File spoon-archives/postcolonial.archive/postcolonial_2001/postcolonial.0104, message 191


Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2001 02:29:29 -0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)
From: swalker-AT-email.unc.edu ("Scott D. Walker")
Subject: Re: Condemnation of "July's People"


I heard the same story.  I think it's important that the South African
interviewee (herself a teacher) took pains to note that this wasn't a
policy-making committee nor even a representative one necessarily. 
Interesting too that the committee was fine with _Romeo and Juliet_ (which I
suppose isn't too depressing) and _The Merchant of Venice_ (which contains
no problematic racialist attitudes).  ;)

The issue that struck me in the critique of Gordimer was that the committee
faulted her book for presenting racist viewpoints without the author's
significantly distancing herself from those views.  In other words, I
suppose, the racist white characters aren't unsympathetic enough.  Not my
take, but I can see that viewpoint.

Perhaps not too surprising that in the wake of apartheid there's (arguably)
some oversensitivity to racism.  As long as it doesn't turn into
book-banning or -burning, I'm chalking it up to a good provocation of
discussion.  Just as I don't altogether agree with Achebe's view that _Heart
of Darkness_ is racist, but I appreciate that his criticism raises the
debate and draws readers out of simplistic psycho-metaphorical
interpretations.  

-- Begin original message --

> From: Norman Cary <norman.cary-AT-wright.edu>
> Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2001 21:40:11 -0400
> Subject: Condemnation of "July's People"
> To: Poco <postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu>
> Reply-To: postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
> 
> The other day on National Public Radio I heard that a committee of South
> African teachers had condemned Nadine Gordimer's "July's People" as
> racist.  Gordimer allegedly was surprised at this reading.
> (Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and "Macbeth" were judged too depressing).  I
> have read that Gordimer's fiction is not held in high regard in S.
> Africa because it is (a) too radical (b) not radical enough.
> 
> I have taught Gordimer's novel many times and never did my (American)
> students think it was anti-black.
> 
> Comments??
> 
> 
>      --- from list postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
> 

-- End original message --



     --- from list postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---

   

Driftline Main Page

 

Display software: ArchTracker © Malgosia Askanas, 2000-2005