How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"This old man here reckons his colostomy bag entitles him to jump the queue," said the skinhead, "and make racist slurs about the lady of Afro-Caribbean extraction in the advance-travel window." (4.1.142)
Wow, could there be more prejudice packed into one sentence? This speaker is referring to Cavendish's racism while also being ageist toward Cavendish. Plus, Cavendish calls the guy a "skinhead." Who hasn't been offended here?
Quote #5
[In the past] Corpocracy was emerging and social strata was demarked, based on dollars and, curiously, the quantity of melanin in one's skin. (5.1.372)
To Sonmi, it's "curious" that people once judged others on their skin tone. Has racism been eliminated in Sonmi's age? If so, that's one thing they've done right in the age of Corpocracy.
Quote #6
Smart'n'Civ'lize ain't nothin' to do with the color o' the skin, nay. (6.1.88)
Racial tensions have diminished a bit in Zachry's time, but they're not quite gone. Check the next quote to see where we're going with this. We feel like pointing out here, by the way, that some of the most despicable characters in Cloud Atlas are well-off, "civilized" members of the dominant race.