So What Are You Anyway?

The story "So What Are You Anyway" by Lawrence Hill is about racism; a young girl named Carole is seated next to a couple named Henry and Betty Norton who question her about her race. Carole being a child doesn't understand the concept of race or why it would matter to these complete strangers. They continue to pester her and ask her intrusive questions when they are aware that she doesn't understand and that she doesn't feel comfortable about the questions they are asking her, for example they said things like "You know, what are you? What race?" they continue to verbally harass this young girl even though they realize that she doesn't understand what race is by saying "Say you had a colouring book. What colour would you make your dad?" Carole says that "she feels as if he is asking her a bad question. It is as if he is asking her something dirty, or touching her in a bad place" when Mr. Norton asked her about her race. Carole finally has had enough of their questions and bursts asking how they would feel if she did the same to them. In the end Carole gets moved to a different seat and the Mrs. Norton telling her husband "talk about sensitive" which only proves that they are still ignorant as to why their actions where wrong. They didn't comprehend that their behaviour was not only invasive but disrespectful, and completely unnecessary.