Ice Post / Shift / Jordan Rose
In Nalo Hopkinson’s short story “Shift”, the author uses how Caliban’s perception of interracial relationships to help readers understand the concept of Identity explored by the line said by Golden Girl, “Who do you think you are?” (147). Throughout the story Caliban, a black male, is seen with a white women, Golden Girl. There are many different interactions between Caliban and other civilians. As Caliban is seen with golden girl he holds tight to golden girl as he is startled when a white man spits at him, gives a black woman a look when she gives him a look, and kisses his Golden Girl when another golden girl gives him another look. He needs to make sure people of both white and black races see him as worthy of being with Golden Girl. More importantly, it is so Caliban himself feels more secure about his relationship with Golden Girl. He keeps giving him self positive affirmations to make him feel like what he is doing is ok for his life because of who he is. These interactions all build up on Caliban before his interaction with his sister Ariel who causes a scene at the board walk and beach due to Caliban being with a white woman. After Ariel causes a scene with the wind there’s only her, Caliban, their mom, and Golden Girl left. Ariel goes on and on with Caliban about being with a white girl saying, “Why can’t you leave white women? You don’t see what them do to you?”(145). This causes Caliban to get mad at Golden Girl when he says, “This is all your fault… if you had kissed me , told me what you wanted me to be, she and Ariel couldn’t have found us”(146). Caliban wants Golden Girl to tell him what he should be, not what he thinks he should be himself. This goes back to Ariels point of saying that he does not realize the white women change him as a person. This allows for Golden Girls encompassing question, “Who do you think you are?” (147). Throughout the story Caliban does what he needs to do to prove to others and himself that he is worthy of being with Golden Girl. However, at the end of the story he does not even know who he is. Rather he is just who he needs to be to affirm himself to Golden Girl and the others around him. He lacks his true sense of identity.