COLORISM & DENIGRATION: A CRITICAL RACE ANALYSIS OF LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND BY RUMAAN ALAM (2020)

Abstract

The main context of this study is to research the idea of colorism, prejudice, racial, and social bias in Leave the World Behind, a novel that finds interactions among the characters from various social and racial backgrounds. By employing an examination of character dynamics and key passages, the research explores how stereotypes shape character development and racial presumptions, impacting interpersonal interactions, and illustrating broader societal structures. Concentrating on three main questions of study, the research first found how the novel depicts colorism and its influence on the characters' acts and perspectives. It then assessed the ways in which the novel challenges social patterns of denigration and race, emphasizing how systemic prejudices demonstrated even in seemingly insignificant conditions. Finally, the study revealed the novel within the more general perspectives of previous literature confronting race, showing how the context of colorism and racial biases echoes prevalent discussions about the power, prejudices, and identity. The research revealed that the characters’ presumptions about race are integral to the narrative, impacting their suggestions and interactions, inevitably in most cases. The novel used these personal preferences as a microcosm of main societal concerns, presenting a critique of new racial and social dynamics. This study helped ongoing discussions about race in literature, recommending that the depiction of racial concerns in fiction remains a crucial lens through which to elaborate current societal concerns.