Neufeld, John: 1938-2021

Edgar Allan, 1968 - Thematic Parallels: Racism

Neufeld, John: Edgar Allan, 1968
This novel is about transracial adoption and the racism and prejudice that result from it.
The following books are thematically similar. They lend themselves well to being read in groups, compared with one another, or used to teach a similar topic over an extended period with a class:
- Gaines, Ernest J.: A Lesson Before Dying, 1993, ~250pp
  Set in 1940s Louisiana under Jim Crow, this novel portrays systemic racism, dehumanization of Black people, legal injustice, segregation, the struggle for dignity.
  - Both stories show how community expectations, social pressure, norms, and prejudice shape and constrain individual action. They ask: How do people retain or restore dignity in a hostile societal context? What does it mean to be worthy, to be treated as a human being?
- Lee, Harper: To Kill a Mockingbird, 1960, ~300pp
  This novel addresses racial injustice in the US South, prejudice, the legal system treating Black people unfairly, the moral courage of some individuals vs societal bias.
  - Both novels set up ideals (justice, equality, love) but then show how these are tested by reality. In Mockingbird, the courtroom, jury verdict, and then aftermath show that having ideals isn’t enough. In "Edgar Allan," the ideal of adopting Edgar Allan is undermined by the community’s prejudice, the family’s internal conflict, and ultimately by compromise.
- Paton, Alan: Cry, the Beloved Country, 1948, ~250pp
  This novel deals with racism, social injustice, and how communities and individuals respond.
  - Both novels use personal, family-centered narratives to reveal the harsh realities of racial prejudice, while also offering moral lessons of empathy, justice, and hope. Each book recognizes pain but points toward the possibility of a more just future.
- Wright, Richard: Native Son, 1940, ~400pp
  This novel explores racism, social conditions, and the oppression faced by African Americans in a white-dominated society.
  - Both novels highlight how racism pervades daily life, even in spaces that claim to be progressive or neutral. They expose how systemic racism shapes lives, and show the psychological costs of being Black in a racially stratified America.
List of general discussion questions on Racism (pdf)
List of essay prompts on Racism (pdf)