View a FREE sample

Toy Indian

This object symbolizes the white culture's history of infantilizing and exoticizing people of color. Irving uses this object from her childhood to illustrate the ways in which her upbringing trained her to see white people as superior models of humanity, industry, and even piety. After Irving's mother told her a frightening story about children hiding beneath a staircase to escape a murderer's wrath, Irving felt disenchanted with this object and she packed it away into the attic.

History Degree

This object symbolizes the poor quality of history education prominent within American schools. Irving points to her possession of this object as proof of the inadequate nature of her own prior learning, since despite earning this object at the age of 22, she did not become aware of the racial inequality deeply rooted in American culture until many years later.

Zap

This object symbolizes the pain and discomfort...

(read more Symbols/Objects)

This section contains 629 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample