What Is SUTHLAND By Nina Revoyd

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We as humans are the same, yet we have created this concept on how our appearance and backgrounds makes us different. This idea of race is what separates us and throughout history has been an issue, especially in times of tribulation, people in the past would reinforce this xenophobic ideology just so a certain group of people have a sense of safety and security.
In her novel SOUTHLAND, Nina Revoyr explores a crippled diverse district of Los Angeles where fragile understandings and sometimes painful misunderstandings that occur across the lines of race and culture are shown through the multiple lives associated with young Japanese-American women Jackie Ishida. In this fictional story Jackie Ishida, a lawyer, who at first feels obligated to accomplish her grandfather’s will, but later obsessed to piece together her family’s history in order to solve a terrible unreported crime of four boys who were found murdered in her grandfather’s corner store.
Even though the community is still haunted by racism and prejudice, Revoyr does an excellent job of proving how people of different backgrounds can come overcome hate and reach racial harmony. Throughout the novel we uncover the brutal history of multiple cultures , which includes stories of love, racism,dignity, pain, justice, and weaves them together in a deeply satisfying way for a common goal . But the overall message from Revoyr is that racism destroys the opportunity to be who you are.

Ten days have passed since her grandfather Frank Saikai has passed away, Jackie feels slightly confused about the news since its been years since she has seen him and hasn’t really been in contact with him since they have grown apart . She goes and visits her Aunt Lois to see how she’s cop...

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...meone different than you.”(11). The reader really gets the sense of this place as once an extraordinary city, but just as in life, all good things must come to an end.
It’s unfair and unreasonable that certain group of have to suffer just to be who they are. People are born without a choice in the color of their skin. Nina Revoyr even through pain and trials she still envisions a world how people of different backgrounds can come overcome hate and reach racial harmony. Racism is huge problem in society, it stops the people from receiving an equal opportunity to be free
. As a great man once said “ I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.” - MLK.

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