Hello, In Hartigan’s article Becky and David. Was trying to distance themselves from black people or they called it “nigger”. Maybe because they know they are white, the other race or color they consider them as inferior. This way of behavior and thinking they have had something to do with how they were taught or how they have observed society socializing in people with different race or color from them. Becky and David are being pretentious, interracial and feeling discomfort by the presence of black people.