Comments on: A Clean Well Lighted Place I http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/a-clean-well-lighted-place/ Reflections of a working writer and reader Wed, 16 May 2012 05:06:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Laura http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/a-clean-well-lighted-place/comment-page-1/#comment-66 Laura Fri, 07 Apr 2006 03:43:09 +0000 http://www.johnbakersblog.co.uk/?p=55#comment-66 Two examples of this whom I greatly admire: Willa Cather and Wendell Berry. I think Wallace Stegner should also be included. The three W's--I always thought it would make a superb paper. If you haven't read Berry, I highly, highly recommend him, although my husband says he is too low on plot, and as it looks like your work is quite plot-intensive, maybe he's not for you, but who knows? And referring to Stephanie's comment, I am a person whose race it is difficult to discern. I've been pegged as about ten different things, because I am so dark of hair and eyes, but I am Scottish and English and nothing else, as far as I know. However, my first husband was Hispanic, my older son is dark, and people started assuming I was also Hispanic. I actually really enjoyed the chance to take on another race at times, although it also felt deceptive, although I never claimed to be anything I wasn't. Two examples of this whom I greatly admire: Willa Cather and Wendell Berry. I think Wallace Stegner should also be included. The three W’s–I always thought it would make a superb paper. If you haven’t read Berry, I highly, highly recommend him, although my husband says he is too low on plot, and as it looks like your work is quite plot-intensive, maybe he’s not for you, but who knows?

And referring to Stephanie’s comment, I am a person whose race it is difficult to discern. I’ve been pegged as about ten different things, because I am so dark of hair and eyes, but I am Scottish and English and nothing else, as far as I know. However, my first husband was Hispanic, my older son is dark, and people started assuming I was also Hispanic. I actually really enjoyed the chance to take on another race at times, although it also felt deceptive, although I never claimed to be anything I wasn’t.

]]> By: Stephanie http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/a-clean-well-lighted-place/comment-page-1/#comment-60 Stephanie Thu, 06 Apr 2006 03:21:45 +0000 http://www.johnbakersblog.co.uk/?p=55#comment-60 A very interesting concept, one you quite clearly explain. As an historian (in training), we have been discussing the concept of race; what does it mean, where does it come from? Then I had the interesting realization today whilst entering loads of traffic tickets into the traffic court's database that in the context of driver's licenses and state issued ID's, race is self-identified. No peace officer or DMV clerk points to someone and says, "You're white. You're black. You're Chinese." It's all done by the person filling in the form. So race then becomes interpreted by the individual. I was born and raised in America and am of European stock (mostly English) but I self-identify as "white" not American or European, while others who may have been born in America has parents that came from Korea will identify as Korean, not American. Then I got to thinking "Well, what's to keep me from self-identifying as something completely different?" It would be all too easy to self-identify as something like Hispanic or Asian and when called on it say something like, "What do you mean I don't look Hispanic?" And I could totally make up this story about some great-great to the nth degree gran that fell in love with a handsome spaniard back in the day. Who would argue with me on that level? No DMV clerk is going to insist that I take my genealogy with me to apply for a driver's license. And just because someone's name is Hernandez, does that make them Hispanic? What were we talking about? Oh right, land as place and character in classic literature. A very interesting concept, one you quite clearly explain. As an historian (in training), we have been discussing the concept of race; what does it mean, where does it come from? Then I had the interesting realization today whilst entering loads of traffic tickets into the traffic court’s database that in the context of driver’s licenses and state issued ID’s, race is self-identified. No peace officer or DMV clerk points to someone and says, “You’re white. You’re black. You’re Chinese.” It’s all done by the person filling in the form. So race then becomes interpreted by the individual. I was born and raised in America and am of European stock (mostly English) but I self-identify as “white” not American or European, while others who may have been born in America has parents that came from Korea will identify as Korean, not American. Then I got to thinking “Well, what’s to keep me from self-identifying as something completely different?” It would be all too easy to self-identify as something like Hispanic or Asian and when called on it say something like, “What do you mean I don’t look Hispanic?” And I could totally make up this story about some great-great to the nth degree gran that fell in love with a handsome spaniard back in the day. Who would argue with me on that level? No DMV clerk is going to insist that I take my genealogy with me to apply for a driver’s license. And just because someone’s name is Hernandez, does that make them Hispanic?

What were we talking about? Oh right, land as place and character in classic literature.

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