"Mr. Z"

“Mr. Z” by M. Carl Holman

“Mr. Z” has a theme of losing one’s identity in order to fit in with the majority. “Taught early that his mother’s skin was the sign of error,” provides a clue into Mr. Z’s childhood and identity. Because he was taught at an early age that his mothers’ skin color, which is black, is wrong, his father must have been white. Therefore, Mr. Z is biracial. He grew up learning the “Anglo-Saxon” way of life and that he needs to reject his culture. Growing up with his fathers’ ideals caused Mr. Z to lose his cultural identity. Mr. Z’s wife also contributes to the theme of losing ones’ cultural identity. For example, “His bride had somewhere lost her Jewishness.” She lost her religion because she longed to be accepted by society. Because they lived in a society where their race and religion was not accepted, Mr. Z and his wife made an effort their entire lives to change who they are and behave in a way that society accepts.