Post by Lady Ten on Sept 1, 2012 10:25:57 GMT -6
Note: this is another repost, because it was relevant. Con crit welcome and all that, as usual.Additionally, if anyone has the page number for that quote from Dark River, it would be much appreciated.Thank you, Amy!
Is it "Racist" to "Support Warrior Blood"?
For those who don't already know: From the very beginning of the Warriors series, the issue of admitting outsiders has been a point of contention. In Into the Wild, Rusty the kittypet is invited to join ThunderClan, dividing the Clan as he receives support from some characters and resistance from others. The text's narration presents Rusty (renamed Firepaw) as the main protagonist and POV character, garnering automatic reader sympathy, and shows him enduring the poorly-thought-out jeers and criticism of prejudiced Clanmates. The characters who oppose his membership speak in silly, spiteful trivialities, such as complaining that he smells bad or arguing that his noisy collar would scare away prey (even though the collar is clearly removable). The overwhelming message is that this treatment is undeserved and wrong.
However, the series marched on, the cast grew, and after Firestar's ascent to power, some fans began to disagree with the practice of allowing outsiders to join the Clan, in particular if these outsiders were kittypets. While all outsiders (even cats of different Clans) have their stereotypes, the general prejudice is that kittypets are weak, spoiled, lazy, arrogant brats. As such, it is presumed that they would not make good Clan cats. On Warriors Wish, a fansite, the popular slogan is "No more kittypets. No more outsiders. I support WARRIOR BLOOD."
Many other fans, however, call this blatant, fantastic racism. The warrior blood supporters are promoting the very thing the books seek to decry. To discriminate against cats because of their lineage, they say, is racist, and anyone who calls themselves a Warriors fan as well as a warrior blood supporter is not only a racist but a hypocrite.
Thus the question: is it racism to view kittypet origin as a negative trait?
What is race? Racism implies, as is obvious, the existence of races. The definition of race is a complicated subject, one of various, vehement debates, so for these purposes, a bit of oversimplification will be in order. In general, races are the arbitrary divisions of a species based on genetic lineage, characterized by broad physical similarities and shared history.
Is "kittypet" a race? A kittypet is a housecat. All kittypets are Felis catus, but beyond that, they are not bound by a common genealogy. They can be of any breed, and their physical characteristics are restricted to only what is possible for the feline species. They do not, as far as the books have shown, act enough like a unified assembly to share one Kittypet history and culture. Both in terms of shared genes and shared past, they do not meet any of the criteria. Therefore, no, kittypet is not a race.
Is "Clanborn" a race? Clanborn cats are descendants of a common ancestor and share their history and culture, evident in elder's tales and Clan traditions. However, though they are often lean and fit, their physique does not differ much from the average housecat in genetic terms. Rather than a definite race, they're more of an ethnic group. Or better yet, they're clans.
With neither group qualifying as a race, let us pursue a new line of inquiry. Is it wrong to view kittypet upbringing as a negative trait?
Why upbringing and not lineage? Neither "kittypet" nor "Clanborn" is a race, rendering lineage irrelevant. The sole exception to this would be human-dependent breeds and some special-needs cats who would have additional difficulties living in the wild. For their own good and for the good of the Clan, such kittypets should not be allowed to join under any circumstances. Their best bet is with a loving and attentive owner.
However, when a kittypet of average health is of some common breed (for example, Domestic Shorthair) there is little genetic difference between him or her and a Clanborn cat. If a Clan were to adopt an abandoned young kit of such kittypet lineage, they would raise it as a warrior and it would experience life much like a Clanborn cat would. A non-Clanborn cat raised in a Clan does not qualify as a kittypet. As for cats raised in captivity, true kittypets, this leads us to another question.
What does admittance of a kittypet do to the Clan? The obvious answer is that a new member makes the Clan bigger, which is generally regarded as a good thing. There is strength in numbers.
However, it's short-sighted to think that's the only result. The kittypet life might supply a cat with some knowledge of hunting (maybe) but not full-fledged warrior skills. Thus, a new Clanmate of kittypet origin will require training. When a kittypet joins as an adult, or even a significant measure older than six months, this places him or her behind the curve. Speed of learning ability decreases with age; if the kittypet is adopted early, this will make little difference, but training will take longer with older kittypets, who learn at a slower pace. On this measure, raising a Clanborn kit is a better choice than bringing in adult outsiders. Now let's consider the more far-reaching results.
Loyalty is one of the most important traits in a warrior. It's what holds the Clan together. The familiar sense of belonging and kin is a powerful unifier. When entering this sort of society, it would be only natural for kittypets to feel excluded and out of place. They might also retain fond memories of home and the life they're now expected to reject, according to the warrior code. Although these considerations are weighty enough, the more important repercussions for the rest of the Clan. Clanmates are accustomed to living with the same cats they've always lived with, grown up with, and watched grow up. It is only natural for them to hesitate in placing absolute faith and loyalty in a new Clanmate whom they don't know so well. Clans are supposed to be tight-knit families—and when they admit foreign outsiders, does this not lessen the closeness, even if for a short time? They all can overcome these obstacles, but any moment can be crucial for a warrior.
In addition to considerations of unfamiliarity, the kittypet stereotype speaks of weak physique and weak character. The former is simple enough to remedy with time and training, but what truth is there in the latter? Consider the actions of some kittypets who have joined ThunderClan.
"What's a kittypet like you doing out in the woods? Don't you know it's dangerous?" asked Graypaw.Bluestar invited Rusty into her Clan because of his pelt color. What if she had considered his other qualities instead? In Rusty's early days, he proves himself prone to unwarranted violence as well as stupidity and cultural disrespect. His later days remain controversial.
"If you're the most dangerous thing the woods has to offer, then I think I can handle it," Rusty bluffed. (Into the Wild, p. 14)
Daisy wasn't a warrior, because she showed no sign that she ever wished to leave the nursery (The Sight, p.8)Daisy's involvement in the Clan does not extend much further than ingesting food and producing young, which could lead to population problems in the future, seeing as she cannot hunt to feed the additional mouths. Also, Daisy has not taken a Clan name, a personal rejection of Clan traditions (the same traditions which help unify and promote loyalty). In keeping her name, she's keeping a paw in another life and retaining her loyalty to the past rather than the present. She doesn't seem an asset or an actual contributor to the Clan so much as a fertile and hungry belly to be fed. In times of trouble, she'd be a liability.
"You can rely on my loyalty until the day I join StarClan, and you must believe that I will live and die to protect ThunderClan. But I don't want to change my name. I have always been Millie, and I see no shame in it."The Erins seem to be trying to make up for Daisy's conformance to human gender roles and kittypet laziness by bringing in Millie, the fighting kittypet she-cat. The problem is that she still adheres to the kittypet image. Rather than hunt for herself, she resorts to kittypet food and urges Graystripe to do the same, disregarding the warrior code. From this one can conclude that Millie is reluctant, to say the least, to give up her old, soft life when it turns out to be the more convenient option. Real warriors stick it out through good times and bad. She claims to have given up her old life as a kittypet, yet she wants to remain named as one—her claims are incongruous with her actions. She, too, is living with a paw in her past. A Clan needs fully-committed warriors, not undisciplined fair-weather friends.
A shocked silence gripped the Clan. (Dark River, p.86)
Why does it matter if a kittypet keeps a kittypet name after joining the Clan? A name is not "just a name". It's a representation of who you are, your background, your upbringing, your culture. There's a reason there's a legal procedure for changing your name in real life—when people don't think their name fits them, or when they associate the name with a part of themselves that they want to leave behind, they want to take on a new one to better suit their identity.
A name change can also demonstrate the transition to a new life stage, such as marriage. Whether you think it's right or wrong for a bride to change her last name, there's no denying the symbolism. Additionally, when immigrants arrive in a new country, it's a common practice to for them to alter their name, to either make it more pronounceable to natives or to change it altogether to adapt to the new culture, distancing themselves from the past.
The Clans have their own culture as well. Names are a large part of this culture. They honor the skills and achievements of the old and show the coming-of-age of the young. As with all other cultures, taking a Clan name demonstrates assimilation. Note that Brook claimed to be loyal to ThunderClan, but she did not take a Clan name—and she ended up returning to her Tribe. By not taking a Clan name, a kittypet is refusing to denounce its kittypet heritage and thus is not a true Clan member.
"You cannot live with a paw in each world." (Into the Wild, p.22)
The majority of kittypets are raised without having to work for their dinner or serve others, but rather, depend on humans for food and affection while under no obligation to give anything in return. This gives most kittypets an inevitable egoism that leaves their mental states unprepared for Clan life. Until they finish their training, all Clan-joining kittypets are a physical burden to the Clan. Elders have retired with honors and apprentices are quick learners, but the Clan owes nothing to adult outsiders who would only slow things down. As if that's not enough, they are also a social burden, weakening the very fiber that holds the Clan together.
Therefore, it makes sense, and is right, for Clan cats to view kittypet upbringing as a negative trait.
This does not justify ill treatment of warriors not born within the Clan. This also does not justify violence or harassment of kittypets any more so than that of any other cat. Rather, it indicates that all Clans should be much more wary about allowing kittypets to join.
