Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's the fairest of them all? If you asked any of the kids featured in Bronx Masquerade, they'd tell you it's definitely not them. Nearly every student has something about their appearance they don't like. Whether it's physical looks or just other people's perceptions of how smart they are, the kids in Mr. Ward's class want the world to know they're more than the just what others see in them. Beauty is only skin deep, after all.
Questions About Appearances
- How do ideals about race and beauty shape characters' opinions about themselves? Pick a few examples to compare and contrast.
- It seems like every single character in Bronx Masquerade worries about how their classmates see them. Why is that so common for high school students? What patterns do you notice across characters?
- Is appearance something we have control over? Use a character or two to defend your argument.
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
In this book, the ways boys and girls deal with appearances are different. Girls focus more on external beauty and boys are more concerned with how others perceive their attitude.
In this book, you have to change how you see yourself before you can change how others see you.