As Christian writers, we should be at the forefront of breaking down stereotypes and misinformation. Sadly, that is not always the case.
Examples of Stereotyping and Misinformation
Consider the following plot points:
- A middle-aged, married man seduces a teenage girl and then proceeds to have an ongoing affair with her. At the end of the book, we discover that she was the one who seduced and manipulated him.
- A healthy toddler develops a disability soon after receiving his regular childhood vaccinations. Although the author gives a disclaimer at the back of the book to say that the link between immunisation and this particular disability hasn’t been proven, the implication in the novel is that there is a correlation between the two.
- Some of the characters are from marginalised groups, which is a good thing in terms of diversity. However, these characters are portrayed in stereotypical ways.
- The good guys are white and the bad guys are from an ethnic minority.
- The poor, disadvantaged foster child turns out to be the ruthless killer.
Have you come across these kinds of stories? I have, and they’ve all been in Christian novels. I purposely haven’t named the books, because I do have respect for these authors and have enjoyed some of their other work. However, I think they’ve missed the mark on these issues. Of course, there are many mainstream novels that are also guilty of stereotyping and the propagation of misinformation. However, as Christian writers, we should do better. We should be leading the charge.
The Value of Every Person
I’ve been challenged recently by Jim Wallis’ book Christ in Crisis? Reclaiming Jesus in a Time of Fear, Hate, and Violence. He argues that if we truly believe all people are created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-7), then each person is of intrinsic value, regardless of ethnic group, religion, socioeconomic status, gender, sexual orientation, disability or poor health. How we treat people who are different from us is actually a test of what we really think about God. Sadly, many Christians have failed to stand up for minority groups who experience discrimination and mistreatment on a regular basis. Some Christians have even been involved in perpetuating myths and stereotypes. [bctt tweet=”How we treat people who are different from us is actually a test of what we really think about God.” username=”acwriters”]
A Christian Writer’s Mandate
As writers, I believe we can and should make a difference in tearing down prejudices. Does this mean that we should always present a rosy picture of those from minority groups? Not necessarily. People from minority groups do make bad choices, manipulate others, and commit crimes. But so do those from the dominant culture. We have all ‘sinned and fall short of the glory of God’ (Rom. 3:23, NIV) but there is forgiveness and hope through Christ.
A number of Christian writers are indeed helping to break down the stereotypes.
- In her book Northern Deception, Laurie Wood gives a heartfelt portrayal of a single Dad who is doing his best to care for a toddler with Down Syndrome. In spite of the challenges, the inherent value of this much-loved little girl is never in doubt and she brings joy to those around her.
- Adele Jones sensitively tackles perplexing ethical issues in her young adult series Integrate, Replicate and Activate. The main protagonist, Blaine Colton, has a rare genetic condition and his only hope seems to be a revolutionary breakthrough in gene therapy. However, would his life still be of value even if the ‘cure’ doesn’t work?
- Rosanne Hawke deals with complex issues of culture and religion in many of her books, including asylum seekers in Soraya the Storyteller and arranged marriages in Marrying Ameera.
- In Amazing Grace, the third in her Beautiful Lives series, Elaine Fraser gives a realistic portrayal of a teenage girl trying to sort out her confusing feelings about her sexuality. There are no pat answers in this courageous tale, but plenty of food for thought that challenges our own attitudes and reactions to those dealing with similar issues.
- In her historical novel Unhinged: Joy for Darkness, Amanda Deed gives a compassionate perspective on those living with mental illness at a time when such people were typically shut away.
- In her contemporary novel Twice Stolen, Susanne Timpani sensitively addresses some of the injustices committed against indigenous people in the past and how that continues to affect identity in the present.
A Way Forward
While it’s encouraging to see these kinds of novels hitting the Christian market, there is still much to be done.
If you’re a writer, think about the way you present minority characters in your work. Are they well-rounded, with good qualities as well as flaws? Is their backstory fleshed out in a way that helps explain why they do the things they do (good or bad)? If someone from a minority group is portrayed in a negative way, is this counterbalanced by another minority character who makes better choices? Is there a redemptive element, without being cheesy?
If you’re a reader, think about the books you’re reading, and especially the way different characters have been portrayed. Does the book inspire or challenge you to think or behave differently?
We can either help combat stereotyping and misinformation, or we can help perpetuate the status quo. I’d love to hear your thoughts on how we can work through these issues together.
Fantastic article, thank you.
Thanks for your feedback, Katie. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
That was a great article, Nola. It made me realise how many of those stereotypes I’ve read in books!
I’m sure I’ve glossed over some of these without thinking too much about them, but once you’re aware of it, lots of examples come to mind. I guess being aware of it is the first step in doing something about it. Thanks for your comment.
Thank you so much for the challenge. It’s a constant battle to create fresh characters and not just a writing challenge.
Your point here, ‘How we treat people who are different from us is actually a test of what we really think about God’ sums it up well. In life and writing, we’re encouraged to love people and looking at another’s point of view is a good way to begin.
Thank you, Nola!
Thanks, Elaine. You’ve been great at breaking down those stereotypes in your books. I’m looking forward to reading the next one.
A thought-provoking post. The biggest challenge I see a lot of writers/blogs point out is that someone such as myself (ie caucasian female) has to justify writing characters of other ethnicities. I’m married to a man who was born in South Africa, and our eldest daughter has those beautiful wiry curls from his genes, but when someone looks at me they don’t realise I’ve spent 20+ years surrounded by mixed cultures and traditions. My children attend a school with an array of multicultural students, yet I’m constantly double-checking my characters aren’t “stereotypical”.
I’m “for” breaking out of the stereotypes and portraying real characters, but there are also some subjects I refuse to touch because they’re just so contentious (ie vaccination). It’s a delicate balance creating new worlds on paper within our broken reality.
Hi Sheridan – You’ve raised some excellent points. There’s a whole other debate about whether someone from a particular ethnic group can tell the stories of those in other groups. You obviously have a lot of experience because of your situation, and that’s great that you’re helping to break down those stereotypes. And yes, there certainly are some contentious issues. In the end, I think we need to be true to ourselves and write what God has laid on our hearts. There are some issues I would be reluctant to touch as well, but I know God has already raised up other authors to speak into those issues. Thanks for some great food for thought.
Thank you, Nola for such a thought-provoking and inspiring article. One reviewer thought my first book was stereotyping Pakistani women in Australia when I was writing the truth I saw. I’m more careful now but I still want to tell the truth.
Hi Rosanne – I’m sorry it’s taken me a while to reply to your comment. Thanks for sharing that. I know you have a lot of experience in that area from living in Pakistan for many years. The reviewer probably didn’t have your level of expertise and I know you would have presented material sensitively. It’s definitely a balance. We don’t want to go the other way and whitewash difficult topics. Perhaps this is where our mandate to ‘speak the truth in love’ applies. Thanks for your comment. I’ve only scraped the tip of this topic. Lots more issues to explore.
A great blog post Nola. It is difficult trying to break out of stereotype characters, because sometimes we are not always aware of the narrowness of the life we have lived, and how much we are unaware of what it might appear like to people in minority groups. It is something older white Australians possibly struggle with, as I do. It is a harsh reality to sometimes be pulled up for being insensitive or not understanding, or being inclusive. However it is also a truth that there are those people in our society, including myself, who are like this and do not always understand the complexities of minority groups. It is the residual effect of having been brought up in an homogenous society, under the rule of white Australia policy. We were kids and we did not know, and while that is not an excuse, it is a reason why sometimes we don’t always get it right. But congratulations to all of those writers that you mentioned. I’ve read all but one of those books, and I agree they have focused in on those issues with great care and consideration. And the best part is they were all Australian authors.
Hi Meredith – Sorry for my delay in replying to your comment. You’ve presented some very insightful thoughts. I think you’re absolutely right. I pride myself on not being prejudiced towards any groups, but then a thought will pop into my mind or I’ll say something, and you realise that some of these things are more ingrained than we realise. Just as an example, when I went to primary school in the dark ages (late 60s and early 70s), all I remember learning about indigenous people was that they were hunter-gatherers and used boomerangs and nulla nullas. I think we might have read a couple of Oodgeroo Noonuccal’s poems (then known as Kath Walker), but that was about it. Even in high school, there was no mention that aboriginal people only received the right to vote in the 1960s and there was certainly no mention of Stolen Generations and other policies detrimental to aboriginal people. As you note, a lot of us grow up in an homogenous society, and that can be even moreso in church circles. The more we can get to know people from other groups, hopefully the more equipped we’ll be to write sensitively about those groups. Definitely a learning curve. Thanks so much for your comment. Lots of food for thought.
I loved the way Tharaday had a niggly conscience in Scattered. He was an interesting character.
In my current WIP, Amelia’s Island, the local policeman wants the girls off the island but keeps giving in and letting them stay because he sympathises with their reasons for being there. Can’t say any more at this point! A weakness in the strong arm of authority.
Thanks for that, Jeanette. I’m glad you liked that aspect of Tharaday’s character. I probably could have fleshed out his backstory a bit more, but it is good to have those well-rounded characters. Your new novel sounds interesting. Now I’m wondering why they’re on the island! Thanks for commenting.