There are a number of conversations in the novel about whether books or plays portraying Black characters in a positive light are of value if they are not written by Black authors. What do you think?
I agree to an extent. I think that in order to get an understanding of the Black experience it would surely have to come from a Black voice but whether written by a Black person or someone else it at the very least amplified their voices.
I found these conversations particularly interesting and appreciated the different viewpoints and opinions of the Black characters in the book. It was and is still a controversial topic. Because I’m Caucasian, I don’t feel I am qualified to answer or meaningfully participate in those discussions but I really enjoyed reading and thinking about this.
I was very interested in this and on one hand I absolutely get it, but then what do we do, never have a man write a woman character or a POC? It becomes a slippery slope. I think for a white person to write a book about being a slave maybe odd, but then Huckleberry Finn and Uncle Tom’s Cabin. This is a great, but tough question.
I agree that books/plays about Black characters should be written by Black authors. I’m White and while I think I can understand/empathize others I know I really cannot fully appreciate what I would do, say, think, or feel as a person of any other culture/race.
This is truly a difficult question and a relevant one. There are recent books that have evoked criticism for this very reason. Ultimately, I think authors are generally going to be most adept at writing experiences to which they relate. Does that mean they can’t write about a character from a different background or culture? I don’t know.
Do you remember a few years ago there was quite an uproar because an author without much of an immigrant experience wrote about a woman and her son crossing illegally from Mexico to the US (American Dirt). It was an Oprah Book Club selection, but there was a lot of criticism from the Latin American/Mexican American communities because of inaccuracies and stereotypes. So yeah, it’s a conversation we’re still having.
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African American voice here!
Let’s start with Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. The term “Uncle Tom” is extremely negative in the Black community today as a result of the way Tom was portrayed in the book. Ms Stowe was unable to see Tom as a total human being. Her primary goal was just to bring attention to the ills of slavery.
Fast forward to Percival Everett who wrote the award winning novel James that tells the story of Huckleberry Finn from Jim’s (the enslaved) point of view. To the best of my knowledge, his portrayal of Huck was not offensive to anyone.
My last example is Horse by Geraldine Brooks. One of her main characters is Black and there was nothing in how he was portrayed that I couldn’t relate to. (The book is fantastic if you haven’t read it).
After having read American Dirt and actually attending a book festival where Jeanine Cummings spoke I couldn’t understand what all the controversy was about. (It was devastating to her family). One could argue that because I’m African American I wouldn’t know what she was misrepresenting in the book.
The bottom line for me is if any author, regardless of ethnicity, does proper research, and has a diverse group of consultants and early readers they should be able to produce a non-controversial book.
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Does anyone think the answer varies based on the genre? Just as an example, it seems to me to be less of an issue in genres like science fiction? Especially if a story takes place in the distant future. Or stories where a person’s background traditionally isn’t addressed and/or has no bearing. Like a page-turning thriller.
While that is true….living where I live in a predominantly white county we read this for book group and it really did open up some people’s minds to what is going on even if it was criticized a bit. It helped change some people’s minds. That is some value.
I had never even thought about this until reading this book! But it certainly gave me something to think about, and another reason I really liked the story. Im still not sure about my definitive answer as I believe a Black author can surely put more authenticity into any story about another Black person, however, that would make a writer only valuable if they wrote about their own race, sex, socio economic position, etc… and I do think that most authors are able to write a credible story about other events that don’t fall into such a strict category.
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I can appreciate the feeling about needing to experience something before writing about it and certainly, a Caucasian person will never experience what a black person in our society experiences, both now and in our country’s history. Many of us can feel that about such things as our religious faith, the part of the country we live in or maybe, such things as sexual abuse or childhood abuse. A few years ago, I felt that about a book that featured my religion in a way that I felt was insulting. So, I disagreed and moved on. Writers often write about things they have not experienced. Usually, they research about what they are writing. That is the job of a writer. Otherwise, they could only legitimately write autobiographies! I think it is valuable to get different takes on everything in life. I would imagine that there are different opinions within the Black community.
This is a tough question. I also read American Dirt and thought it was a good book. After I read it, I learned of all of the controversy of Jeanine Cummings not being Hispanic or an immigrant. Cultural appropriation was becoming an outcry for some related to books and actors selected to play parts in movies and theater. I felt very sorry for her. On the one hand, writers use their imaginations and research when writing, and American Dirt is a book of fiction. On the other hand, I see how people feel that it would be more authentic coming from someone of that heritage. The publishing business does publish much fewer works from writers of color. I definitely can see how Du Bois in Harlem Rhapsody felt so strongly that the black culture needed to be presented and represented by black voices.
This is a very relevant topic in our current environment. I believe it is important for an author to do thoroughly research the topics they are going to incorporate into their novels. However, by definition, this is a work of fiction. I doubt that any author who has written a book of fiction has personally experienced everything that every character they write about experiences within that story. It is important to handle all viewpoints with sincerity and sensitivity. Ultimately, each book must be judged based upon its own merits and presentation. Some white authors may be able to capture the Black experience relatively well in their writing, others may not. The opposite is also true. Cultural sensitivity, cultural appreciation, and cultural appropriation are all difficult topics which have varying interpretations and many gray areas.
I think that anytime a minority is portrayed in a good light, it helps. It may cause more people to read the book or see the play if it is written by someone of their own color.
I think it can add value and meaning if done with enough research and thoughtfulness. If an author is white and righting about a black person, they should have knowledge about what they are writing about.
I think anything is better coming from a person that has lived the story, but I dont think it is necessary for a Black person to tell a Black story. The person depicting the black character definitely has to know the basics and the ground work of the ethnicity they are projecting, but they do not necessarily need to be of that ethnicity.
When I read American Dirt I felt it was watered down and written for a certain white audience. I understand the criticism from communities spotlighted in the book but if it enlightened some to the topic then it may have served a good purpose. Maybe including interviews during research or having drafts read by people with first-hand experience would be the way to go before publishing. This might go a long way toward adding authenticity.
A good storyteller writes from experience. Never having experience living and growing up as a Black person, it would be difficult for this reader to express it properly. No amount of research can bring the true feeling. If one has lived on the edge of poverty, been dismissed by others, perhaps only those might come close to doing it..I grew up in a very diverse neighborhood, whites, blacks and asian. Each of us in our own way were trying to make ends meet, provide food and clothing for the family. Every head of the household held down often one or more job, while the women provided the household needs, they planted gardens and kept live chickens for food and no one was on welfare. Even though each of family experienced similar situations, I am sure each family’s experience was unique to their lifestyle. Not being the same, each would express it in their own way.