42 pages • 1 hour read
Danzy SennaCaucasia
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1998A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Senna tells the novel from Birdie’s first-person point of view. How would the narrative change if it was from the third person or another character’s point of view?
One of the novel’s themes is real versus imagined danger. In addition to revealing her false identity, Birdie is afraid of revealing herself to be mixed-race. Is this danger real or imagined? What might have happened to Birdie in New Hampshire if she let others know that she was half-white and half-black?
The catalyst for Birdie’s identity crisis is her family’s decision to split up. In your opinion, was this the right decision? What might have happened if the family had decided to run away together or stay in Boston? Provide evidence from the text for your response.
Deck and Sandy Lee differ on their beliefs about how to fight racism. Deck is a scholar, while Sandy is an activist. Is one of their methods better or more effective? Was Sandy’s activism worth the risk it posed to her family?
There are several mentions of black dolls in Caucasia: the black Barbie head in Birdie’s box of negrobilia (127), the black baby doll Birdie sees in a New Hampshire store window (167), the head of a black Cabbage Patch kid she sees on a street in Oakland (382), and the golliwog doll. What might these dolls symbolize, and how do they relate to the novel’s larger themes?
The novel takes place between 1975-1982. How might Birdie’s life have been different if she had lived today? Consider present-day social justice activism and attitudes toward race.
Victorian houses are a recurring image in the novel: Birdie’s grandmother and the Marshes live in Victorian homes (76, 147), and the South End where Birdie grew up is known for its restored Victorians. What is their importance in the novel, and what might they represent as a backdrop for Birdie’s experiences?
Most of the novel focuses on Birdie’s and Sandy’s character arcs, but Cole and Deck undergo character changes, too. How do Cole and Deck change by the end of the novel? How did their experience in Brazil affect them?
Throughout the novel, Sandy repeatedly tells Birdie that she looks European. In your opinion, does she wish Birdie were fully white, or is she just stating the obvious? Provide textual examples.
What would your life be like if you had to live under a false identity? Do you think you could do it? Why or why not?
