Comments on: Tintin in the Congo http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/07/19/tintin-in-the-congo/ "That was the beginning of the century; this is its end. I have been thinking not only of the people who lived there once, but also of the generations of dogs accompanying them in their everyday bustle, and one night— I don't know where it came from— in a predawn sleep, that funny and tender phrase composed itself: a road-side dog." - Czeslaw Milosz, Borderlines. Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:56:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: the mad momma http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/07/19/tintin-in-the-congo/#comment-1239 Sun, 29 Jul 2007 20:15:50 +0100 http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/07/19/tintin-in-the-congo/#comment-1239 where did my comment go? arrggghh!! just read a similar post at Amrita's and this is what I said.. i havent read it so this is just an opinion. i dont believe in banning books. if anything - i would say, dont read too much into it. treat it for what it is - a book written 70 years ago. reflecting the times. often i look at the bible and the epics - they have content tha tmight be considered racist or offensive. but i think they need to be treated as pieces of literature written when ppl thought differently. simple. not as a guide to daily living. the challenge is explaining that to the kids. where did my comment go? arrggghh!! just read a similar post at Amrita’s and this is what I said.. i havent read it so this is just an opinion. i dont believe in banning books. if anything - i would say, dont read too much into it. treat it for what it is - a book written 70 years ago. reflecting the times. often i look at the bible and the epics - they have content tha tmight be considered racist or offensive. but i think they need to be treated as pieces of literature written when ppl thought differently. simple. not as a guide to daily living. the challenge is explaining that to the kids.

]]> by: the mad momma http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/07/19/tintin-in-the-congo/#comment-1238 Sun, 29 Jul 2007 20:14:39 +0100 http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/07/19/tintin-in-the-congo/#comment-1238 i just read the same post at Amrita's.. and this is what i said to her too - i havent read this particular tintin so this is just an opinion. i dont believe in banning books. if anything - i would say, dont read too much into it. treat it for what it is - a book written 70 years ago. reflecting the times. often i look at the bible and the epics - they have content tha tmight be considered racist or offensive. but i think they need to be treated as pieces of literature written when ppl thought differently. simple. not as a guide to daily living. the challenge is explaining that to the kids. i just read the same post at Amrita’s.. and this is what i said to her too - i havent read this particular tintin so this is just an opinion. i dont believe in banning books. if anything - i would say, dont read too much into it. treat it for what it is - a book written 70 years ago. reflecting the times. often i look at the bible and the epics - they have content tha tmight be considered racist or offensive. but i think they need to be treated as pieces of literature written when ppl thought differently. simple. not as a guide to daily living. the challenge is explaining that to the kids.

]]> by: Melvin http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/07/19/tintin-in-the-congo/#comment-1224 Tue, 24 Jul 2007 03:36:57 +0100 http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/07/19/tintin-in-the-congo/#comment-1224 <blockquote cite="Rather than banning it, a better idea would be an advisory printed on the first page, pointing out that the book contains offensive racist and colonialist views and scenes of violence against animals."> That would work in my household for only a day or two -- until one of my daughters tears out the page that doesn't have any pictures in it.</blockquote>

That would work in my household for only a day or two — until one of my daughters tears out the page that doesn’t have any pictures in it.

]]> by: priya http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/07/19/tintin-in-the-congo/#comment-1217 Fri, 20 Jul 2007 08:12:03 +0100 http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/07/19/tintin-in-the-congo/#comment-1217 I have a book that talks about Herge and how he came to write the Tintin books. This was one of his first few books, and quite steeped in the typical, casual racism of his time. However, he realised he wasn't comfortable with this attitude and many of his later books have a subversive take on the prevailing attitudes (Tintin in America, Blue lotus etc). I have a book that talks about Herge and how he came to write the Tintin books. This was one of his first few books, and quite steeped in the typical, casual racism of his time. However, he realised he wasn’t comfortable with this attitude and many of his later books have a subversive take on the prevailing attitudes (Tintin in America, Blue lotus etc).

]]> by: Charu http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/07/19/tintin-in-the-congo/#comment-1214 Thu, 19 Jul 2007 06:13:06 +0100 http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/07/19/tintin-in-the-congo/#comment-1214 I agree entirely. I was watching the 'mind your language' series recently - and was thinking about how "racist" much of it could be in today's times. PG Wodehouses says negro in many of his books, Enid Blyton is as racist and sexist as they come. but they were representative of the times they were written in. (As for Tintin - I have been watching VCDS of Tintin too - yes, I am very jobless now - he is my thalaivar Rajini-Sivaji's thalaivar - he spins out of the moon rocket, flies in space and rescues a drunk Capt Haddock and returns back to the rocket in one undamaged piece - all hail the leader!) I agree entirely. I was watching the ‘mind your language’ series recently - and was thinking about how “racist” much of it could be in today’s times. PG Wodehouses says negro in many of his books, Enid Blyton is as racist and sexist as they come. but they were representative of the times they were written in.

(As for Tintin - I have been watching VCDS of Tintin too - yes, I am very jobless now - he is my thalaivar Rajini-Sivaji’s thalaivar - he spins out of the moon rocket, flies in space and rescues a drunk Capt Haddock and returns back to the rocket in one undamaged piece - all hail the leader!)

]]>