Blogger: Etta Wilson
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In an online authors’ group, I’ve been reading a recent discussion about whether an author of one race can write effectively about characters of another. Can a Caucasian write an authentic story about a Chinese character and vice versa? Can an African American write an authentic story about a Caucasian and vice versa? The basic question seems to be about the extent to which race dictates unique experience.
As I said above, this is an authors’ group, and their comments reflect their experiences in submitting their writing—mostly YA novels—to editors. Some of them had been declined on the basis of writing across racial lines, while others with similar casts of characters had not. One writer mentioned a comment by Julius Lester (author of 43 books, a Newbery Honor award, and National Book Award finalist) in which he was giving the stamp of approval for cross-racial writing. A look at the racial makeup of this year’s Newbery Award winner and finalists suggests there is a measure of truth in that, although for years it was understood that Caucasians did not write stories about African American protagonists.
Lester, writing on his blog following the recent shooting of 8 people in a Connecticut plant by an African American, was obviously wrestling with the event and motives of the gunman. He concluded: “The essential element in human interactions is to feel in the hearts of others as an echo of our own heart, its yearnings and aspirations, its sorrows and its pains. If such does not happen often enough, we lose touch with the reality of ourselves and thus, the reality of others.”
I think certain basic emotions, needs and desires are common to humans regardless of race, but the extent to which a writer can plumb the experience of a character from another race is dependent on many factors. Do you agree, and if so, what factors do you think are important? What books do you recall where a writer crossed racial lines successfully?
Etta, Thank you for this Post. I think you’ve hit on the central issue of cross-racial writing. Adequately conveying human emotions and needs and desires.
Six of my published novels are about the Aleut and Athabascan peoples of Alaska. Although my own family claims a distant Native American heritage, I was raised as a “white” person of European ancestry. To bridge that cultural gap, I did years and years of research, but in writing the actual story, I relied on the common ground of human emotions and motivations.
One of the greatest compliments I received for my first novel, Mother Earth Father Sky, was from a reader who said to me, “Thank you for making me proud to be Aleut.”
I don’t know if that counts as crossing racial lines successfully, but the joy I have received in writing and researching my novels, and the honor of getting to know the native peoples of Alaska is beyond words to describe.
While I agree that many factors come into play, I believe it can be done with insight and sensitivity. My two published books (with Kregel) have African American slaves as characters. I am Caucasian. The final book in the trilogy will be entirely in the first person POV of a 14 year old male fugitive slave. I have never been any of those things(well, I *was* 14 a long time ago), but my experiences have given me empathy for my characters. I have also been a slave…to sin. Then, too, we are children of God first. We’re all made in His image, regardless of our race. We love, face hardships, rejoice, and long for freedom. Careful research plays a part. Respect for my characters and their heritage is important, too. For the rest, I trust the Lord for insight into my characters, who are based on real people. Whether I’ve been successful is for my readers to decide.
I do understand that experiences differ and that, generally at least, we should write what we know, but if we say that a Caucasian author cannot know what it is to grow up in African-American culture, could we not also say that a writer who grew up in a middle-class culture cannot understand what it is to grow up wealthy? Yet who would say that we can only write about our own socio-economic experience? Can an author write about the Amish if she is not, herself, a member of that subculture? Can a female writer portray male characters, never having lived a man’s life?
My point, with respect to all, is that there are many ways of categorizing cultural groups other than by race. As believers, we have one Father, and “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for we are all one in Christ Jesus.” Won’t it be wonderful when being a member of God’s HUMAN race is all that matters?
Oh, Lynn, you ought to be speaking from the pulpit! In the US we had so much to overcome in poor race relations, and we still do face that in many circumstances. When I see the Katrina nightmare played out again, I know I have a share of guilt to bear in the terrible delay in aid for all those people–mostly African American.
Congratulations, Stephanie. More and more authors are having their stories published about characters of other races. Research is a big part of that, and I think having an ear for language use is critical.
Really good job: Claudia Mair Burney in Zora and Nicky. A great read for blacks and whites.
(Etta, if you look strictly at the provision for all people in the Katrina fiasco, you have to place the bulk of the horror on then governor of La. and then mayor of New Orleans who failed to use the allotted money for levee reinforcement and available buses for relocating citizens. Pitiful handling of the mess from before it and after it.)
I was just reading about this on The Huffington Post–about The Help and how there’s been debate about how Stockett portrayed the characters.
My thoughts…it comes down to empathy. I love what Lynn wrote and to add to her point (& your point, Etta), authors are trying to capture the human experience. There will be unique perspectives based on race, sure. But if an author employs a deep level of empathy while writing, I do believe they can successfully portray characters of another race.
So, factors = empathy & research
Interesting conversation.
btw…that shooting happened the town Northeast of where I live.
~ Wendy
Hmnn. Here’s my 2 cents:
Scientifically speaking, race is an artificial social construct. I really think we’d do better to frame the debate in terms of culture. And yes, I emphatically do believe that a writer from one culture can truthfully portray characters of another.
How? Well, for one thing, it takes tremendous openness and flexibility of mind–willingness to study people and measure them from their own perspective, not yours.
For another, it helps to know yourself. Identify your own cultural background, attributes and prejudices. This helps when trying to keep your personal biases out of your portrayals of others.
Third: don’t sweat too much. Humanity is humanity. It may have different euphemisms, legends, customs, attitudes, outlooks and insults, but on this planet, we all bleed red.
Yes, by all means, let’s explore some of the other sides of being human!
(Rant over. For now. 🙂 )
Lucy, great rant! I think we may all be getting a le weary of thinking racially, unless it happens to support the point being made.
I think there is a certain authenticity when an author writes about experiences that are close to them or that they, themselves, have experienced. Thus, it’s tough to imagine that an author can bring to the table experiences that cross racial lines as an observer rather than a participant. I do always find that stories that delve into race are more authentic when the author is of that race and that, when they are not, readers of the race portrayed, criticize the book as inaccurate.