Comments on: Problems http://electrolicious.com/2004/03/problems Daily affirmations of a word mercenary Sat, 22 Nov 2008 10:20:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: philippe http://electrolicious.com/2004/03/problems#comment-3957 philippe Mon, 22 Mar 2004 13:32:36 +0000 #comment-3957 I shall desagree with your point about Sherman Alexie. You're dead right about the too frequent description of indians as mystical and wise beings, directly connected with the great spirit. But didn't somenone like <a href="http://www.tonyhillermanbooks.com/"> Tony Hillerman </a>described in his mystery novels (starting in the 70's) navajo characters treated as normal people, not wiser nor more miserable, just different ? As far as I'm well informed (from France) he's very well appreciated in the navajo nation because of that. And I've seen his books everywere on the reservation. Actualy, I've the feeling that Alexie goes too far in the opposite direction : his indians are so hopeless and desperate, his vision so dark that it is on the verge of being an other cliché. I shall desagree with your point about Sherman Alexie. You’re dead right about the too frequent description of indians as mystical and wise beings, directly connected with the great spirit. But didn’t somenone like Tony Hillerman described in his mystery novels (starting in the 70’s) navajo characters treated as normal people, not wiser nor more miserable, just different ? As far as I’m well informed (from France) he’s very well appreciated in the navajo nation because of that. And I’ve seen his books everywere on the reservation.
Actualy, I’ve the feeling that Alexie goes too far in the opposite direction : his indians are so hopeless and desperate, his vision so dark that it is on the verge of being an other cliché.

]]> By: josh http://electrolicious.com/2004/03/problems#comment-3956 josh Thu, 18 Mar 2004 22:47:11 +0000 #comment-3956 As offensive as I find the whole 'magical negro' genre, we seem to receive <i>at least</i> one such script a week. And perhaps writers keep cranking them out for good reason, as production companies are still buying them up and making them at a rapid clip (witness the recent, Oscar-nominated <i>In America</i>). The problem with truly original books and films, it seems, is that you can't easily come up with comparable successes in the recent past. Why take a chance on something new if you can cash in by simply revisiting previously profitable material veiled just thickly enough to justify a new slew of sales? As offensive as I find the whole ‘magical negro’ genre, we seem to receive at least one such script a week. And perhaps writers keep cranking them out for good reason, as production companies are still buying them up and making them at a rapid clip (witness the recent, Oscar-nominated In America).

The problem with truly original books and films, it seems, is that you can’t easily come up with comparable successes in the recent past. Why take a chance on something new if you can cash in by simply revisiting previously profitable material veiled just thickly enough to justify a new slew of sales?

]]> By: Michelle http://electrolicious.com/2004/03/problems#comment-3955 Michelle Thu, 18 Mar 2004 21:58:13 +0000 #comment-3955 I don't know that I would sum up Fried Green Tomatoes as "findng a utopia away from evil, evil men in a wacky, isolated southern house full of women." Obviously the lesbian relationship and the prevelance of strong matriarchs in Southern families makes it woman-centric but I think the "utopia" and "evil, evil men" tags are a little over simple even if it is a simple book in it's own way. Haven't read the Secret Live of Bees so maybe I should read it first before I criticize comparisions eh? ;) I don’t know that I would sum up Fried Green Tomatoes as “findng a utopia away from evil, evil men in a wacky, isolated southern house full of women.” Obviously the lesbian relationship and the prevelance of strong matriarchs in Southern families makes it woman-centric but I think the “utopia” and “evil, evil men” tags are a little over simple even if it is a simple book in it’s own way.

Haven’t read the Secret Live of Bees so maybe I should read it first before I criticize comparisions eh? ;)

]]> By: nancy http://electrolicious.com/2004/03/problems#comment-3954 nancy Thu, 18 Mar 2004 21:53:33 +0000 #comment-3954 Lily in Secret Life of Bees reminded me of Frankie from Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers. Did anyone else get that? It wasn't just because they are both southern white girls who deal with a lot of drama...there was something else...the precociousness, the internal monologues, something...what do you think? Lily in Secret Life of Bees reminded me of Frankie from Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers. Did anyone else get that? It wasn’t just because they are both southern white girls who deal with a lot of drama…there was something else…the precociousness, the internal monologues, something…what do you think?

]]> By: donut http://electrolicious.com/2004/03/problems#comment-3953 donut Thu, 18 Mar 2004 21:34:13 +0000 #comment-3953 ugh... if I ever end up in a house full of wacky menopausal southern women, please just shoot me. ugh… if I ever end up in a house full of wacky menopausal southern women, please just shoot me.

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