Category: comics

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Deconstructing Whiteness in “Incognegro”

Every semester, I am amazed at the connective tissue that runs through the texts I place on the syllabus and the themes that arise. No matter the class, I construct my courses around themes, all teachers do. However, when a class ends poignantly on a recurring theme, I find it a really serendipitous occasion. This semester, in my Ethnic American Literature course, we explored … Read More Deconstructing Whiteness in “Incognegro”

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Reflections of the Self in “Infidel”: Part III

When Leslie sees the reflection of the racist, xenophobic, and Islamophobic monster staring back at her in the knife blade in Infidel, we begin to see her own self-reflection of the deep rooted prejudices she holds, specifically during her conversation with her granddaughter Kris. Other characters see the same type of reflection, notably Ethan, or they don’t, notably Grace who I discussed in the … Read More Reflections of the Self in “Infidel”: Part III

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Reflections of the Self in “Infidel”: Part II

In a letter to Pornaski Pichetshote, Aaron Campbell, and Jose Villarruba about Infidel, Matthew Kirshenblatt wrote about the impact that the series had on him as a reader, specifically he notes the potential for the characters to connect across cultures, ethnicities, and religions, but they become hindered in this connection through the baggage they carry, a lot of it unconscious. He continues by noting … Read More Reflections of the Self in “Infidel”: Part II

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Reflections of the Self in “Infidel”

As I prepared to teach Pornsak Pichetshote, Aaron Campbell, and Jose Villarrubia’s Infidel, a lot of things stuck out. However, when I reread the haunted house story where the monsters that terrorize the characters are the manifestations of racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia, I became intrigued by a few specific scenes where the monsters appear in the reflections of objects such as knives and mirrors. … Read More Reflections of the Self in “Infidel”

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500th Post: David F. Walker Syllabus

For a while I have been thinking about a syllabus based on the work of David F. Walker. Recently, I was spurred on to work up a tentative syllabus through a discussion online, and as such, this is what I present to you today. This syllabus is in not way complete. However, it is meant to serve as an introduction to the ways to … Read More 500th Post: David F. Walker Syllabus