Racism

Racism is a common motif that acts as a strong basis for most of the other themes throughout the novel. Much of Robin’s struggles and choices are driven by how alienated he feels, and a majority of the wider conflict depends heavily on the Englishman’s general belief that they are superior to every other race.

Robin’s early years with Lovell fully establish how much racism is engrained into English society. Everywhere Robin goes, he is looked at with suspicion or amusement. Oftentimes, he is treated like a rare circus animal that people have no qualms asking inappropriate questions about. For example, on the way to Oxford for the first time, a mother and her child ask, “With your eyes like that- can you see everything? Or is it only in little slits?” (47) Even though Robin is uncomfortable with this, he notes that the...