Nothing stands in the way of a good time like racism, right? And in One Whole and Perfect Day, Pop's propensity for insensitive and inaccurate behavior based on other people's race stands to be a major barrier to the family reunion Lily so desperately wants. Whereas some books take long hard looks at racism in action, though, this book focuses instead on redemption. Pop may be old, and he may have terrible prejudices, but he ultimately comes to see the error in his ways, showing that even when it comes to racism, you can teach an old dog new tricks. Phew.
Questions About Race
- One of the most dramatic moments in the book is our realization that Clara's family is Chinese. Why do you think Clarke doesn't give us this crucial bit of information when we first meet Clara?
- How do the characters' views of race vary according their ages?
- Do you think Pop's reaction to the changes in his old neighborhood have more to do with the cultural differences or the simple fact that his home is different?
- Why do Rose and Pop end up being such good friends? What overcomes the racial differences between them?
Chew on This
Race in the novel serves to magnify the generational differences between Lily and Stan.
Stan's alleged racism is more a product of the time he was raised in than his actual way of looking at things.