Bonus 9 by Kyra Moore

The concept of “second hand” story telling has always been skeptical and an uneasy topic for me as well. I too battled with discerning with who was “able” to speak on certain topics and/or events that are transpiring or have transpired. For example, if there was a writing composed by a white man who spoke of the times of the Cherokee removal-is it his right? This is easily comparable to the example given in the prompt but also to work(s) that we have discussed in class- the poems of Sherman Alexie are a perfect example. He was an “outsider,” so to speak, but he was immersed in a marginalized culture.

This is something that I mentally battled with until I came to a concrete consensus on how I felt on the matter. Actually, the readings that we have read in class and the conversations about the matter actually helped me sort out of my feelings pertaining to the matter. I now have a consensus about how I feel about “outsiders” speaking on events that have not happened within their particular culture.

While I do feel like the perspective of the marginalized people should be most respected as it is the most authentic, I also feel as if every perspective or angle of an event or issue should also be respected. I feel that there is value in differing perspectives pertaining to a matter if it is conducted in a respectful manner. If everything is done with respect for the event and the people involved, I could definitely see there being a benefit. Using Sherman Alexie as a perfect example, his works are very respectful of the cultures that he worked with and almost look at those cultures in reverence, so to speak. One of the reasons why I praise Sherman Alexie and his work is because he intentionally chose to immerse himself in a number of cultures. I think that should be a requirement of those who choose to speak of specific events.

Using the example of the child with facial deformities in Wonder, I feel as if the author is justified in writing the work that she did. She was affected by something that she actually witnessed and saw the injustice and wrong behavior surrounding the event, so she felt so inclined to write about it. In reality that is what I think art and freedom of speech is, talking, writing or producing art that is meaningful to you- especially if it promotes actions meaningful to the greater good.

These examples are a testament to the current philosophy that I now have on the matter- respecting all perspectives that are made in respect to the event and people involved. I actually feel that there should be more works like Wonder and Sherman Alexie’s poems. This could potentially change the tone of literature and also change the tone of social interactions as a whole.

Overall, while the voice of the oppressed is very powerful, other voices that have good intentions but different perspectives should also be respected and appreciated.