Over the years women have been given the right to vote, Blacks have been given equal rights, and everyone is supposed to be treated as equals. "Celebrating The Alien: The Politics Of Race And Species In The Juveniles Of Andre Norton," discusses the issues of race, ethnicity, and gender being three of the main issues faced by the human species. Race, ethnicity, and gender have always troubled the human species since the beginning of time. Examples of such troubles have been the division between the Muslims and the Jews during the battle of Christianity, and the battle for Civil Rights. Although these issues have slightly improved over the years, a lot of suffering has been caused due to the division caused by these probles. An example of this division today is the problem occuring in Jena, Louisina reminding individuals of the Civil Rights Movements. This division has been somewhat of a disease caused by the aversion to difference relayed from generation to generation. This fixed and intense feeling of sidlike is not inbred, but it is taught. A famous quote by Thomas Edison read, "Therer is no expedient to which a man will not go to avoid the labor of thinking." Society today does not like to think, however, individuals need to realize that thinking is the only way the world will change. The essay, "Her Pen Could Fly: Remembering Virginia Hamilton," this ignorance towards gender and race affected the education of many years ago, however, we are now celebrating the emergence of science fiction in writing. Many years ago men were thought to be scholarly and women were not taken seriously in the academic field. The few writers who were women were forced to have male psuedonyms in order to have their writings published and read. Children read books that had main characters of their own gender because they identified with them. Black children did not have an opportunity to read books with main characters of their own ethnic backgrounds. Black children usually found themselves identifying with books that had main characters that were nonhuman or animals. Perhaps these stories were used as an escape from their problems. Maybe Black children identified more with the odd character at that time, such as the alien, rather than the Caucasian child. Today times have changed. Women are now writing science fiction without male psuedonyms and Black children are identifying with Black characters. However, unless the ideology of individuals soon changes, the human race shall perish.
Bridget Whalen Alford 09/06/2007 Synthesis Paper 1
A Look at Issues of Race in Science Fiction
When science fiction first began to make its appearance on the literary scene it was much a genre written by and intended for white men. It was absent of female characters and characters of varying ethnic backgrounds. The main characters were usually Caucasian males and the story portrayed themes of a whitewashed future free of minorities as the ideal (Gatlin.) As Erin Gatlin states in her article, “A Future in Full Color: Issues of Race in Science Fiction,” not only were the works filled with the “leaving out” of minority characters, but the stories were sometime even marked with “unthinking racism and antisemitism.” Races other than whites were sometimes portrayed as the evil powers that be in early works of science fiction. The racial anxieties that society was feeling in the early 20th century worked its way into science fiction, and societies fear of anything different permeated the works (Gatlin.) Perhaps these race issues in the works were not done intentionally, but they were in fact simply a sign of the times, nevertheless, this lack of anything “alien” left much to be desired for the non traditional, non female, non white reader. Since the early 20th century society has come a long way in its views of racial differences. These new, advanced viewpoints have started to make an appearance in today’s works of science fiction. According to Carol Cooper in her essay, “Celebrating the Alien; The Politics of Race and Species in the Juveniles of Andre Norton,” she talks about Norton’s use of characters of various ethnical persuasions taking the lead role in his stories. Norton has written stories starring people of Native American descent, and has also written of races mating with other characters of a different species causing a mixed breed race. He often writes of hybridization and mutation and includes many different races and/or species in his works, and he has also written about characters escaping prejudice through the use of intergalactic space travel. Cooper implies that by using these non traditional characters and themes that not only is Norton bringing to light some of the issues that today’s youths are facing, but he is also giving them something to identify with. Gatlin writes in her article that the end of WWII and the Civil Rights Movement are two of the major causes credited with this science fiction writers including various races in their works (Gatlin.) With better racial relations beginning to happen in society, writers naturally began to include them into their stories. She states that by the 1970's many black writers were diving into the world of science fiction, something that was new to the genre. Writers such as Samuel Delany and Octavia E. Butler wove race into their stories in a way that made these issues inseparable from the rest of the content (Gatlin.) Both Cooper’s and Gatlin’s essays give a look at the race issues in science fiction. The history and reasons for the lack of ethnic diversity in such works were shown as well as the benefits of including various races and ethnically rich content. With the ever growing sub genre of “Afrofuturism”– science fiction that centers on issues of race and their relation to science and technology, the youth of today have a place to go for fantasy and fun that focuses on and celebrates the differences of the human race. Had this movement towards accepting and even promoting racial differences in characters not happened, children would not have such a fun and easy way to explore these differences. Children now see that it is good to be different and that people of all races ca n be heros and can accomplish the same things. Children now have some level of choice. They are not forced to be saddled with only one type of hero but are given the opportunity to explore many.
Works Cited Cooper, Carol. “Celebrating The Alien; The Politics of Race And Species In The Juveniles of Andre Norton.” Dark Matter: Reading The Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004. 375-383.
Gatlin, Erin. “A Future in Full Color: Issues of Race in Science Fiction.” Science Fiction Lab. Spring 2005. 05 September 2007. Http//:sciencefictionlab.lcc.gatech.edu/subTopicColor.html
Smedley, Audrey, “Origin of the Idea of Race.” Anthropology Newsletter November 1997. September 3, 2007 http://www.pbs.org/race/000_About/002_04- background-02-09.htm
While reading through Gomez’s “The Second Law of Thermodynamics,” a common thread through each of the authors’ comments jumped out at me: Most of these respected authors felt as though they had not chosen to become speculative fiction writers, but rather, writing and the speculative genre had chosen each of them. A few of these quotes follow: “If you’re a writer, the only thing that can stop you from writing is the lack of oxygen going into your lungs” William Hudson (350); “I think the real answer is that [the science fiction and fantasy genre] chooses you. You don’t choose it” and “It really chose me” Steven Barnes (352). What surprised me even more was the fact that these authors seem to agree that, as an African Americans, writing, particularly in the realm of speculative fiction, is not an socially acceptable way to make a living. Octavia Butler states: “A lot of people have been told that we (African Americans) aren’t supposed to be doing this” (355). This thought is expounded on by Carol Cooper in her essay “Celebrating the Alien” concerning black author Andre Norton. Cooper asserts that Norton’s writings caused her to challenge her worldview concerning what was or wasn’t appropriate: “Andre Norton was one of the first writers to knock me completely out of the temporal world in which I could never be more than a second-class citizen…” (383).
It is amazing that this ‘beckoning’ to write was strong enough in these African Americans’ lives that they would be willing to challenge socially-preconceived notions of what defines an acceptable activity or occupation for an African American. I must admit, until quite recently I did not realize just how many African American authors wrote in this vein. Gomez states “Speculative fiction is a field that has, until recently, all but excluded people of color and women” (350).
All of this leads me to ask: What is it about the genre of science fiction and fantasy that attracts these authors? Gomez answers my question well: “But one of the most significant aspects…was a realization that is also at the heart of so much science fiction writing—as people of color writing speculative fictions: We are not alone” (350).
Works Cited
Cooper, Carol. “Celebrating the Alien: The Politics of Race and Species in the Juveniles of Andre Norton.” Dark Matter: Reading the Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004. 375-384.
Gomez, Jewelle. “The Second Law of Thermodynamics.” Dark Matter: Reading the Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004. 349-368.
If the problems of society are illustrated so clearly, then why are they congenital?
When reading "Celebrating the Alien," several problems related to gender and race are clearly stated. White, males seem to have higher salaries as well as better job descriptions. African-American’s are being overlooked in the classrooms and are still facing a stigma in literature as the barbarians or savages. Females are expected to do much more than in previous years and are still fighting for equality when compared with males. The text (Celebrating the Alien) includes examples of white, male authors receiving more money for publications than African-American and female authors. “Many female authors used their initials or took on male pseudonyms to appropriate that authority of their own works.”(Cooper 376) White, males seem to be the central characters in credited books and publications as well as the prominent authors. African American’s and females seem to have been cast aside as underpaid or unknown authors as well as secondary characters in books. African American's esp. are described as savages or the "bad-guys" in literature. Both, females and African Americans are still making a smaller profit for the same job titles then white, males today. Currently, in classrooms across the nation, the amazing democratic explosion of the post-World War II Black freedom movement has been squeezed into a minimal Civil Rights movement, meaning what? Teachers are not sharing the astounding creative energy that occurred during this time period from an African-American society. Students and people in general are missing out on the music, literature, art, dance, and cinema of this time period. The connection between politics and art is so strong, but has been overlooked and dismissed. Without understanding the African American movement, not merely the Civil Rights era, we are missing a chance for a more fundamental, creative, democratic society.(Harding 126-27) The Feminists movement encourages equal rights, just as the African-American movement does. Unfortunately, women still are not matching the salaries of white males and the Feminist movement is still encouraging the pursuit of a career. However, according to society the stigma to raise a family has not drastically changed. Society is evolving, but slowly. Women are still expected to raise children, cook, clean, support their husbands and more recently maintain a successful career in the midst of their “womanly” obligations. Race and gender are still not functioning properly in society. There is not a harmonious balance between each race and gender. Unfortunately, stigmas and racial thoughts will probably always exist and only with knowledge and understanding will the problems cease to exist and equality and balance be established.
Works Cited:
Cooper, Carol. "Celebrating the ALien: The Politics of Race and Species in the Juveniles of Andre Norton." Dark Matter:Reading the Bones. Warner Books, New York, 2004.
Harding, Vincent. "Hope and History: Why We Must Share the Story of the Movement." Orbis Books, Maryknoll, New York, 1990.
Oftentimes we as people tend to celebrate celebrities, the most popular boy/girl in school, the best dressed, the ideal man/woman, or whatever the case may be, but how come we shun the alien? The alien can be the least popular, most unattractive person, group, or whoever is not highly accepted by society. There is something about the alien that is special--a diamond in the rough. The alien may not be highly accepted by everyone, but the alien possesses something that is different from anyone in the world, which makes him/her or them worth celebrating. All of us can identify with the alien in some way. All of us have something different that no one else has whether it is your name, hobby, gift, talent, skill, or whatever it is that makes you different. Diversity is beautiful. I often think about the rainbow. In the rainbow there are different colors--yellow, red, lavender, green, etc. The rainbow would be quite dull with just one color or without different colors. Each color sparks emotion and mood. There is something about yellow that is different from all the colors, and there is something different about lavender that stands out from the rest of the colors. If you notice, every color comes together to make a rainbow. As it is with the rainbow, so it is with us. We should celebrate the alien within our "rainbow". Without yellow, lavender, or whatever the color is there would be no rainbow. Without the unique differences within the human race, there would be no rainbow. "So why should we consider celebrating the alien?" you might ask. Well, to answer your question, the alien is "outstanding". He, she, or they stand out in some way according to their culture, age group, gender, skin color, height, weight, skills, talents, abilities, and other things that make them different. Because of the differences the alien holds--culture, dialect, customs, etc., we often tend to disrespect them and categorize them as insignificant and unimportant. Take a step back and think. What if you are an alien in the eyes of another person, group, or culture? How would you feel, and how would you want to be treated?
In every point in human history and interaction there was always a need to classify others into a group if not for the purposes of self-satisfaction of others, then for the sense of self-satisfaction for the self--- the desire to belong and fit in. In some way or another, it is instinctive for people in every social group to fit in to each particular niche within their own social group or within another. With that being said, however, within every social group there comes a sense of ethnocentricity or “sociosuperiority” that plagues the inner workings of the group from which it comes as well as the other groups that interact with it. Whether it be called prejudice or judgmental or, more commonly, racism, it is wrong. The human mind strives for understanding. In an effort to understand the environment directly around us, every social group came up with a theology that leaves the inexplicable unexplained named religion. In order to understand the social workings around us, we as a people flock to whosoever looks the same as us on a superficial level. As a means of relating experiences to one another the common thinking is “They look like me, they will understand me.” So often, though, this is not the case. The questions that need to be asked and answers found are plentiful in the social infrastructure of our world. Why is that we gravitate towards people that look like us, dress like us, have similar social niches (i.e. piercings, tattooes, dyed hair, haircuts) as us? Is it solely just the need to belong or to feel wanted, desired and understood? Or does it go deeper than that? Is it a method of self-preservation? For years and years before it could be heard and probably still can be heard that we should “stick to our own kind.” The laws of probability state that however much we wish for that to occur, it will never truly happen. But even if all the whites and blacks and Asians and Hispanics were to procreate with one another and there was no such thing as white or black or Asian or Hispanic, then would we group according to the new gradients of skin tone that exist? Would we switch from skin tone and move to types of music we listen to? John Locke believed that mankind is inherently evil. I believe that we might not all be inherently evil, but we are inherently misguided. The truth is that until this belief of “stick to your own kind” is erased from the minds of people all over the planet, then racism and superficial judgment will always exist.
In the Baby Ruth Galaxy far, far away, there’s a planet much like Earth. There is clear blue water and rich green vegetation. A sun shines and warms the ground in the afternoons, wind blows through the trees at night. The animals of the planet evolved like Earthlings, the only difference being that the humanoids on this planet evolved from amphibian-like creatures. They would call their planet, Tink. Tink would have been entirely covered in water, but a large island sat on the axis, 400 miles across. As the animals of Tink evolved, the amphibian-like creatures moved on to the island. Some of the creatures liked the jungles on the East side of the island, and some on the west. After millions of years on the island, the animals had evolved to look like upright, walking alligators. They were tall and thin, with a long square jaw and a snotty nose. They had tough green skin and a small tail. They learned to eat fruits from the trees and dig holes. They rose up on their hind legs and ran through the jungles. They learned to hunt upright, with tools and weapons, each generation a little smarter than the last. They flourished in the jungle habitat, even creating their own language. They all called themselves Camons. The only problem with the Camons was their long, square jaw and the snotty nose. They couldn’t see where they were stepping through the jungles without physically looking down. When they did look down, they would hit their heads on tree limbs. Each generation developed stronger leg muscles that would tear through the branches and shrubbery on the jungle floors, but each jungle had a different thorny vine that was super tough. As the animals from the East walked through the vines on the east side of the island, chemicals from the thorns would get in to the tough skin. The chemical caused a great big puff of vibrant red hair to grow on the East Camons’ legs. On the west side of the island, a different, but similar thorny vine caused the West Camons’ leg hair to be yellow. Eventually, the vines from both sides of the island became so overused they were destroyed, but after a million years, the Camons on both sides of the island grew the colored hair from birth. At first, the two groups of Camons could get along, barely even seeing one another. Each group had everything it needed for a long time, but as they developed a language, they became much more social. And Intelligent. So each side decided that they would try to set up communications with the other side, if nothing else, for business. Both jungles were completely different, and so offered many different tradable items. Trade became so popular. A small area around the halfway mark between the two jungles turned into a hub for their trade business. It wasn’t that hard of a trip to the hub from each side. A river ran from one to the other. They could swim most of the way. As time went on, Camons from each jungle would move to the inland jungle colony. For many years, the eastern and western communities would live happily together, working and trading. Even though the Camons from each side of the island were moving to the settlement for business, most of them brought their own cultures, beliefs, and rituals with them. Outside of business, each side kept to its own.
The colony grew. It grew and grew so large that it was larger than either of the previous beach side jungle colonies. When the colony was smaller, there were fewer Camons to decide important matters. With more Camons came more Camon opinions. The main problem was their opinions. The leaders couldn’t make everyone happy, all of the time. So they tried to make the majority happy. The majority of the Camons in the colony had red hair, so they usually grouped together during voting times, and always won. The yellow haired Camons from the west voted, but they never had more Camons than the east, and so they lost the votes on religion, dialect, everything. Everything they tried to save from their original culture, anyway. As the years went on, the eastern and western Camons fought and fought. It seemed they would never get along, blaming any and everything that could possibly go wrong for the color of one’s leghair. 20 or 30,000 years ago, though, the local medical pool was filled with expecting mothers and fathers. As news traveled of a mysterious baby Camon floating around the maternity pool, all of the Eastern and Western Camons ran to be poolside. They all watched in amazement as a little baby Camon swam around on its back in circles, with bright orange hair. The mother, a red haired Camon, and the father, a yellow haired Camon, both swam into the water to claim the young one, still flipping around in circles and giggling. The crowd was completely silent, but when the father lifted his new orange baby out of the water, everyone gasped and whispered, then erupted with congratulations and laughter. After all of those years of drawing lines in the sand over ridiculous issues, the Camons came together in a renewed sense of “self”. They were ALL Camons. ALL of them. Now, they all have orange hair.
8 comments:
Over the years women have been given the right to vote, Blacks have been given equal rights, and everyone is supposed to be treated as equals. "Celebrating The Alien: The Politics Of Race And Species In The Juveniles Of Andre Norton," discusses the issues of race, ethnicity, and gender being three of the main issues faced by the human species. Race, ethnicity, and gender have always troubled the human species since the beginning of time. Examples of such troubles have been the division between the Muslims and the Jews during the battle of Christianity, and the battle for Civil Rights. Although these issues have slightly improved over the years, a lot of suffering has been caused due to the division caused by these probles. An example of this division today is the problem occuring in Jena, Louisina reminding individuals of the Civil Rights Movements. This division has been somewhat of a disease caused by the aversion to difference relayed from generation to generation. This fixed and intense feeling of sidlike is not inbred, but it is taught. A famous quote by Thomas Edison read, "Therer is no expedient to which a man will not go to avoid the labor of thinking." Society today does not like to think, however, individuals need to realize that thinking is the only way the world will change.
The essay, "Her Pen Could Fly: Remembering Virginia Hamilton," this ignorance towards gender and race affected the education of many years ago, however, we are now celebrating the emergence of science fiction in writing. Many years ago men were thought to be scholarly and women were not taken seriously in the academic field. The few writers who were women were forced to have male psuedonyms in order to have their writings published and read. Children read books that had main characters of their own gender because they identified with them. Black children did not have an opportunity to read books with main characters of their own ethnic backgrounds. Black children usually found themselves identifying with books that had main characters that were nonhuman or animals. Perhaps these stories were used as an escape from their problems. Maybe Black children identified more with the odd character at that time, such as the alien, rather than the Caucasian child.
Today times have changed. Women are now writing science fiction without male psuedonyms and Black children are identifying with Black characters. However, unless the ideology of individuals soon changes, the human race shall perish.
Bridget Whalen
Alford
09/06/2007
Synthesis Paper 1
A Look at Issues of Race in Science Fiction
When science fiction first began to make its appearance on the literary scene it was much a genre written by and intended for white men. It was absent of female characters and characters of varying ethnic backgrounds. The main characters were usually Caucasian males and the story portrayed themes of a whitewashed future free of minorities as the ideal (Gatlin.) As Erin Gatlin states in her article, “A Future in Full Color: Issues of Race in Science Fiction,” not only were the works filled with the “leaving out” of minority characters, but the stories were sometime even marked with “unthinking racism and antisemitism.” Races other than whites were sometimes portrayed as the evil powers that be in early works of science fiction. The racial anxieties that society was feeling in the early 20th century worked its way into science fiction, and societies fear of anything different permeated the works (Gatlin.) Perhaps these race issues in the works were not done intentionally, but they were in fact simply a sign of the times, nevertheless, this lack of anything “alien” left much to be desired for the non traditional, non female, non white reader.
Since the early 20th century society has come a long way in its views of racial differences. These new, advanced viewpoints have started to make an appearance in today’s works of science fiction. According to Carol Cooper in her essay, “Celebrating the Alien; The Politics of Race and Species in the Juveniles of Andre Norton,” she talks about Norton’s use of characters of various ethnical persuasions taking the lead role in his stories. Norton has written stories starring people of Native American descent, and has also written of races mating with other characters of a different species causing a mixed breed race. He often writes of hybridization and mutation and includes many different races and/or species in his works, and he has also written about characters escaping prejudice through the use of intergalactic space travel. Cooper implies that by using these non traditional characters and themes that not only is Norton bringing to light some of the issues that today’s youths are facing, but he is also giving them something to identify with.
Gatlin writes in her article that the end of WWII and the Civil Rights Movement are two of the major causes credited with this science fiction writers including various races in their works (Gatlin.) With better racial relations beginning to happen in society, writers naturally began to include them into their stories. She states that by the 1970's many black writers were diving into the world of science fiction, something that was new to the genre. Writers such as Samuel Delany and Octavia E. Butler wove race into their stories in a way that made these issues inseparable from the rest of the content (Gatlin.)
Both Cooper’s and Gatlin’s essays give a look at the race issues in science fiction. The history and reasons for the lack of ethnic diversity in such works were shown as well as the benefits of including various races and ethnically rich content. With the ever growing sub genre of “Afrofuturism”– science fiction that centers on issues of race and their relation to science and technology, the youth of today have a place to go for fantasy and fun that focuses on and celebrates the differences of the human race. Had this movement towards accepting and even promoting racial differences in characters not happened, children would not have such a fun and easy way to explore these differences. Children now see that it is good to be different and that people of all races ca n be heros and can accomplish the same things. Children now have some level of choice. They are not forced to be saddled with only one type of hero but are given the opportunity to explore many.
Works Cited
Cooper, Carol. “Celebrating The Alien; The Politics of Race And Species In The Juveniles of Andre Norton.” Dark Matter: Reading The Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004. 375-383.
Gatlin, Erin. “A Future in Full Color: Issues of Race in Science Fiction.” Science Fiction Lab. Spring 2005. 05 September 2007. Http//:sciencefictionlab.lcc.gatech.edu/subTopicColor.html
LaWanda Jones
EH 468-101
September 7, 2007
The Idea of Race in Society
While reading “Celebrating the Alien” I was reminded of a time in my life where I felt like a second class citizen. I was in sixth grade and it was my turn to be the leader of the class. I was so excited and had been waiting for my time to come. One task the leader has to do is take the class role to the main office. I felt like a million bucks while taking that piece of paper to the principal. I guess you could call it curiosity that made me look down at the paper. When I did, it changed my whole perspective of the people around me. On the role the teacher had written down the number of whites, blacks, and others on the paper. The task that made me feel so important before made me feel like I was nothing but a color to my teacher. I felt like crying the whole day. I loved my teacher and that she thought to separate the class on the role like this hurt my feelings. The whole day I wondered if I was LaWanda to her or just one of the black kids in her class. I always knew that my friends and I were different from one another but never had it been thrown in my face like this. Just like my sixth grade class role, society has a tendency to categorize people by race. Anthropologist Audrey Smedley says in her article Origin of the idea of Race, “race" was a recent invention and it was essentially a folk idea, not a product of scientific research and discovery…” With this idea being proven, why do people still categorize others by race? Thinking about this I have come up with some things that may influence a person to pursue the ideology of race.
When we are growing up our families have the most influence in our lives. Even before we can talk we hear our families talk about “white” people, “black” people, and everyone else. We encounter them talking about race like it is normal so we accept it as the norm. Before long we come home from school telling our parents about our “black”, “white”, and “asian” friends. When we are young our friends are just our friends. It doesn’t matter if they are black or white; they are just our friends. Then when we get older, we start noticing the difference between ourselves and our friends. Then without even noticing it, we have bought into the idea of race and it sticks with us for the rest of our lives.
Another source that may help encourage the idea of race is media. Before and after the Civil War, many newspapers would place cartoons and articles depicting black people in many different ways. During that time black people were seen as the inferior race and many white people got a kick out of seeing these cartoons in publications. Some cartoons were drawn to give sight to the black man’s struggle and silently asked one to help “these people”. These publications no matter if they were made to hurt or help gave people justification that we were different. When television shows came along it was the same way. Before long you had shows that appealed to black people and shows that appealed to white people. Now we even have television channels for that same reason. One example of this is MTV and BET. There used to be UPN and WB but the two channels combined to form The CW. Still people make jokes that the “CW” stands for colored and white so race is still an issue in this case.
There are many influences around us that give reason to the idea of race but as we grow older we should know for ourselves what we want to buy into or not. When will people stop focusing so much on difference and separating themselves from each other because of an idea? A well known cliché states, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Well, if that “old dog” really wants to learn something new then there is nothing in its way to stop it. Maybe someday in the future people will finally get it and comment on how idiotic the whole ideology of race was.
Works Cited
Smedley, Audrey, “Origin of the Idea of Race.” Anthropology Newsletter
November 1997. September 3, 2007 http://www.pbs.org/race/000_About/002_04- background-02-09.htm
Felicia Hall
EH468
Alford
“The Appeal of Speculative Fiction”
While reading through Gomez’s “The Second Law of Thermodynamics,” a common thread through each of the authors’ comments jumped out at me: Most of these respected authors felt as though they had not chosen to become speculative fiction writers, but rather, writing and the speculative genre had chosen each of them. A few of these quotes follow: “If you’re a writer, the only thing that can stop you from writing is the lack of oxygen going into your lungs” William Hudson (350); “I think the real answer is that [the science fiction and fantasy genre] chooses you. You don’t choose it” and “It really chose me” Steven Barnes (352). What surprised me even more was the fact that these authors seem to agree that, as an African Americans, writing, particularly in the realm of speculative fiction, is not an socially acceptable way to make a living. Octavia Butler states: “A lot of people have been told that we (African Americans) aren’t supposed to be doing this” (355). This thought is expounded on by Carol Cooper in her essay “Celebrating the Alien” concerning black author Andre Norton. Cooper asserts that Norton’s writings caused her to challenge her worldview concerning what was or wasn’t appropriate: “Andre Norton was one of the first writers to knock me completely out of the temporal world in which I could never be more than a second-class citizen…” (383).
It is amazing that this ‘beckoning’ to write was strong enough in these African Americans’ lives that they would be willing to challenge socially-preconceived notions of what defines an acceptable activity or occupation for an African American. I must admit, until quite recently I did not realize just how many African American authors wrote in this vein. Gomez states “Speculative fiction is a field that has, until recently, all but excluded people of color and women” (350).
All of this leads me to ask: What is it about the genre of science fiction and fantasy that attracts these authors? Gomez answers my question well: “But one of the most significant aspects…was a realization that is also at the heart of so much science fiction writing—as people of color writing speculative fictions: We are not alone” (350).
Works Cited
Cooper, Carol. “Celebrating the Alien: The Politics of Race and Species in the Juveniles
of Andre Norton.” Dark Matter: Reading the Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004. 375-384.
Gomez, Jewelle. “The Second Law of Thermodynamics.” Dark Matter: Reading the Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004. 349-368.
Kathryn Garikes
EH 468 101
Essay 1
If the problems of society are illustrated so clearly, then why are they congenital?
When reading "Celebrating the Alien," several problems related to gender and race are clearly stated. White, males seem to have higher salaries as well as better job descriptions. African-American’s are being overlooked in the classrooms and are still facing a stigma in literature as the barbarians or savages. Females are expected to do much more than in previous years and are still fighting for equality when compared with males.
The text (Celebrating the Alien) includes examples of white, male authors receiving more money for publications than African-American and female authors. “Many female authors used their initials or took on male pseudonyms to appropriate that authority of their own works.”(Cooper 376) White, males seem to be the central characters in credited books and publications as well as the prominent authors. African American’s and females seem to have been cast aside as underpaid or unknown authors as well as secondary characters in books. African American's esp. are described as savages or the "bad-guys" in literature. Both, females and African Americans are still making a smaller profit for the same job titles then white, males today.
Currently, in classrooms across the nation, the amazing democratic explosion of the post-World War II Black freedom movement has been squeezed into a minimal Civil Rights movement, meaning what? Teachers are not sharing the astounding creative energy that occurred during this time period from an African-American society. Students and people in general are missing out on the music, literature, art, dance, and cinema of this time period. The connection between politics and art is so strong, but has been overlooked and dismissed. Without understanding the African American movement, not merely the Civil Rights era, we are missing a chance for a more fundamental, creative, democratic society.(Harding 126-27)
The Feminists movement encourages equal rights, just as the African-American movement does. Unfortunately, women still are not matching the salaries of white males and the Feminist movement is still encouraging the pursuit of a career. However, according to society the stigma to raise a family has not drastically changed. Society is evolving, but slowly. Women are still expected to raise children, cook, clean, support their husbands and more recently maintain a successful career in the midst of their “womanly” obligations.
Race and gender are still not functioning properly in society. There is not a harmonious balance between each race and gender. Unfortunately, stigmas and racial thoughts will probably always exist and only with knowledge and understanding will the problems cease to exist and equality and balance be established.
Works Cited:
Cooper, Carol. "Celebrating the ALien: The Politics of Race and Species in the Juveniles of Andre Norton." Dark Matter:Reading the Bones. Warner Books, New York, 2004.
Harding, Vincent. "Hope and History: Why We Must Share the Story of the Movement." Orbis Books, Maryknoll, New York, 1990.
Celebrating the Alien
Oftentimes we as people tend to celebrate celebrities, the most popular boy/girl in school, the best dressed, the ideal man/woman, or whatever the case may be, but how come we shun the alien? The alien can be the least popular, most unattractive person, group, or whoever is not highly accepted by society. There is something about the alien that is special--a diamond in the rough. The alien may not be highly accepted by everyone, but the alien possesses something that is different from anyone in the world, which makes him/her or them worth celebrating.
All of us can identify with the alien in some way. All of us have something different that no one else has whether it is your name, hobby, gift, talent, skill, or whatever it is that makes you different. Diversity is beautiful. I often think about the rainbow. In the rainbow there are different colors--yellow, red, lavender, green, etc. The rainbow would be quite dull with just one color or without different colors. Each color sparks emotion and mood. There is something about yellow that is different from all the colors, and there is something different about lavender that stands out from the rest of the colors. If you notice, every color comes together to make a rainbow. As it is with the rainbow, so it is with us. We should celebrate the alien within our "rainbow". Without yellow, lavender, or whatever the color is there would be no rainbow. Without the unique differences within the human race, there would be no rainbow. "So why should we consider celebrating the alien?" you might ask. Well, to answer your question, the alien is "outstanding". He, she, or they stand out in some way according to their culture, age group, gender, skin color, height, weight, skills, talents, abilities, and other things that make them different. Because of the differences the alien holds--culture, dialect, customs, etc., we often tend to disrespect them and categorize them as insignificant and unimportant. Take a step back and think. What if you are an alien in the eyes of another person, group, or culture? How would you feel, and how would you want to be treated?
In every point in human history and interaction there was always a need to classify others into a group if not for the purposes of self-satisfaction of others, then for the sense of self-satisfaction for the self--- the desire to belong and fit in. In some way or another, it is instinctive for people in every social group to fit in to each particular niche within their own social group or within another. With that being said, however, within every social group there comes a sense of ethnocentricity or “sociosuperiority” that plagues the inner workings of the group from which it comes as well as the other groups that interact with it. Whether it be called prejudice or judgmental or, more commonly, racism, it is wrong.
The human mind strives for understanding. In an effort to understand the environment directly around us, every social group came up with a theology that leaves the inexplicable unexplained named religion. In order to understand the social workings around us, we as a people flock to whosoever looks the same as us on a superficial level. As a means of relating experiences to one another the common thinking is “They look like me, they will understand me.” So often, though, this is not the case. The questions that need to be asked and answers found are plentiful in the social infrastructure of our world. Why is that we gravitate towards people that look like us, dress like us, have similar social niches (i.e. piercings, tattooes, dyed hair, haircuts) as us? Is it solely just the need to belong or to feel wanted, desired and understood? Or does it go deeper than that? Is it a method of self-preservation? For years and years before it could be heard and probably still can be heard that we should “stick to our own kind.” The laws of probability state that however much we wish for that to occur, it will never truly happen. But even if all the whites and blacks and Asians and Hispanics were to procreate with one another and there was no such thing as white or black or Asian or Hispanic, then would we group according to the new gradients of skin tone that exist? Would we switch from skin tone and move to types of music we listen to?
John Locke believed that mankind is inherently evil. I believe that we might not all be inherently evil, but we are inherently misguided. The truth is that until this belief of “stick to your own kind” is erased from the minds of people all over the planet, then racism and superficial judgment will always exist.
Politics, Race, and Ethics in SF:
A Short Story
In the Baby Ruth Galaxy far, far away, there’s a planet much like Earth. There is clear blue water and rich green vegetation. A sun shines and warms the ground in the afternoons, wind blows through the trees at night.
The animals of the planet evolved like Earthlings, the only difference being that the humanoids on this planet evolved from amphibian-like creatures. They would call their planet, Tink. Tink would have been entirely covered in water, but a large island sat on the axis, 400 miles across. As the animals of Tink evolved, the amphibian-like creatures moved on to the island. Some of the creatures liked the jungles on the East side of the island, and some on the west.
After millions of years on the island, the animals had evolved to look like upright, walking alligators. They were tall and thin, with a long square jaw and a snotty nose. They had tough green skin and a small tail. They learned to eat fruits from the trees and dig holes. They rose up on their hind legs and ran through the jungles. They learned to hunt upright, with tools and weapons, each generation a little smarter than the last. They flourished in the jungle habitat, even creating their own language. They all called themselves Camons.
The only problem with the Camons was their long, square jaw and the snotty nose. They couldn’t see where they were stepping through the jungles without physically looking down. When they did look down, they would hit their heads on tree limbs. Each generation developed stronger leg muscles that would tear through the branches and shrubbery on the jungle floors, but each jungle had a different thorny vine that was super tough. As the animals from the East walked through the vines on the east side of the island, chemicals from the thorns would get in to the tough skin. The chemical caused a great big puff of vibrant red hair to grow on the East Camons’ legs. On the west side of the island, a different, but similar thorny vine caused the West Camons’ leg hair to be yellow. Eventually, the vines from both sides of the island became so overused they were destroyed, but after a million years, the Camons on both sides of the island grew the colored hair from birth.
At first, the two groups of Camons could get along, barely even seeing one another. Each group had everything it needed for a long time, but as they developed a language, they became much more social. And Intelligent. So each side decided that they would try to set up communications with the other side, if nothing else, for business. Both jungles were completely different, and so offered many different tradable items. Trade became so popular. A small area around the halfway mark between the two jungles turned into a hub for their trade business. It wasn’t that hard of a trip to the hub from each side. A river ran from one to the other. They could swim most of the way.
As time went on, Camons from each jungle would move to the inland jungle colony. For many years, the eastern and western communities would live happily together, working and trading. Even though the Camons from each side of the island were moving to the settlement for business, most of them brought their own cultures, beliefs, and rituals with them. Outside of business, each side kept to its own.
The colony grew. It grew and grew so large that it was larger than either of the previous beach side jungle colonies. When the colony was smaller, there were fewer Camons to decide important matters. With more Camons came more Camon opinions.
The main problem was their opinions. The leaders couldn’t make everyone happy, all of the time. So they tried to make the majority happy. The majority of the Camons in the colony had red hair, so they usually grouped together during voting times, and always won. The yellow haired Camons from the west voted, but they never had more Camons than the east, and so they lost the votes on religion, dialect, everything. Everything they tried to save from their original culture, anyway. As the years went on, the eastern and western Camons fought and fought. It seemed they would never get along, blaming any and everything that could possibly go wrong for the color of one’s leghair.
20 or 30,000 years ago, though, the local medical pool was filled with expecting mothers and fathers. As news traveled of a mysterious baby Camon floating around the maternity pool, all of the Eastern and Western Camons ran to be poolside. They all watched in amazement as a little baby Camon swam around on its back in circles, with bright orange hair. The mother, a red haired Camon, and the father, a yellow haired Camon, both swam into the water to claim the young one, still flipping around in circles and giggling. The crowd was completely silent, but when the father lifted his new orange baby out of the water, everyone gasped and whispered, then erupted with congratulations and laughter. After all of those years of drawing lines in the sand over ridiculous issues, the Camons came together in a renewed sense of “self”. They were ALL Camons. ALL of them. Now, they all have orange hair.
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