“So What Are You, Anyway?” is a short story by Lawrence Hill, a Canadian writer probably best known for the novel The Book of Negroes (Someone Knows My Name). This short story is about a young girl on a plane seated next to a couple who are curious about her background. They start asking her uncomfortable questions that she doesn’t really understand. Here’s a summary of “So What Are You, Anyway?”
“So What Are You Anyway” Summary
Carole is in a window seat on a plane with her doll next to her. She looks at herself in her mirror and sees her dark freckles and a complexion her father calls milk chocolate.
A big man picks up the doll and comments on it being black, which he’s never seen. His wife tells him to give the doll back. The man, Henry, takes the middle seat next to Carole and his wife, Betty, takes the aisle seat next to him. Betty makes the introductions.
Carole wants to go to the bathroom but the plane is taking off right away. She looks out the window as the plane taxis down the runway and takes off, wondering if her parents are watching. When the plane levels out, Henry tells her she can go to the bathroom now, but Carole decides to wait.
Henry asks Carole where she lives and where her parents were born, and comments on her traveling alone to visit her grandparents. Henry and Betty whisper to each other about something they want to ask. Carole sleeps and soon wakes up to their voices. Betty doesn’t think the world is ready for mixed children.
Carole gets up to go to the bathroom. She doesn’t like that Betty refers to her as a child, viewing herself as a young lady. She realizes she’s forgotten her doll, but Henry hands it to her. He teases her about falling out of the plane. On her way back, Carole asks a stewardess if she can change seats. She’ll have to wait until after the meal is served.
After they eat, Henry suddenly asks Carole what she is, as in, what race is she. Carole doesn’t understand the question but feels she’s being asked something inappropriate. Henry explains by pointing out her doll is black—Negro. Carole still doesn’t understand. Henry asks what her father is. Carole just thinks of him as Dad.
Henry tries another way. He asks what color crayon Carole would use on a picture of her parents. She’d use brown for her father and yellow for her mother. Betty wonders if her mother is Chinese, but Carole says no. Carole feels stupid over her difficulty with the question. She says she could use red for her mother, but Betty rejects this.
Betty takes a more direct approach and asks if her mother is white and her father is a Negro, which turns out to be right. Betty explains that she’s mixed—a mulatto. Carole’s lip is quivering. The stewardess comes by and smiles, giving Carole some courage. She yells at her seatmates to leave her alone and exposes the kind of questions they’re asking.
The other passengers are startled. Betty wants her to calm down. Carole keeps shouting about the questions she’s being asked. She asks how Henry and Betty would feel if they were being asked things like that. Carole doesn’t care what they are.
The stewardess invites Carole to come sit with her and have a Shirley Temple. Carole agrees and is already feeling better. As she walks away, she hears Betty comment on her sensitivity.
I hope this summary of “So What Are You, Anyway?” by Lawrence Hill was helpful.