Ethnicity in WoT

[Cerendrallion 32]

So...WoT is an ethnically diverse place. Unlike our world, which suffers from racial discrimination and what, WoT seems pleasantly devoid of any such tensions.

 

So how'd we miss Tuon and Semmy were black, eh? Semmy was described as 'black porcelain' and I'm betting most of our esteemed readers simply skipped the word 'black' and went straight to porcelain. Perhaps because all the main characters are white, we assume anyone whom they come into contact with is also white, until we are pointedly told otherwise.

 

I didn't have a clue that Semmy was black until I was told otherwise - and I'll be honest, I still picture her as white. Because I assumed that she was for so long, I have difficulty changing that perception.

 

So who else didn't fit our perceived perceptions of them, in the NS comics or until we were corrected? Or until we re-read WoT?

 

The one thing that springs to mind is that I was amazed to find out that Sheriam had red hair. Even though, as Marie kindly pointed out, that's mentioned everytime she's on-screen, I pointedly ignore that fact.

 

So...discuss

 

(don't you all love my discussions?)

[Marie 73]

Well. I thought Rahvin was pale skinned (he's dark). And I can't picture Egwene in Two Rivers coloring. Myrelle is darker, and with uglier hair, than I thought. Leane is paler. *bitter over that*

 

I think it's great that Tuon is black and still got married to Mat. Of course, Julian and his one women are in a relationship. He's black-ish, but I just realized I have no clue about his girl.

[Ekho 52]

I always imagined most of the characters were white, except tuon, but thats because its never made clear except on one or two occasions that certain people are black

 

And yes everyone loves you're discussions laura:D

[Vertex 23]

*giggles* Me started a thread about people always being white in fantasy world a little way back... and that they are more likely to include races such as elves, dwarves and faires then black people

[Marie 73]

That is true. Seanchan seems like the US: all sorts of people! Asians, blacks, white.

 

Of course, race is a social construct not biological, which is probably why the people in WoT don't care.

[Vertex 23]

Of course, race is a social construct not biological, which is probably why the people in WoT don't care.

 

Sometimes brown bears mate with white bears and have bear-kittens... that's racy stuff so it can't be all social, can it?

[Marie 73]

Well...yes if you use race in that context, you are right.

[Vertex 23]

Yayness! But if Mat and his wife have lots of kittens together that will not be a racy thing?

[Kaitlin 22]

RJ didn't describe some people as "white" (but maybe Momo is so pale she should be!). They were pale, or something like that. So, when he described other chars as being dark I didn't picture them as tan or anything. I guess the ethnicity depended on the rest of their description.

 

I didn't get Myrelle right, though. For some reason I pictured her as more Spanish looking.. and I thought Leane was different than how she was drawn. I thought Tear had people that were a mix between black and maybe Spanish looking too, and thought that Mayne was really mixed (even though it's so tiny and that doesn't make sense!). I thought the eastern borderlands looked more Asian and the western looked more Slavic. Lan in the comics didn't look how I thought.

 

I don't think I pictured people as diverse as they are meant to be.

[Marie 73]

Lan looks just as ugly as I thought he was.

[Kaitlin 22]

Yes, he was ugly. I thought he would look.. different, I don't know.

[Marie 73]

Well. I thought Myrelle would be Leane's skintone(from the comic) and have dark wavy/curly hair.

 

Tear also reminds me of the US because none of them look alike. You have blonds, and ravins, blue eyes, dark eyes, pale skin, dark skin, etc. It's a rainbow of color! I always found it odd how all the Cairhien look alike.

[Kaitlin 22]

I always found it odd how all the Cairhien look alike.

 

Yes. Hopefully there's not too much inbreeding.

[Cerendrallion 32]

Royal families generally are inbred...

[Marie 73]

I'm speaking of the country as a whole looking alike!