-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [ccbc-net] This goes back to discussion perhaps before Tim
Tingle
From: Ehbluemle <ehbluemle@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, February 21, 2014 7:01 pm
To: tim tingle <timtingle@hotmail.com>
Cc: "ccbc-net@lists.wisc.edu" <ccbc-net@lists.wisc.edu>

Hi, Regina.

The point I take from this conversation, and from many similar frank
conversations with friends, is that majority- or dominant-culture members
need to work much harder to have a nuanced, deep understanding of other
cultures than the reverse, simply because majority/dominant culture is so
pervasive, it is the pool in which EVERYONE in the culture must swim. The
imagery is familiar, the pop culture ubiquitous, the examples of a variety
of dominant-culture narratives legion. There is no danger of a single white
story in this country; the idea is laughable because we have so many
examples from which to choose.

This is of course not true in the reverse. Would that it were laughable to
say that about representations of other experiences in this country!
Wouldn't it be amazing to have thousands of books about children of other
heritages?

So, the *very* broad brush stroke of this idea is that it is likely to be
easier for, say, a black author to write a convincing white character
(convincing to white, i.e., cross-culture, audiences) than the reverse,
simply because you cannot grow up in this country without being steeped in
white culture. White culture is to a great extent familiar territory. The
reverse just isn't true, so for dominant-culture writers to inhabit their
characters in a way that resonates for readers of the culture being written
about requires enormous time, sensitivity, awareness, and personal
familiarity with that culture.

Apologies for any muddiness, or if I have just made the same point three
different ways. Tired brain at the end of a very long week!

Sincerely,
Elizabeth

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