Graduation date: 2007This novel-in-progress is an attempt to struggle with the complicated process of forging one’s identity in the murk of urban Northwest life. The protagonist of this piece is confused, to put it lightly: bi-racial, torn between the affections of divorced parents, unsure about his religious views, and baffled by his own corpulence. Yet, he longs with all his generous heart to make sense of it all, and he is armed with aptitude- -a unique gift for mentally dismantling his surroundings and reassembling them in illuminating, frightening, funny ways. Set around the turn of the 21 P st P century, this story examines the contradictions that define city life in modern America, the curse and boon of technology, the necessity of remaining loyal to one’s family, the sometimes-frightening compatibility of fundamentalist religion and consumerism, and the singular dilemma of inheriting mixed racial heritage. Craft-wise, this story attempts to grapple with these themes through a highly unique voice, that—ideally—retains its economy without sacrificing its color. The first-person, present-tense perspective affords immediacy, and a narrative drive that gives an active counterbalance to the protagonist’s wash of uncertainty. It is the author’s hope that this rough draft will eventually be hammered into a completed novel.