Role of Race

Use this forum to discuss the October 2019 Book of the month, "Skills of the Warramunga" by Greg Kater.
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Re: Role of Race

Post by DC Brown »

CommMayo wrote: 02 Oct 2019, 13:50 Due to the time period in which the books are set, race plays a very large role throughout the Warramunga series. Do you think that racial issues were properly represented based on the time period or was the treatment of race (like uses of terms like "half-caste" and "lubra") too distracting for a modern audience?
Anytime I am reading a historical novel; I expect the language to be what was used at the time. Presently, in the place, I live racism is still very much alive and well, it's just pronounced differently
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Post by Wriley »

I think those derogatory terms were needed to accurately describe the feelings of the time period. Australia seems to have had negative terms to describe people of color the same as the United States did. To omit those terms would take from the feel of the story as a whole.
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Post by CommMayo »

A lot of comments seem to allude that many racial issues have not changed too considerably since the time-period the book was set in. Is there anything to be gleaned from Skills of the Warramunga that might help give readers a different perspective on racial issues, current and historic? Can it be used as a teaching moment or is it just fiction to escape into?
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Post by Stephanie Elizabeth »

CommMayo wrote: 02 Oct 2019, 13:50 Due to the time period in which the books are set, race plays a very large role throughout the Warramunga series. Do you think that racial issues were properly represented based on the time period or was the treatment of race (like uses of terms like "half-caste" and "lubra") too distracting for a modern audience?
I don't think uses those terms was necessary for the book at all; they made me quite uncomfortable.
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Post by lucia_kizas »

It might seem "politically incorrect" to modern society, but any historical book, if the writer only used modern point of view, would lack authenticity. Unfortunately, sometimes to achieve this authenticity one has to use terms that are quite insulting or degrading... In my opinion, for as long as they are used sparingly, and to set the mood of the period, terms could and should be used. After all, we cannot change history and pretending that racism was less of a problem than it really was, would be wrong to the ones who suffered from it.
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Post by Bhaskins »

Dorcas Serwaa Adu wrote: 03 Oct 2019, 06:39 No. It isn't too distracting for the modern audience. And one must note that although racial issues were very common at that time, it hasn't ceased. Not hearing it been mentioned all the time doesn't necessarily mean it no longer exists.
I really appreciate this comment. I’m in the US and I believe that we think we are so wonderful because racism “ended”. Really it just became more subtle. I think it has become louder again in recent years and folks are starting to realize this is still a problem and that it didn’t actually go away.
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Post by CommMayo »

Bhaskins wrote: 08 Oct 2019, 05:47
Dorcas Serwaa Adu wrote: 03 Oct 2019, 06:39 No. It isn't too distracting for the modern audience. And one must note that although racial issues were very common at that time, it hasn't ceased. Not hearing it been mentioned all the time doesn't necessarily mean it no longer exists.
I really appreciate this comment. I’m in the US and I believe that we think we are so wonderful because racism “ended”. Really it just became more subtle. I think it has become louder again in recent years and folks are starting to realize this is still a problem and that it didn’t actually go away.
I can't remember if it is a quote from a movie or a book, but it went something like: at least when you are in the South the racists are open about it, in the north they just smile at you.

Now, in America, people feel embolden to be racist openly...which is scary because it makes clear that racism (misogyny, bigotry, etc) in the US never went away, it just went underground.
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Post by Mwanyalo »

Racism is one of the problem that prevails worldwide but as readers,we are opted to come up with different opinions.
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Post by DonnaKay »

Racism is as old as the human race and it's not distracting to a modern-day audience. So, to me, the period the book was set doesn't make a difference.
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Post by LinaMueller »

Akpome1 wrote: 06 Oct 2019, 06:20 What happened then cannot be compared to what is happening now. Remember South Africa and its problem of racism in the past. Today, if it still exists, it must be underground and not as it was in those days. In our modern society, racism is not very well pronounced.
Exactly. It's impossible to compare what happened then to what is going on now. Racism still exists, but the situation has improved immeasurably in this regard.
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Post by dingans »

One of the recurring things I found troubling - but very historically accurate - was how Sarah was schooled and corrected for using her native language instead of English (from memory mostly by Jacko). In one scene towards the end:
'Bin sikrapim,' she said.
'You mean, it was exciting,' corrected Jacko.
'Aye yu! It was exciting.'

The loss of native tongues (and the culture embedded in them) wasn't a concern back when the book was set, though is of more concern today. Particularly when other main characters often used their native language (without being prompted to switch to English), did this trouble anyone else? Would anyone have liked to see this addressed in a little more depth?
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Post by Wyland »

Given that the book is written from a nonnative's point of view, I think the race relations portrayed is quite realistic for the time period.
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Post by Joe Hadithi »

I keep reading in the comments that usage of these terms in literature is okay because the terms themselves still exist and I do not agree. I feel that continued usage means they will never die out. Someone will read it here, and go use it (out) there.
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Post by Sam Ibeh »

The author did a perfect job using the racial terms that were prevalent in the time this storyline was set. This will help a more contemporary audience understand the plot better.
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Post by Mallory Porshnev »

I think this was a proper representation of the time period and not intended to offend. I think people need to read with open, accepting minds. Isn't that what reading is about?
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