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Caucasia
by Danzy Senna
Category:
Fiction
Plot Summary:
A bildungsroman centered around Birdie, a mulatto girl so light skinned she can pass for white while her sister Cole is as dark as her name suggests. When Birdie’s parents must split, the girls are separated -- Birdie goes with her "revolutionary" white mother and Cole with her intellectual black father. The rest of the tale revolves around Birdie’s struggles with her transient existence and the fact that she is being made to pass for white.
Review:
When I first read James Joyce’s Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man in high school I had difficulty relating to the epiphany. I knew that one occurred because of what followed, but I didn’t get it. Later, as an undergraduate, it was explained to me by way of feminist theory that I didn’t understand the scene fully because I wasn’t a man and thus couldn’t comprehend the impact the sight of a beautiful young woman walking down the beach could have on the narrator. Of course, this could simply be a tirade typical of feminist theory. Or so I thought until I read Caucasia. Upon finishing the novel I realized this must be what white people -- particularly white males -- feel like when they read. It was refreshing to read a work where, although the regional background and time period were different than my own, the complexity and difference of those who inhabit the gray area of race like myself is explored in a way I’ve never seen done before.
This said, perhaps the most invigorating aspect of this novel is the strength of the story. Although it seems likely that Senna initially approached this novel from a theoretical standpoint, its execution is ultimately practical. Despite the potential density of her material, Caucasia never becomes bogged down in theory. So for those who would prefer to relegate high concepts to the classroom, you will find yourself pleasantly immersed in Birdie’s life.
If you liked Caucasia, try:
The Color of Water by James McBride
Rating:
Reviewed by:
Jill
