The Lathe of Heaven Race Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter. Paragraph)

Quote #10

His wife, of course, had been gray-skinned. There were still gray people now, it was said, particularly in the Middle West and Germany, but most of the rest had gone back to white, brown, black, red, yellow, and mixtures. His wife had been a gray person, a far gentler person than this one, he thought. This Heather carried a big black handbag with a brass snap, and probably a half pint of brandy inside; she came on hard. His wife had been unaggressive and, though courageous, timid in manner. This was not his wife, but a fiercer woman, vivid and difficult. (11.36)

George says that the gray Heather was much gentler than the brown Heather. The implication is that her brownness makes her more aggressive. What is it about brownness that would make a person more aggressive? Or is it all more about grayness? Do you think George's assessment makes sense?