message 0050

• Gender roles in C.J. Cherryh's writing; incl. Azi and aliens (huge thread!)

>Date: Fri, 4 Dec 92 10:40:44 -0800
>From: seth@cie.uoregon.edu (Seth Scott)
>Subject: aliens and gender roles


This discussion of gender roles has been very interesting so far, but let me 
raise a question:  why _should_ azi and aliens be left out of the discussion?
I don't know what an azi is, but I think that Cherryh's hani characters are
worthy of consideration in this matter.

People tend to discount the alien characters on the assumption that since they
aren't human, they don't have enough to do with the human experience; at least,
the assumption seems to be that they weren't _intended_ as commentaries on
the human condition.  Much to the contrary, I believe that Cherryh was exploring
some important human qualities in her depiction of her hani; unlike the other
races in the _Chanur_ series, the hani come across as very distinctly close to
human thought, motivation, and emotion, and I absolutely refuse to believe that
Cherryh would pass up the opportunity to comment on gender by positing a race
in which the _men_ are thought to be the 'weaker sex' (ummm, well, in a matter
of speaking!).

How would any of the hani narrative have any connection to us, as readers, if
the narrator didn't have well-defined human qualities?  If there weren't so
many basic physical and hormonal differences (the hunter-instinct stuff) 
between Pyanfar and us, would it be very difficult to take Pyanfar as a middle-
aged, iron-nerved and desperately crafty Fleet captain?  I haven't read any
of the books about the Fleet yet, and I realize that the hani social system
has its marked differences, but I'll bet that it isn't much of a stretch.

So, let's drop the alien disclaimers, kkkkkkt?

		Seth