Abstract
This paper explains that Michael Ondaatje "In the Skin of a Lion" reveals another world that co-exists within Toronto's literal history and its current perceived reality as the imaginary community traverse boundaries to another world where a new language exists. The author points out that this book makes use of the metaphor of light moving from darkness into light as the oral history is told and as a linkage between self and the worlds that emerge from the outside of the window. The paper concludes that, although the protagonist Patrick experiences difficulty in the mirror of the immigrant neighbors, he ends up being part of the picture instead of facing it as an individual, demonstrating that the movement between self and other, or old world and new world showing that the boundaries between worlds are liquid-like. Several quotations.

From the Paper
"The movement from silence into language happens when Patrick starts to understand the foreign language and its world surrounding him; silence represents a world and language represents the other world. Although he is stuck in absence of known words and pictures without explanation in the beginning, after the first "breakthrough" he is able to fathom the foreignness. Patrick's first word is the Macedonian word for iguana. As soon as he learns the word, a group of Macedonians "then circled him trying to desperately to leap over the code of language between them.""

Tags:imaginary, language, metaphor, light, mirror

Abstract
The paper looks at how David E. Stannard describes and analyzes the legal case known as the Massie Affair. The paper outlines this case regarding the killing of an accused rapist, including both stages of the trial and the final outcome. The paper discusses how this case highlights the racial and social divisions that existed in Hawaii. The paper relates that the American government had the attitude of paternalism toward the dark-skinned people of the islands and so created divisions that would persist for decades, and that even have some sway until this day.

From the Paper
"The case involved a pampered daughter of privilege named Thalia Fortexcue, who married Lieutenant Thomas Massie, a naval officer stationed at Pearl Harbor from 1930. She may have married the dashing lieutenant without realizing that he was limited to military pay, and the lack of money and the difference in social standing created tensions that divided the two. In addition, Thalia believed herself to be socially superior to the other wives at Pearl Harbor, so she was largely ignored by them because of her behavior. The couple soon became known for excessive drinking and public battles. The lieutenant in time was disenchanted with his wife and sought a divorce, but he first gave her a warning and said if she did not behave, he would go through with the divorce, which at that time was a stronger threat to her social standing than it might be today. One evening, the pair attended a Navy event at a nightclub in Waikiki, and Thalia did not behave that night and slapped an officer before storming out alone. Massie thought she had gone home."

Tags:Pearl, Harbor, social, class, law, prejudice, justice

Abstract
This paper contends that the language used to describe the character of Heathcliff in "Wuthering Heights" sets the tone for erratic and inappropriate behavior within the novel. The paper attempts to determine why must Heathcliff be dark-skinned and why Bronte chose to portray this emotionally violent character with that complexion. The paper also argues that for this reason, the novel, and the language used to describe Heathcliff, comes across as racist.

From the Paper
"The author immediately sets Heathcliff apart in this way, and sets the tone for his markedly violent behavior and passions that characterized his existence at Wuthering Heights. One must ask themselves why would Bronte chose to ascribe the extra passion and violent nature of an individual to a dark-skinned person if not to create a believable setting for a violent character, and for an emotionally dark character. The behavior of Heathcliff is dark, and would be seen as such if any person in the story, white or black behaved in this way. However, Bronte chose to make him dark, perpetuating a stereotype that dark-skinned people are more passionate, and violent. "

Tags:Heathcliff, Catherine

Abstract
The perception of race today (specifically, in Academia) has certainly been molded by the Victorian evolutionary scientists, anthropologists and social theorists of the rough Victorian period (turn of the century), according to George W. Stocking's article, "The Dark-Skinned Savage: The image of Primitive Man in Evolutionary Anthropology. This article discusses the viewpoints of the quintessential Victorian thinkers, in terms of ethnography: Charles Darwin, Edward B. Taylor, Louis Spencer and Henry Morgan. Discussing how these people set up modern hierarchical (and decidedly western) ethnic ideals, this article also applies their works to how we are (or could be) racist today: within the Academic Community.

From the Paper
Abstract The perception of race today (specifically, in Academia) has certainly been molded by the Victorian evolutionary scientists, anthropologists and social theorists of the rough Victorian period (turn of the century), according to George W. Stocking's article, "The Dark-Skinned Savage: The image of Primitive Man in Evolutionary Anthropology. This article discusses the viewpoints of the quintessential Victorian thinkers, in terms of ethnography: Charles Darwin, Edward B. Taylor, Louis Spencer and Henry Morgan. Discussing how these people set up modern hierarchical (and decidedly western) ethnic ideals, this article also applies their works to

Tags:victoriana, ethnography, race

Abstract
This paper argues that slavery was good for blacks. The author explains that the moral justification to slavery used by Southerners was that there was an inherent 'inferiority' in dark-skinned peoples. This meant that 'superior' races had a legitimate right to control them as they saw fit.

Abstract
This paper explains that "Othello", a Shakespearean tragedy, is as much about a clash of cultures as it is about a failed romance or jealousy. The author relates the story about the main character, the commander Othello, a dark-skinned Moor living in a largely white, Christian society. The paper suggests that, created by Iago's scheming, issues of Othello's culture and race are suspect as the causes that drove him to murder Desdemona. The author concludes that, while a person might sympathize with the ostracized Othello in a racist society, it is uncertain if Shakespeare might have written the play originally to validate some of his own culture's racist stereotypes.

From the Paper
"The charge of witchcraft is especially relevant, because it underlines how Othello is perceived as a stranger; capable of strange arts because of his religion and appearance, even by the side he fights for, the people of Venice. And it might be added, that because Desdemona falls in love with Othello because of his power to tell stories about his strange life, which includes being sold into slavery but also cannibals and men whose heads grow beneath their shoulder, his strangeness and 'otherness' becomes a source of attraction."

Tags:muslim, aristocracy, witchcraft, machinations, stereotypes

Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to introduce and discuss the book "Reservation Blues," by Sherman Alexie. Specifically, it looks at the musical poem at the beginning of the chapter "My God Has Dark Skin," and how it relates to the beliefs and religion of the characters throughout the book.

From the Paper
"These words tell the story of how the Native American's had to give up their beliefs, and their religion for the white man's religion, in the name of "modernity" and "Christianity." The numerous Native American tribes each had a complex religious system, made up of folk tales, and a wide variety of gods and goddesses. Yet, when the white men came and took over the Indian lands, they tried to convert them to the "true" religion of Christianity, while they gave up their old ways and beliefs."

Tags:Indian, god, christianity, modernity, native, american, white, men

Abstract
This paper provides an analysis of the book "The Passing", written in 1929. It shows how, in this period, people were still mainly classified by their skin color. The book deals with the issue of how African-Americans themselves were divided, with the lighter-skinned people being accepted by the "white" society and the darker-skinned people being rejected even by their own.

From the Paper
"Passing refers to the practice of light skinned black people trying to "pass" in white society. If a black person passed, they were thought of as rejecting their own history and heritage. If they could not or chose not to pass, then they were giving up a whole host of privileges and rights that came from being white. These were the Days before the Supreme Court overturned Plessy v. Ferguson, everything was separate, but not any where near equal. If everything was equal, it is hard to imagine a black person who would want to "pass." There was this tug of war then, between heritage and rights that played on the people. Indeed, at the beginning of the novel, Irene runs into her childhood friend Clare, while they are both passing at a fancy Chicago hotel, Clare as a matter of course, and Irene, to avoid the summer heat of Chicago."

Tags:passage, light, skin, dark, acceptance, white, racism, negro, irene, clare

Abstract
This paper examines how the light and dark imagery in Kate Chopin's story "Desiree's Baby" reinforces the social value placed on skin color in the time period and setting of the story and how, it is also a source of irony. It looks at how the mixed-race child delivered by the main character raises a question that has an unexpected answer and how the irony of the answer is caused by faulty assumptions that characters make and accept until the real truth comes to light. It shows how images of darkness and light reflect on people, physical setting and secrecy and truth.

From the Paper
"The author alludes to Armand's "dark, handsome face" a number of times, but suspicion for the responsibility of the dark-skinned child still falls on Desiree's white shoulders because her parentage is unknown. When the child reaches three months old, Desiree begins to realize that the "love-light seemed to have gone out" of Armand, but she does not understand why until one hot afternoon as she watches her child sleeping on the bed. Suddenly, the realization that her baby has a similarity with the quadroon child who is fanning the baby with peacock feathers dawns on Desiree and she feels her veins turn to a paralyzing "ice." "

Tags:armand, race, skin, color

Abstract
This paper begins with a summary of the plot of "Desiree's Baby" and then provides an analysis of the story's main characters and its theme. The paper describes how "Desiree's Baby" sends a message that judging another human being based on his or her skin color is completely immoral and unjustified.

From the Paper
"Kate Chopin's short story, "Desiree's Baby," begins by explaining how Desiree comes to live with Monsieur and Madame Valmonde. Monsieur Valmonde finds her as a child sleeping on his property, and he and his wife decide to raise her. When Desiree grows up, Armand Aubigny falls in love with her, and despite Monsieur Valmonde's warnings that Desiree's origins are unknown, Armand marries her and they have a baby boy. At first, they are both extremely proud and happy, and Armand even treats his Negro slaves kindly because he is in such a joyful state of mind. However, Armand's manner changes when the baby is three months old: he stops looking into Desiree's eyes when he speaks to her, he treats the slaves awfully, and he seems to fall out of love with Desiree. Desiree is miserable and cannot understand why her husband has changed."

Tags:baby, slaves, dark, negro, judging, love, wife, child, conflict, mother, unconditional