Our worlds begin focused on a future driven by our individuality, but is this a future that remains unchanged by society's subjective nature? It is questions such as these that are addressed in the graphic novel "Skim" and the short story "Even the Queen." Skim and Perdita find themselves relating their struggles as they are forced to confront a narrow-minded society. It is the authors' decisions to leave these protagonists with a lack of presence, surround them with influential but unreasonable figures, and pressure them with a constant feeling of judgment, which accentuates their strengths and weaknesses. Skim and Perdita must try to seek out and establish their own voices, or else risk becoming nothing more than mute reflections of their culture. A constant presence in both texts is the judgment the characters are subjected to. It is the pressure to conform to an ideology, which forces them to accept society's labels or be isolated. Skim is an unorthodox character, often lacking the confidence to take matters into her own hands. It is this character flaw, coupled with the judgment surrounding her, which leads her to question her own identity. Meeting with Mrs. Hornet, we are first introduced to society's impression of Skim. She is labeled as a "member of the gothic culture," and judged as someone who is "fragile" (Tamaki, 22). Allegations such as these break down her morale, and leave her unable to fairly present herself. Unfortunately, she is not given the opportunity to discover this identity on her own; instead, she is robbed of the freedom and led to believe that society's view is the only one. The image is amplified, as Skim is left without the chance to adopt free-thinking. Whether it is the painting of "inspiration  behind her, or the students running free outside, Skim is never granted the opportunity to draw motivation from the strong images surrounding her. She is forced instead to commit her vision, physically and mentally, to one idea, finding herself struggling to identify with a society that is far outside her comfort level. The idea is paralleled in "Even the Queen," as the dinner table conversation leads to a judgment of Perdita's identity. We are provided with a biased image of th