The Problem Of Passing As A Metaphor For The Dynamics Of Responsibility And Coming To Terms With Oneself

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9 pages in length. Being the 'right' race has long been a barometer for how humanity looks at and defines itself. Even in global communities where blacks represent the primary ethnic group, there is nonetheless an intrinsic connotation of inferiority that materializes in the incidence of poverty, overpopulation and lack of education. These symbols of human inadequacy perpetuate in such a cyclical fashion that even when blacks reside alongside whites within otherwise more 'civilized' societies, the identifying mark of inferiority is inescapable. Philip Roth's Human Stain and Charles Johnson's Middle Passage clearly illustrate the extent to which the metaphorical use of 'passing' presents a problem in relation to the dynamics of responsibility and coming to terms with oneself, with the bottom line of each book exemplifying how, the moral choice in choosing one's destiny is comprised of much more than merely what one otherwise wants to do but instead is guided by the principles of social mandate. No additional sources cited.