Fear of foreignness arises along with the discomfort of being perceived as foreign. The experiences at a convent school evoke memories of instruction and discipline. An interaction with a family member after injury reveals shared interests in science fiction, suggesting common escapism. Sci-fi narratives reflect on themes of colonization and identity, resulting in existential questions about ancestry and belonging. The speaker grapples with not just personal identity but also broader implications of being either an ancestor doomed or a designed descendant in a foreign context.
"The nuns would teach you a lesson, said my mother."
"Fear of the foreign and the fear of being foreign."
"Concussed as she was, apart in the dim room, but we did share the sci-fi magazines."
"Was I really one of the doomed ancestors stranded to die on a foreign planet, or was I the microscopic descendants they designed?"
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