Throughout Rhys' narrative, skin color plays a critical role as it represents a strong demarcation factor between the native Jamaicans and the white Creoles such as Bertha and eventually leads to hostility between the two groups.  It should be noted that Jamaica was inhabited by the indigenous Arawak and Taino peoples, who were lighter skinned. However, in 1494. Christopher Columbus arrived on Jamaica and most of the natives died thereafter as the result of violence and communicable diseases introduced by the Spanish. In order to support the growing sugar plantations on the island the Spanish forcibly transported large numbers of slaves from Africa which led to a darkening of the skin color lines and an obvious distinction between the natives and the British descendants of colonialism.