Comment on what you think and any questions on the movie (there is a link for the movie in the title somewhere) and I will get back to you.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
The Princess and the Frog
Today I am hitting another note, instead of books I am going to mention a movie. On December 11th, a movie will hit theaters. This movie is the classic story of The Princess an the Frog. There are two exciting things about this movie. Number one, this will be the first PURE DISNEY ANIMATION since movies like Lion King and Hercules dating back to the 90s. Number two, the more important one, is the fact that all the main characters in this film are black (or a mix of french and black). Now not many people understand what the big deal is, but how many animations do you know where the main characters are a race other then white? Aladdin? What else? You can't say Peter Pan because that movie was slightly racist. This is a new step into a new world people. Maybe I am a bit overdramatic, but this movie may open up a new world of princes and princesses for little girls and boys "of color." It does for me. So if you don't understand this, look at this from a different perspective.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
YA book covers vs. YA BLACK book covers
The other day a friend showed me this article on a racial dispute over the cover of a YA novel. The novel, Liar by Justine Larbalestier, is a story about a black girl-but dispite that, the cover is of a white girl. Justine says she argued with editors and sale reps who say that black covers don't sell well and more then a few accountants won't take books with black covers. The idea that this may be very well a fact is proof of racism in YA books today. Have a look at the article (posted by Cory Doctorow) and please comment on what you think. Here is a link is you are having trouble getting to the website.
http://www.boingboing.net/2009/07/23/race-and-book-covers.html
http://www.boingboing.net/2009/07/23/race-and-book-covers.html
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Character Descriptions
OK, so last night I was reading a book, Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen, and if you remember back in eariler posts I asked what race do assume the character is? Some of said that may be left open for the reader to deciede and that there may be no deffiant race for a single or group of characters. Well in the book I read last night, in every other character the narrarter introduced, they wouldnt give a description of the race except when "a black girl with long braids emerged," pg. 48. In every other context, it is usually just the description of what the character ("I saw the source: a short kid wearing a peacoat and some serious orthodontia, sitting in the backseat with a book open in his lap" pg. 103), except for the one on page 48. Why is it that in the book world we live in we need to be told if a character is of a different race but not often need to be told that the character is white? I know this book isnt the only one.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Twilight
Please read this passage from a popular book Eclipse from the Twilight saga.
"My first impression of Kim was that she was a nice girl, a little shy, and a little plain. She had a wide face, mostly cheekbones, with eyes too small to balance them out. Her nose and mouth were both too broad for traditional beauty. Her flat black hair was thin and wispy in the wind that never seemed to let atop the cliff."
-Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer, page 242
This is the description of a Native American, Kim, with the common features of a Native American person.
Please tell what your thoughts are on this.
And please, please, please take the test below.
"My first impression of Kim was that she was a nice girl, a little shy, and a little plain. She had a wide face, mostly cheekbones, with eyes too small to balance them out. Her nose and mouth were both too broad for traditional beauty. Her flat black hair was thin and wispy in the wind that never seemed to let atop the cliff."
-Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer, page 242
This is the description of a Native American, Kim, with the common features of a Native American person.
Please tell what your thoughts are on this.
And please, please, please take the test below.
Monday, April 20, 2009
The Color Line-Q's Part Two
PART TWO (make sure you have answered for part one below, when finished, please add and post your scores as a comment. Also, please bring this quiz-that I did NOT create, not sure who did-to a person of a different race then you and see what they have.)
Score 5 if the statement is often true for YOU.
3 if the statement is sometimes true for YOU.
0 if the statement is seldom true for YOU.
12. I can be oblivious to the language and the customs of the persons of color w/out feeling any penalty for such ignorance from the people of my race. (In other words, people of my race are not angry, disappointed, or frustrated if I don't know about the cultural traditions of people of color.)
13. I can criticize our government or talk about fear or opposing its polices without being seen as a racial outsider.
14. I can be pretty sure that if I ask to talk to the "person in charge" in a school, business, restaurant, or other location, I will be facing a person of my race.
15. I can conveniently buy posters, postcards, picture books, greeting cards, and magazines featuring people of my race.
16. I can go home from most meetings of the clubs or organizations that I participate in feeling tied in, not isolated, out of place, outnumbered, unheard, feared, or hated.
17. I can take a scholarship without having others suspect I got it because of my race.
18. If my family goes on vacation, we choose a hotel without fearing that people of race cannot get in or will be mistreated or mistrusted in there.
19. I can be sure that if I need legal or medical help, my race will not work against me.
20. If my day, week, or year is going badly, I don't need to wonder if each negative situation is due somewhat to my race.
21. I can comfortably avoid, ignore, or minimize the impact of racism on my life.
22. I can speak in a public group without my race being an issue.
23. Most dolls, crayons, band-aids, makeup, and any other items that comes in "flesh" color is more or less a match for my skin.
24. If a substitute teacher disciplines me, I can be sure I haven't been singled out because of my race.
Score 5 if the statement is often true for YOU.
3 if the statement is sometimes true for YOU.
0 if the statement is seldom true for YOU.
12. I can be oblivious to the language and the customs of the persons of color w/out feeling any penalty for such ignorance from the people of my race. (In other words, people of my race are not angry, disappointed, or frustrated if I don't know about the cultural traditions of people of color.)
13. I can criticize our government or talk about fear or opposing its polices without being seen as a racial outsider.
14. I can be pretty sure that if I ask to talk to the "person in charge" in a school, business, restaurant, or other location, I will be facing a person of my race.
15. I can conveniently buy posters, postcards, picture books, greeting cards, and magazines featuring people of my race.
16. I can go home from most meetings of the clubs or organizations that I participate in feeling tied in, not isolated, out of place, outnumbered, unheard, feared, or hated.
17. I can take a scholarship without having others suspect I got it because of my race.
18. If my family goes on vacation, we choose a hotel without fearing that people of race cannot get in or will be mistreated or mistrusted in there.
19. I can be sure that if I need legal or medical help, my race will not work against me.
20. If my day, week, or year is going badly, I don't need to wonder if each negative situation is due somewhat to my race.
21. I can comfortably avoid, ignore, or minimize the impact of racism on my life.
22. I can speak in a public group without my race being an issue.
23. Most dolls, crayons, band-aids, makeup, and any other items that comes in "flesh" color is more or less a match for my skin.
24. If a substitute teacher disciplines me, I can be sure I haven't been singled out because of my race.
The Color Line-Q's Part One
Please answer these questions below,
Score 5 if the statement is often true for you
3 if the statement is sometimes true for you
0 if the statement is seldom true for you.
PART ONE
Make sure you read the post above for Part Two.
1. I can easily choose to be in company of people of my race most of the time (in school, shopping, in a park or other public place).
2. If my family needs to move, we can be pretty sure of hassle-free renting or buying in a safe desirable neighborhood where we would want to live.
3. I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasent to me.
4. I can go shopping by myself most of the time without being followed or harrased.
5. I can turn on the TV or open the front page of the paper and see many people of my race
represented in a positive way.
6. When I learn about our national heritage or about "civilization," in school and in the media, I am shown that people of my race made it what it is.
7. I can go into most supermarkets and find the staple foods which fit with my racial/ethnic traditions; I can go into any hairdresser's shop and find someone who can cut my hair.
8.I can count on my skin color not to work against me when I shop, whether I use checks, credit cards, or cash; store clerks assume that I have enough money to pay for my purchases.
9. I can swear or dress in second hand clothes, or not answer letters, w/out having people say that these choices are due to the bad morals, or the poverty, or the illiteracy of my race.
10. I can do well in a challenging situation w/out being called a credit to my race. (EX. If I earn a school award, I am not identified as especially good or talented for a person of my race.)
11. I am never asked to speak for all of the people of my racial group.
Score 5 if the statement is often true for you
3 if the statement is sometimes true for you
0 if the statement is seldom true for you.
PART ONE
Make sure you read the post above for Part Two.
1. I can easily choose to be in company of people of my race most of the time (in school, shopping, in a park or other public place).
2. If my family needs to move, we can be pretty sure of hassle-free renting or buying in a safe desirable neighborhood where we would want to live.
3. I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasent to me.
4. I can go shopping by myself most of the time without being followed or harrased.
5. I can turn on the TV or open the front page of the paper and see many people of my race
represented in a positive way.
6. When I learn about our national heritage or about "civilization," in school and in the media, I am shown that people of my race made it what it is.
7. I can go into most supermarkets and find the staple foods which fit with my racial/ethnic traditions; I can go into any hairdresser's shop and find someone who can cut my hair.
8.I can count on my skin color not to work against me when I shop, whether I use checks, credit cards, or cash; store clerks assume that I have enough money to pay for my purchases.
9. I can swear or dress in second hand clothes, or not answer letters, w/out having people say that these choices are due to the bad morals, or the poverty, or the illiteracy of my race.
10. I can do well in a challenging situation w/out being called a credit to my race. (EX. If I earn a school award, I am not identified as especially good or talented for a person of my race.)
11. I am never asked to speak for all of the people of my racial group.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
How about me?
OK, so say you may not read other books with a different race then yours because you have trouble relating, how many people has that been the case? Well how about me, or my other friends that aren't white, I -at least- am barely able to relate to these characters (because they are white), but I still read them, because this style of reading happen to be the only one that I enjoy. And the majority of these books, especially famous books, that are open to me, the main characters are white. So I am enjoying a book, but am not being able to relate to my culture at the same time. This is the case for about every book I read.
Always look at things the other way around. If something is a certain way for you, how is it for other people?
Always look at things the other way around. If something is a certain way for you, how is it for other people?
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