In The Cay, if Phillip's mother were aware of Timothy's sacrifice on her son's behalf, do you think her views about black people would change?

Personal opinion, experiences and upbringing all contribute to a person's prejudices. In Phillip's case, his Mother's views influence him to the point that his opinions are formed without any experience. Phillip's characterization of Timothy in The Cayby Theodore Taylor is of a man whose "face couldn't have been blacker, or his teeth whiter." Therefore, it is apparent that Phillip's main fear is that he is "here alone with a black man instead of my...

Personal opinion, experiences and upbringing all contribute to a person's prejudices. In Phillip's case, his Mother's views influence him to the point that his opinions are formed without any experience. Phillip's characterization of Timothy in The Cay by Theodore Taylor is of a man whose "face couldn't have been blacker, or his teeth whiter." Therefore, it is apparent that Phillip's main fear is that he is "here alone with a black man instead of my mother" and this indicates the significance of Timothy's skin color to Phillip, who otherwise, in his confusion and disoriented state, would have been more traumatized by being alone with any man rather than his mother. Skin color should not have featured in Phillip's assessment of his situation. 

In understanding what motivated Phillip’s mother’s own prejudice, Taylor ensures that the reader has a little bit of background on her. She is from Virginia and for Phillip to have noticed her preferences, she must have been quite forthcoming in her opinions. 

Phillip's opinions certainly change after his experience and he realizes that his mother's views are wrong. Furthermore, his mother definitely changes after almost losing her son. Even Curacao, which place she previously despised, is where she wants to be with her husband. When Phillip returns, she has "no thoughts of leaving" anymore. However, it is difficult to say whether her opinions on "black people" will ever change. There is no indication that she feels inclined to integrate more or make more effort and may in fact become more isolated as she tries to protect her family after such a trauma. There is no doubt that she would be eternally grateful to Timothy but her gratitude would be personal and would be extended to Timothy alone, and not necessarily to other black people. She formed her opinions without any experience of other races (in Virginia there aren't "as many black people"), and she even transferred her prejudices to her son so it seems that regrettably, she will probably retain her bias and intolerance on a more general level.