I think you hit on something crucial here: reading books with characters we can identify with from a young age is so important. I'm glad things are changing in publishing to represent that, as your school age child is finding.
Interesting and thought provoking piece, thank you!
Thanks, Kate! You're so right. I grew up knowing it's important to be able to identify with characters that you read and watch, but didn't actually think it had much to do with me. Representation matters!
Innocently when I was young, reading all those English books, initially mostly British and later also Americans, I never doubted that those people in there are different from me. This helps maybe because I grew up in Malaysia, battling my own very different issues about identities, so these fictionals characters, having names and lives very different from mine, only seem exotic and imaginary and fun, but never an issue for me to identify with. That said, now that as I always try to start writing fiction, I find myself being influenced by all the books that I have read that are far removed from who I am, it can be quite difficult to keep to what story to write. Like you say, should my character be a Malaysian, or a Chinese, if not would I know how to write others? Maybe I should go into fantasy or science fiction and make up a character that is not from this world :)
What a powerful article Nancy! You are so talented and I can't wait to read your stories!
Thanks, Laura! The feeling is mutual :)
I think you hit on something crucial here: reading books with characters we can identify with from a young age is so important. I'm glad things are changing in publishing to represent that, as your school age child is finding.
Interesting and thought provoking piece, thank you!
Thanks, Kate! You're so right. I grew up knowing it's important to be able to identify with characters that you read and watch, but didn't actually think it had much to do with me. Representation matters!
I loved this article, Nancy! It made me think!
Thanks for reading, Kate! Appreciate the support :)
Innocently when I was young, reading all those English books, initially mostly British and later also Americans, I never doubted that those people in there are different from me. This helps maybe because I grew up in Malaysia, battling my own very different issues about identities, so these fictionals characters, having names and lives very different from mine, only seem exotic and imaginary and fun, but never an issue for me to identify with. That said, now that as I always try to start writing fiction, I find myself being influenced by all the books that I have read that are far removed from who I am, it can be quite difficult to keep to what story to write. Like you say, should my character be a Malaysian, or a Chinese, if not would I know how to write others? Maybe I should go into fantasy or science fiction and make up a character that is not from this world :)
So glad it resonated, Midori! That means a lot to me.