "white" all the time. You know what a disaster her schooling has been here.
Delilah Johnson: Yes'm...

Delilah Johnson: [running after her daughter, who is crying] Peola? Peola! What's the matter, honey? What's happened?... Peola. What's happened to my baby?
Peola at 10: I'm not black! I'm not black! I won't be black!
Beatrice 'Bea' Pullman: Peola.
Peola at 10: She called me black. Jessie called me that.
Beatrice 'Bea' Pullman: Jessie! Jessie Pullman, for shame on you.
Delilah Johnson: Come and sit down on Mammy's lap. Aw, that's a girl.
[making sushing sounds to Peola]
Delilah Johnson: Now, now, now, Peola. Calm yourself, baby. You gotta learn to take it. You might just as well begin now.
Beatrice 'Bea' Pullman: [to Jessie] You apologize to Peola this minute.
Delilah Johnson: No, no, Miss Bea. Don't make her apologize. Ain't no good in that.
Peola at 10: [still crying] You! It's 'cause you're black. You make me black. I won't. I won't. I won't be black.
Beatrice 'Bea' Pullman: Jessie, how could you say such a mean, cruel thing to Peola?
Funeral Spectator: [shaking her head] I didn't mean anything.
Delilah Johnson: Oh, it ain't her fault, Miss Bea. It ain't your'n, and it ain't mine. I don't know rightly where the blame lies. It can't be our Lord's. It's got me puzzled.

Beatrice 'Bea' Pullman: I've got Jessie - that's enough. Delilah, honestly now, doesn't she look like an angel?
Delilah Johnson: Why, she *am* an angel, Miss Bea!