Essay Questions

Why is Monk struggling with the identity crisis?

Throughout the book, Monk is not happy with his originality, and he still does not accept who he is. As the novel commences, Monk is clear that he is a black person and does not like much about his race. Monk associates himself with slaves because he's ancestors worked for the white masters. Monk tries to make the reader believe that he does not care much about his race, but he clearly states that people associate him with his race.

How does the theme of racism manifest itself in the novel ‘Erasure’ by Percival Everett?

Monk faces discrimination because he is black. After writing his novels, he finds it challenging to market and sell them because people associate them with his black skin. For instance, Monk writes more about Greek mythology, but people ask why he cannot write about the black people's experiences. Despite some of Monks' novels successfully used in films, people still do not accept him as an individual simply because of his black skin.

Explore the issue of romantic relationships as brought out in the novel ‘Erasure’?

The author does not complete the novel without focusing on romantic relationships, which are part of human life. The Monk is portrayed as an unlucky individual when it comes to romantic relationships. Monk has an unsatisfied sexual relationship with Linda. The primary reason why Monk is not successful in sexual relationships is that he has unrealistic expectations. On the other hand, Lisa, Monk's sister, is unlucky in her relationship with her boyfriend. Bill, Monk’s brother, is also unlucky in his relationship because he divorced his partner. Therefore, the book is entirely about unfortunate sexual relationships which do not see the light of the day.