Re: Editing AR (was Bowlderising AR was Political Correctness was AR v HL)


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Posted by Ed Kiser on January 02, 2006 at 18:01:53 from 205.188.116.6 user Kisered.

In Reply to: Re: Editing AR (was Bowlderising AR was Political Correctness was AR v HL) posted by Peter H on January 02, 2006 at 15:52:01:

The usage of "black" in a negative way, as, "He was the black sheep of the family" is not necessarily a racial reference. I have viewed such usage of the contrast of black with white when intending to separate concepts of evil and good, just as light as compared with darkness has a meaning of good compared with evil. The Bible has many references to "LIGHT" as being something good, and "DARKNESS" as being related to something bad. It is a good thing for one to lead his life so that he comes out of the Darkness into the Light, but let us not let this become a religious philosophy discussion.

If one is trying to depict light and darkness using colors on a paintbrush, it seems natural that light is shown as white and darkness is shown with black. With the similarity to the concept of white light and black darkness, thus the contrast of black and white is not necessarily racial but simply a metaphor to contrast the evil with good. Such association when erroniously associated with racial concepts become totally misunderstood to mean that black race is evil and white race is good. Such an observation is totally wrong of course, and should not be made.

There is a statement by Dorothea in PM about black and white:
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PM Chapter 8

In a story black was black and white was white and blacks and whites stuck to their own colours. In real life things were much more muddled.
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The concept here is a central theme of many stories involving the conflict between the "good guys" and the "bad guys".

As for social gatherings, it is not all that strange nor wrong for people to want to be with others that share some degree of commonality with themselves as to similar interests, similar economic standing, similar ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Such groups have members that have some ability to share understanding with each other as a result of the various aspects of their similarity.

What is so strange about feeling more comfortable to be with others that I can identify with?

Race is only one aspect of who a person is as we all have many other attributes, and it is that similarity of those other attributes that makes one feel comfortable with sharing a friendship with someone that incidentally happens to be of some other race. To me, it is this kind of relationship that perhaps Ransome is referring to in the above quote about "In real life things were much more muddled."

To jump on just the race difference clouds so much of who a person really is, but such is all too often the case.

As for those who wish to re-write Ransome's works, I wonder what they would do with the above quote. They would also need a new name for "Black Jake." Perhaps such a re-write should select another color for his ship other than a "black schooner."

Are we to read "evil discrimination" into such observations as when Dorothea saw this man pulling a sledge towards the FRAM (WH) and she in her mind identified him as being a "Dutchman."

Perhaps one day it will become politically incorrect to refer to Uncle Jim as "Fat" and "Bald" but still quite desirable to call him a "retired Pirate".

As has been pointed out before, when one performs censorship, just where does one stop?

I love these stores Ransome gave us, just as they are. I don't think I am any worse having read these, as indeed, I believe exactly the opposite, and for that, I am grateful for what he has taught me, for what he shared with me, for making my childhood best friends stay alive and youthful, forever.

Ed Kiser, South Florida


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