Chapter 21 Flashcards
What central theme does Chapter 21 explore?
The internalized fear and paranoia caused by caste systems—even among those in the dominant caste—when striving to meet rigid standards of “purity.”
What does the girl’s use of a measuring tape symbolize?
The deep anxiety and pressure to conform under caste-based systems like Nazi Germany’s, where physical traits determined one’s safety and status.
What role did genealogy play in Nazi Germany’s caste system?
Families hired genealogists or consulted church records to prove “racial purity” and avoid persecution under the Reich’s standards.
What is the significance of the girl’s family being found ‘in the clear’?
It highlights the arbitrary and fragile nature of dominance within a caste system—survival depended on records, perception, and luck, not personal merit.
How does this chapter reflect the broader themes of caste?
It shows that caste systems don’t just oppress those at the bottom—they also create anxiety, surveillance, and harm among those near the top.
What lasting impact did the paranoia of the dominant caste have on the girl?
Though she survived the war, she rarely spoke about it, and a photo of her measuring her face became a symbol of the fear imposed by racial conformity.
What does the chapter suggest about the cost of perfection in a caste system?
Even those considered “favored” are diminished by unrealistic ideals, showing that no one escapes the psychological toll of such systems.
