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Interracial issues in Hamilton's books
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From: Kathleen Horning <horning>
Date: Fri, 24 Nov 1995 13:12:00 -600
Barbara Golden raised some interesting questions about interracial issues in Hamilton's books. While I agree that Virginia Hamilton has presented troubled interracial relationships in "A White Romance" and
"Plain City," I don't think this reflects her inability as a writer; rather it reflects her choice. And now that I'm thinking about it, it is quite an interesting choice on her part because, as Barbara points out, Hamilton herself is a member of a strong interracial family.
I am of two minds on this subject: one mind wants to approach the question as an issue and the other mind wants to take a literary approach.
First, the issue: as a member of an interracial family myself, I share Barbara's frustration about the lack of positive images -- make that images, period -- of our lives. We want books in which interracial families are presented as part of the ordinary fabric of every day life and where biracial children see themselves as normal, not "mistakes," a term used recently by a high school principal in the now infamous incident regarding interracial couples at a high school prom.
In my work at the public library, I have learned that I am not alone.
There simply are not enough books to meet the demands of interracial families who want to see their lives reflected in literature. We get numerous requests such as these and we have very little to give people. (Incidentally, about 25% of the books we do have were written by Virginia Hamilton's husband, Arnold Adoff. And I can remember a time when his book "Black Is Brown Is Tan" was the ONLY book we had.)
There is one book by Virginia Hamilton that deals more directly and positively with an interracial family: "Arilla Sundown" originally published about 20 years ago (and recently just reissued in paperback). This deals with a 12-year-old girl of African American and American Indian heritage who is searching for her own identity. It is Hamilton's most complex narrative, however, and is not easily accessible to all readers. But it is as close as she's ever come to writing a book with an interracial family as its central focus.
Second: the literary approach. From what I know of Virginia Hamilton's life and work, there is very little in her books that is directly autobiographical. She may take a little piece of the past and reshape it occasionally but, for the most part, her books are works of pure fiction. I don't think she'd ever set out to write a novel with a particular message. That's one of the things I love about her books -- I never feel as though I'm being hit over the head with some didactic point or social issue. Her books are emotional, sensual experiences, where readers completely enter the complex worlds of her characters and have a chance to see things through their eyes.
In the book "A White Romance," for example, I don't think she's really making a statement about interracial relationships per se; rather, Talley's fascination with the charismatic in-group at school parallels her white boyfriend's addiction to drugs. As an outsider, she romanticizes their lives and relationships, until she has an opportunity to view it from the inside and see that it's not what it appears to be. All of this is accomplished through a powerful stream of consciousness written from inside Talley's head.
As literature, I think both "A White Romance" and "Plain City" are great books. I think it's asking too much of writers to expect them to create great works of fiction AND write positive social commentary. The trouble is not that Virginia Hamilton is creating great works of fiction but that so few others who are writing positive social commentary about interracial families are getting published.
KT Horning, CCBC
UW-Madison
Received on Fri 24 Nov 1995 01:12:00 PM CST
Date: Fri, 24 Nov 1995 13:12:00 -600
Barbara Golden raised some interesting questions about interracial issues in Hamilton's books. While I agree that Virginia Hamilton has presented troubled interracial relationships in "A White Romance" and
"Plain City," I don't think this reflects her inability as a writer; rather it reflects her choice. And now that I'm thinking about it, it is quite an interesting choice on her part because, as Barbara points out, Hamilton herself is a member of a strong interracial family.
I am of two minds on this subject: one mind wants to approach the question as an issue and the other mind wants to take a literary approach.
First, the issue: as a member of an interracial family myself, I share Barbara's frustration about the lack of positive images -- make that images, period -- of our lives. We want books in which interracial families are presented as part of the ordinary fabric of every day life and where biracial children see themselves as normal, not "mistakes," a term used recently by a high school principal in the now infamous incident regarding interracial couples at a high school prom.
In my work at the public library, I have learned that I am not alone.
There simply are not enough books to meet the demands of interracial families who want to see their lives reflected in literature. We get numerous requests such as these and we have very little to give people. (Incidentally, about 25% of the books we do have were written by Virginia Hamilton's husband, Arnold Adoff. And I can remember a time when his book "Black Is Brown Is Tan" was the ONLY book we had.)
There is one book by Virginia Hamilton that deals more directly and positively with an interracial family: "Arilla Sundown" originally published about 20 years ago (and recently just reissued in paperback). This deals with a 12-year-old girl of African American and American Indian heritage who is searching for her own identity. It is Hamilton's most complex narrative, however, and is not easily accessible to all readers. But it is as close as she's ever come to writing a book with an interracial family as its central focus.
Second: the literary approach. From what I know of Virginia Hamilton's life and work, there is very little in her books that is directly autobiographical. She may take a little piece of the past and reshape it occasionally but, for the most part, her books are works of pure fiction. I don't think she'd ever set out to write a novel with a particular message. That's one of the things I love about her books -- I never feel as though I'm being hit over the head with some didactic point or social issue. Her books are emotional, sensual experiences, where readers completely enter the complex worlds of her characters and have a chance to see things through their eyes.
In the book "A White Romance," for example, I don't think she's really making a statement about interracial relationships per se; rather, Talley's fascination with the charismatic in-group at school parallels her white boyfriend's addiction to drugs. As an outsider, she romanticizes their lives and relationships, until she has an opportunity to view it from the inside and see that it's not what it appears to be. All of this is accomplished through a powerful stream of consciousness written from inside Talley's head.
As literature, I think both "A White Romance" and "Plain City" are great books. I think it's asking too much of writers to expect them to create great works of fiction AND write positive social commentary. The trouble is not that Virginia Hamilton is creating great works of fiction but that so few others who are writing positive social commentary about interracial families are getting published.
KT Horning, CCBC
UW-Madison
Received on Fri 24 Nov 1995 01:12:00 PM CST
