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Black Hermione
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Black Hermione
Black Hermione
Title says it all. I want to know everyone's opinion on the black actress for Hermione in J.K.Rowling's new play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. If you don't know what I'm talking about, look it up. It's all over the Internet.
submitted by Leaf of Love
(February 17, 2016 - 4:27 pm)
(February 17, 2016 - 4:27 pm)
Guys, please attempt to debate, not argue! It works wonders for everyone's mental health! Also, there are many dialects of different languages, so what one person says is a meaning of a word might be Different to another person, depending on where theyr'e from, or who they learned a language from. Some times google translate is wrong, too. Also, I think the point of this thread is to discuss people's thoughts on the new heremione actor in the cursed child. Anyway, the lunch bell is ringing.
(February 22, 2016 - 12:37 pm)
This thread was to discuss racism, and I think J.K. Rowling was racist when she thoughtlessly, randomly chose a first name for her Asian character and then didn't make sure the actors pronounced her last name right. I bet she thought, "This sounds funny! Why not use this!" Well, J.K. Rowling, I love your books, but English names sound funny to Asians too.
@The Novelist, How are you Asian but not have Asian parents?
(February 22, 2016 - 5:58 pm)
Well . . . , I don't really have Chinese parents . . . and for some reason, I'm not offended by this at all. I just think it's weird. O.o
(February 22, 2016 - 3:17 pm)
And I dont think we're doubting your Chinese skills. I think we just have different sources and opinions here . . . I think I'm gonna ask my Chinese friend if she knows. . .
(February 22, 2016 - 3:22 pm)
@Leaf of Love: Well you see, I'm uh, what you would call adopted . . .
Also, I asked my friend and she says Cho means butterfly in Japanese. But Chou means celery in Chinese.
So I guess we're all wrong?
To be honest, I don't think Rowling was being racist. If she was, she wouldn't put a Chinese person in the book in the first place. And it is just a book. It's not reality . . .
And I have to admit something. If I had an Asian character in my book, I probably wouldn't do research on the name. I would make it like an American name sorta, with an Asian surname, like Lily Chang.
Now if I wanted the first name to mean a specific phrase, I would do more research.
So yeah.
(February 22, 2016 - 11:26 pm)
Can you ask her what dialect is in which chou is "celery"? Because in Mandarin, celery is Qíncài. Maybe your friend speaks Taiwanese, or, I dunno, some other language that isn't as big as Mandarin?
I'm waiting until Sunday so C.C. can see that her name can't mean melancholy, because in Chinese the last name comes first.
(February 23, 2016 - 7:28 am)
I don't really think it matters, much.
Hermione will always be white to me-- I think that's what she was concieved as. Rowling usually let's you know if a character is not white-- Kingsley Shacklebolt, Lee Jordan.
I can see from the perspective of people who are upset over this-- they might feel as though their Hermione is being taken from them. But I think that anyone with a bold imagination can appreciate the upcoming play while still holding to whatever version of Hermione came to them while reading the books.
And that's the view from the Editor's Desk! ;)
(February 23, 2016 - 10:11 am)
I just don't think that it is accurate. The actor might just be really good or the people who cast the play might be trying to make a statement, but usually when a play is cast how the person looks is a factor in the decision. And it should be! In the movie, Hermione is white. That is how people imagine the character.
(February 23, 2016 - 3:51 pm)
Although, I don't think it should be such a big deal. I just love the books and can't wait for it.
(February 23, 2016 - 3:53 pm)
I agree with you about how Hermione probably should have been cast, Echo. I also think that people should be able to enjoy the play without splitting hairs over more minor issues-- the directors and casters get to make whatever decisions/statements they want. I would have done it differently, if it were me, but I didn't write the story. (Or even scrub paintbrushes for the set artists, for that matter) ;)
So, in summary, I will always see Hermione as white, and will try to enjoy the play anyway :)
(February 23, 2016 - 5:26 pm)
This discussion reminds me of the carol "Some Children See Him" by Alfred Burt:
(February 23, 2016 - 5:43 pm)
Honestly, though, even though I'm Asian, I see him as white.
(February 23, 2016 - 7:30 pm)
Good point, Admin! :D
As an aside, Jesus was likely "bronzed and brown" because he was born in the Middle East.
I think the inhabitants of Israel have very light brown skin. That's probably what he looked like. :)
(February 23, 2016 - 7:41 pm)
@Admin: that was a very nice poem. And I agree ...
(February 23, 2016 - 6:25 pm)
Hey btw, I think some of u r overreacting. Cho is a very common Asian name, and I don't think Rowling meant it to have a certain meaning to it.
For example, there are many American names that are words but don't give the exact personality to the person.
Plus, there are different dialects and how you say it. (Mandarin and Taiwanese are different languages, and have nothing to do with Chinese).
(February 23, 2016 - 6:33 pm)