Yeah, totally agree about the descriptor and its connotations. I would've assumed Mediterranean before black from "swarthy," but would've been still been more okay with that, and would find that more interesting in the context - 1920s NYC, loads of immigration happening - than a posh white British guy. And could've seen it as a really interesting way to go, even, because, as you rightly point out, "white" is a much more complicated category than white or not white, and in that time and place "swarthy" didn't really count as white. So many interesting things to explore! Or, in this case...not.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2015-05-18 01:43 am (UTC)