Question

Why did Harper choose not to reveal that the cousins are African American?

The short story is, The Two Offers by Frances Harper

Answer 1

To focus more on other aspects of the characters and not to put ethnics as a determining factor.

Step-by-step explanation:

Harper provides no racial dimension to the characters, and the thematic purpose of the story is to challenge contradictions inherent in social values regarding women's roles and to offer an alternative to those conventions and traditions.

Answer 2

Harper chose not to reveal that the cousins are African-American in order to avoid having them judged according to stereotypes. Most characters in American fiction (novels, short stories, even movies) are white, and therefore unless the reader receives a clear signal that a character is not white he or she will proceed as if it were. By not revealing the ethnicity of her characters, Harper plays with the readers expectationns and prejudices.