Does it count as a "What These People Need is a Honky" story...

[roseembolism]

...when it's the concept of a modern person catapulted into a fantasy world? How about the classic anime riff of "teenager/s catapulted into a fantasy world to save it?"


This is something of a spin off of this James Nicolle thread, which brought up the "What These People Need is a Honky" question. For those who don't want to click, the title refers to those stories that involve a person from a Western culture, who goes into a non-western culture, and ends up becoming king, high priest, etc. Think of such exercises in cultural superiority as Dances with Samurai, or the Last Wolf. I've been thinking about it, and I tend to think there's some difference, if only because the protagonists of the fantasy stories are generally invited into the other culture. But does it really make a difference when the Honky is there by invitation? Would "Red River" or Kanata Kara count in that category?

Any thoughts?

Comments

[mithriltabby]

How about A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court? Is the trope “What These People Need is a Honky” or “What These People Need is Some Modern Thinking”? Can you tell a story like that with a black kid from a ghetto who paid attention in school?

[roseembolism.livejournal.com]

That's a point that RxM brought up earlier- the "Connecticut Yankee" story as distinguished from the "WTPNiaH" story. The latter seems inextricably linked to WASP superiority, and the former is anyone from a "superior" culture. One example might be "Wraiths of TIme" by Andre Norton, where the protagonist is a black Egyptologist from the modern day, transported into an alternate world where Meroe is a world power.

The question is where the dividing lines are: where it becomes less about personal education and ingenuity, and more about cultural or ethnic superiority.

[palecur.livejournal.com]

For a different angle, see 'What these people need is an Exotic Outsider' -- where the teacher from the Mysterious East arrives to show the townsfolk the folly of their staid ways, or even in modern times, the Magical Negro/Sassy Black Woman what teaches the Honky how to Loosen Up.

[racerxmachina.livejournal.com]

Do not underestimate the awesome power of Phat Beats to effect crucial social change and understanding.

[therobbergirl.livejournal.com]

Hey! You're not a real fierce lobster, king of sea bugs! You're just a fuzzy wuzzy cuddlewumpkins teddy bear!

[roseembolism.livejournal.com]

Or when a quartet of absolutely STUNNING Queens (and one princess) from New York arrive in Nowhereseville...

um, that's Snydersville, ma'am.

[racerxmachina.livejournal.com]

That story genre is actually titled: "All it Takes is a Fairy."

[palecur.livejournal.com]

In Nowheresville, New York is The Mysterious East.

[james-nicoll.livejournal.com]

where the teacher from the Mysterious East arrives to show the townsfolk the folly of their staid ways

Now I want to read How Mok Kwei Lan brought Hung Gar and Enlightment to the People of Macon, Georgia.

[racerxmachina.livejournal.com]

Two elderly gentlemen, playing checkers on a cracker barrel (oh cliches, how I adore you):

Clem: That Mrs. Mok serves up a mean peach cobbler.
Bubba: And a mean roundhouse kick. King me.

The lady in question

[james-nicoll.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing that she didn't have a big problem with muggers.

Exotic Outsiders

[reptoidadl.livejournal.com]

Now I'm thinking Kwai Chang Caine "The only power I have is to see into myself."