Mr. Z- M. Carl Holman

In Mr.Z by M. Carl Holman, I believed that he used satire and irony to prove his message. Satirizing the character of Mr. Z, Holman says, "Not one false note was struck-until he died" (Holman, 848).This quote from the poem almost makes fun of the fact that this character lived his life avoiding mistakes; and then, died. This Mr. Z clearly resented his mother's heritage. He tried his best to avoid anything that led him toward that characteristic. Worried about his pride and honor in his society, he disclaimed all that connected him to his ancestry. 

Holman also uses irony at the end of his poem. "One of the most distinguished members of his race" (Holman, 848). This quote prompted an ironic situation when I read it. Mr. Z lived his whole life doing his best to live up to the standards of the accepted race of his generation. However, he did not act like his actual race. In fact, he did his best to put that other half of him in the back of his mind. The fact that this writer refers to Mr. Z of a separate and different race, places him at a level below him. This character portrayed in the poem may have lived a common "white" lifestyle, but he will always be referred to as a separate race; never equal.