Sumitra's Story

by Rukshana Smith

SUMITRA'S STORY is about a young Asian girl growing up in Britian in recent years, and the confusion engendered by her situation. Many of her family and friends blame everything on the color of their skin. Sumitra hears them say, "If I were black, I'd have got rehoused by now!" "If I was colored, they'd have given me that job!" And Indians blame the fact that they are brown for not getting jobs and houses.

Is this, Sumitra wonders, a device to cover up inadequacy? In order to preserve the myth of difference, people seem to line up in rows of black, brown or white and hurl their prejudices at each other. That way they never have to meet, never discover that beneath their skin they are all the same.

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1982

Reviews

[Lovetann Ripoll]

Quick comment on the description above: the description above sounds nothing like Sumitra's Story (to me), so if you're thinking of reading this book I recommend you check out various reviews just in case.

[Heather]

I remember reading this book over & over when I was a teenager. I don't really remember why I liked it so much.

[Esther Tenza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me gustó porque me transportó al Universo de la protagonista, sentía el peso de la costumbre sobre ella, la antítesis de crecer en un lugar con la tradición de su familia... Me gustó por ello. Pero hace tanto que lo leí que necesito otra lectura para contextualizarlo de forma certera.