'Blackout' is a short story by Roger Mais. It is set in Jamaica and is about racism and the contrast of two different races, sexes and cultures!

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Name: Kaan Kalipci

Stimulus: Blackout

Critical Analysis

Draft 2

06/02/03

Wordcount: 1414.

'Blackout' is a short story by Roger Mais. It is set in Jamaica and is about racism and the contrast of two different races, sexes and cultures!

The story starts off explaining the blackout in the city and the general atmosphere of uncomfortable and tense over the city. At this point the story builds an expectation of some sort of conflict. An American women was waiting at a bus stop. Suprisingly she was not bothered by the darkness, and she was not nervous. A black man slowly approaches her and asks for a light for his cigarette. As she does not have matches she offers her cigarette and as he thanks her she flicks the cigarette away. She does that because she is disgusted that a Black man touched her cigarette and therefore she doesn't want to smoke it anymore. After the flicking, there's a moment of discomfort and she asks him why he was still there. He replies with an apology as a comment on her action. He stays and keeps talking about her apparent wealth and as he talks