if (supertype instanceof Class) {
      return this.someRawTypeIsSubclassOf((Class<?>) supertype);
    } else if (supertype instanceof ParameterizedType) {
      return this.isSubtypeOfParameterizedType((ParameterizedType) supertype);
    } else if (supertype instanceof GenericArrayType) {
      return this.isSubtypeOfArrayType((GenericArrayType) supertype);
    } else { // to instanceof TypeVariable