#racial analysis

[vanesawye]

been having many thoughts on mcvries embodying racial sterotypes bc of the changes in the movie i still like the movie character & david jonsson is one of my favorite up incoming actors so this obviously comes from a place of love (but yk yt ppl be sensitive)

mcvries felt watered down from his book counterpate (who starts off hot headed with a self hating death wish) into the voice of reason character black best friend & borderline magical negro

since we don't have garraty's pov some of mcvries' traits were given movie garraty to drive his new revenge motivation which in turn made mcvries much kinder/put together & unnaturally strong (like he did not have a moment of weakness like everyone else it's insane) now keeping the dynamic of mcvries constantly saving garraty comes off different in their dynamic but also when you make mcvries black it recontexualizes this dynamic to lean more into said sterotypes

some changes were actually good like his backstory of trying sexually assault his girlfriend, her cutting his face, giving him the scar being the reason he signed up for the long walk—understandble to change that into the systemic compulsory thing where he signed up bc everyone does, of course that's more sympathetic for audiences then other parts of his character like the mean shit he says about the other walkers or trying to fight one of the soldiers were stripped away to make him seem like the ""positive"" sterotypes (and ofc the book characteristics left out would lean into negative stereotypes but that's not he movie we got so)

that's why the new ending where he wins works!... but with a caveat one one hand he still had to fufill garraty's wish though not his own like the good ol' black best friend but my gripe with this is the smallest one bc on the other hand mcvries's wish is too idealistic he fulfills garraty's wish in the end after developing their loving bond, defies the government on national television possibly sparking systemic change, & sacrificing the false promise that riches/the wish will turn his life around in the end nobody really wins the long walk that's the whole point

if they kept the original ending it would've felt even less satisfying i love in the book that he's an unstable hot head who develops a close (homoerotic!) bond with garraty, & he finds peace in the end in death, but making this black adapted mcvries do that would've made his ending even more stereotypical bc ofc when you're black you have to sacrifice yourself to the white one to make it

ultimately i wish there was a better middle ground between the book & movie character than the final product with more thought put into how the race change recontexualizes mcvries

[ftmtftm]

Putting these tags into their own post so as not to diverge farther from the original conversation of this post [ x ]. These tags are in response to saying that that some Jewish ethnicities have been folded into whiteness (which was very intentional phrasing) — while speaking very specifically about being folded into US American white identity.

I do think saying "some people" instead of "some ethnicities" could have better exemplified what I meant and that's on my own failure of word choice, but I said that speaking from my perspective as an Ashkenazi Jew with fair skin, blue eyes, and blonde hair, who navigates the world as a very white person despite the fact that I am very openly reform and will take many opportunities to talk about my own Jewish identity.

I live in a progressive city where well meaning, generally accepting white liberals still see my physical appearance before my religion or ethnicity, even when they are aware that I am Jewish.

Obviously this is not a universal experience. Jewish ethnicity is racialized and Jewish religion and culture is racialized. People who are immediately, visibly identified as Jewish are racialized and put in danger by antisemitism and White Supremacy.

That truth, however, exists simultaneously with the fact that there are many Jewish people in the United States who have been folded into US American white identity (usually by virtue of their geopolitical circumstances), and/or seek out American Whiteness and intentionally assimilate into white identity in spite of discrimination much like the Irish and Italians of the 1900's.

And both of those truths simultaneously exist at the same time as the fact that racial / ethnic / skin color based hierarchies that echo and rhyme with white supremacist hierarchical preferences also very much exist in Jewish spaces when we are, again, discussing the scope of US American white identity specifically. I cannot stress this enough that I am talking about an analysis of race and ethnicity specifically in the United States of America.

There is a LOT of nuance to this conversation but I do think that it's ignorant of what white assimilation/imposed white identity means to just flat out say there are no Jewish ethnicities, or people, who are considered to be (not "are" as a definitive statement, but "are considered to be") white under their geopolitical circumstances in the USA.

Especially when Jewish identity is literally being used as an example of the way that US American whiteness is permeable, fluid, and contextual — and subsequently how all whiteness is permeable, fluid, and contextual.

[kalvincent]

Lizardfolk Anatomy Part 2: Visible Traits

Patterns 

The coloration of a lizardfolk's scales is partially based on their region and clan, with some patterns holding steady in family lines. In arid or desert biomes, lizardfolk scales tend toward shades of grey or brown, while clans in temperate or tropical regions are more colorful. Again, this varies by individual clans within those regions and individual families within those clans. 

Despite clan and familial tendencies, an individual's exact coloration and pattern is as unique to them as a human's fingerprint. A given desert-dwelling clan might have predominantly brown, tan, or orange coloration, for example, and a given family in that clan might tend towards horizontal stripes in their pattern. A child born from a mix of that family line and one prone to splotches of colour would be expected to have both horizontal lines and splotches, but the exact pattern will be unique to them, even among siblings.

Tail

At a glance, lizardfolk tails might seem too large and ungainly for their bodies. Indeed, a four-foot tail on a six-foot body seems excessive. But tails are as important as any other limb for a lizardfolk.

In most varieties, quick flicks of their wide tail propel lizardfolk swimmers through water, although other clans might have thinner, flexible tails more suitable for aiding in climbing. Some lizardfolk train to fight using their tail, either using it to sweep their opponents' feet out from under them, or simply bashing with it. Some few adorn the tips of their tails with blades and use these as unexpected weapons.

Tail motions are also one of the easiest ways to tell a lizardfolk's emotions - whether it is up or down, moving or stationary, braced against the ground, and so on.

Frills and Spines

All lizardfolk have spines, but the size and placement varies between lineages, and between the sexes. Spine patterns are one of the easiest ways to tell a male lizardfolk from a female, since the sexes tend to be identical in terms of height and weight.

Lizardfolk are often baffled when humans can't tell the difference between males and females, when the spines are so clearly different - males of a given lineage might have three on their chin instead of two, for example.

Frills are a less common but much more dramatic adornment. Frills can be spread or tucked away to show agitation, or simply to release or preserve heat.

Both spines and frills can be augmented in various ways, often with piercings or colored inks. As some of the only exposed flesh lizardfolk have, frills are convenient (if painful) places to tattoo.

[kalvincent]

Goblin Society Part 3: Governance and Relations

Nomenclature

Goblins rarely complicate their lives with unnecessarily long names. If a name is easy to pronounce, quick enough to shout in joy or anger, and be fun to say, then it's good enough. Some thought may be given to what words a potential name can rhyme with, to make songwriting easier later.

Because goblin naming conventions are so haphazard, it's common for goblins to simply pick their own names once they're old enough to speak.

Leadership

In most clans, a single leader controls those below them, with force or with cunning. But this control lasts only as long as the goblins are within sight of their leader. Followers can show utter devotion to a warleader one moment, and complete disregard for their rules the next.

More rarely, goblin clans can find themselves following a religious demagogue. While the head shaman's zealotry might prove infectious for a time, few gods can hold a goblin tribe's attention for long.

Relationships

A common expression goblins use to describe romance is "easy come, easy go."

While long-term monogamous relationships aren't unheard of or even that uncommon, most goblins enjoy short-term flings that burn out in a few months or a year.

Goblin courtships vary wildly by region, clan, and even by family, but typically involve giving the target of affection something of value every day until they accept or reject the suitor. What exactly qualifies as valuable also varies. One goblin might sing increasingly flattering odes about their intended, while another might bring gifts of food. Scavenged shinnies are a popular gift among even impoverished clans.

Relations

International politics between goblins and the larger folk is… tumultuous at best. But the relations between them and other small folk is just as bad.

Goblins have a reputation for pillaging and stealing from everyone within their ranging distance, and it's well-earned. Many clans rely on raiding to supply much of their resources, and that makes it incredibly difficult for other clans to form alliances with non-goblin settlements.

In peaceful times, goblins and halflings might bond over their mutual love of travel and storytelling. In less peaceful times, those halflings start looking like easy targets.

[kalvincent]

Goblin Physiology Part 3: Digestion and Metabolism

From raw or spoiled meat to freshly roasted fish, from tubers to fermented greens, goblins can eat and digest nearly anything. This is necessary to power their fast metabolisms, but the mechanics of it are quite complicated.

Teeth and Stomach

Goblin mouths are fronted by a row of triangular, fang-like teeth, but they also have a row of molars and premolars in the back for chewing plant matter. Because they have to grind their jaws to break down plants, their longer front teeth occasionally bump into each other and get chipped, resulting in the typical “jagged teeth” that people associate with goblins. Fortunately, goblin teeth have an interesting biological quirk: rather than being stuck with two or three sets of teeth, goblin teeth fall out and regrow endlessly throughout their lives. Their large mouths and replenishing teeth serve their endless hunger well, allowing them to eat almost continuously.

Studies and dissections show that goblins have a particularly long intestinal track and quite strong stomach acids, which enable them to digest almost anything (even bone in small enough quantities). This longer digestive system might explain why goblin torsos are proportionately larger compared to halflings or humans.

Metabolism

Goblin metabolisms are faster than a human’s, which means that they are often quite hungry. Ideally, goblins will sleep for more than half the day in order to conserve energy, but during periods of high activity they will eat almost constantly. This is somewhat mitigated by their efficient digestion that makes use of more of the available nutrients in their food. 

This fast metabolism gives bursts of energy that allow goblins to run extremely fast or fight for their lives. In more agricultural clans where daily hunting is unnecessary, this metabolic speed often results in jitteriness, restlessness, and sometimes anxiety. Goblins often have difficulty sitting still for long periods of time, and often prefer periods of fast activity interspersed with long rests.

Immune System

Given their proclivity for eating spoiled food and living in unclean conditions, it should come as no surprise that the goblin immune system is robust. The extremely low pH of their stomachs reduces the risk of parasites, and helps reduce the bacterial risk. Unfortunately, these traits do not guarantee good health, and goblins can be carriers or victims of an array of ailments. 

The most famous disease that people relate with goblins are goblin pox and yellowtongue sickness. The first is a bacterial infection that rarely bothers goblins but can be quite damaging to those interacting with them (especially for humanoids who eat food cross-contaminated with goblin waste). Yellowtongue sickness, however, is exclusively damaging for goblinoids, and caused the collapse of an entire goblinoid kingdom in just a few years.

[kalvincent]

Goblin Physiology Part 2: Senses

Goblins are evolutionarily adapted to dark environments, such as deep caves or nocturnal hunting. The development of their senses indicated that goblins have traditionally been a combination of ambush hunters, gatherers, and carrion feeders.

Hearing 

With their long, pointed ears, it should come as no surprise that a goblin’s sense of hearing is quite keen. Their keen hearing is especially tuned to higher frequencies like a dog’s. Many clans take advantage of this fact by crafting high-pitched whistles that they can hear from a mile away and that many other humanoids cannot hear at all.

Their strong sense of hearing also helps them as ambush predators, allowing them to monitor how much noise they make as they move through underbrush or other cover.

Sight

Goblin sight is comparable to a human’s in normal lighting conditions, but it really shines in dim light and darkness. It literally shines, as goblins have the reflective layer in the backs of their eyes that is common to most nocturnal hunters. Their pupils also expand to fully eclipse their irises, allowing them to get the most out of even tiny sources of light.

Goblin raiding parties might be almost entirely invisible in the shadows, right up until you see dozens of sets of glowing eyes in the dark.

Taste and Smell

Goblins have a relatively poor sense of taste and smell, which is just as much of an evolutionary benefit as their keen sight. Because they’re able to digest most foods with little negative effect, goblin cuisine can sometimes involve food a human would never consider putting in their mouth.

This has resulted in the stereotype that goblins seek out and eat garbage, which is only partially true. A goblin in a desperate situation can eat food that would sicken larger humanoids, but that doesn’t mean that’s what they would choose to eat. A goblin might also eat food that’s past its prime without noticing that it has started to sour, but they don’t seek rotten meat deliberately.

Goblin cuisine makes use of strong flavors to compensate for their weak taste buds, which makes it nearly unpalatable to many other races. Vegetables pickled in extremely vinegary brine and fermented foods are common in goblin diets, as well as meals seasoned with as many spices as they can get their hands on.

[kalvincent]

Goblin Society Part 1: Reputation and Freedom

Reputation and Inclination

Goblins as a people have a reputation for greed and hoarding, malice and cruelty, larson and arson, and general destructive tendencies. But they have also been described as curious, helpful, kind, and community-oriented. The truth is that all of these are true across the various goblin communities, and sometimes all at once.

Goblin culture is incredibly diverse, more so even than human cultures. The sole unifying trait of goblin society is freedom. The level of freedom that goblins live under could be described as excessive, even to races who highly value the concept (like catfolk and halflings). 

Ultimate Freedom

Goblins communities have little in the way of law, and what laws they do have are often ignored. 

The closest parallel to goblin society is human children. Goblins act like young children with no supervision, making up and discarding the rules of society whenever the whim strikes. A group can join together in humble devotion to sing a psalm to a benevolent god, and then set a farm on fire in the next minute.

Some clans exist in a constant state of violent struggle, fighting and raiding at the behest of a warlord. Others are more benevolent, with all goods being shared between members based on need, with little concept of personal ownership. The unifying trait between these two groups is anarchy.

Boredom and Hunger

The most dangerous thing for a goblin to be is hungry or bored. Most goblins are likely to immediately rectify such a situation with little regard for the consequences that would follow.

A hungry goblin will eat, irrelevant of who the food belongs to, and a bored goblin will find entertainment. This can come across as reckless and cruel to outsiders, but doing whatever feels right is the modus operandi in goblin society.

That's not to say that goblins cannot or will not learn society's rules, but few goblins really see the point in doing so. Following one's urges is natural. If you're hungry and there is food, why bother saving it? If there's a pig wandering around town, why not jump on its back and try and ride it? 

The flipside to their clinging to freedom is that goblins often end up on the wrong side of the longshanks' laws. Consequently, goblins frequently perceive the concept of a criminal code and penal system as pointless and cruel.

[kalvincent]

Goblin Physiology Part 1: External Anatomy

Goblins stand about as tall as a gnome at three feet, but tend to weigh somewhat less as a result of their incredibly fast metabolism. Goblins have short limbs for their torsos, but still move faster than most gnomes and halflings. For some reason, despite being half the height of a human, goblin heads are about the same size, and tend to look disproportionately large on their small frames.

Their ears are pointed and even longer than an elf’s, almost reminiscent of fey, but their noses are often small and up-turned like an orc’s. But their narrow, jagged teeth look more like a piranha’s than any other humanoids’.

Skin and Eyes

Goblin eye color is almost always red or yellow, and their eyes tend to be rather small and beady compared to their enlarged heads. Their eyes are adapted for dark environments, and reflect light like a cat’s, which can give them quite a menacing appearance at night.

While laypeople often assume that green is their universal skin color, in truth goblin skin tones vary based on their environments, not unlike that of elves. Green, grey, and blue are the most common, but people have also reported pale white and charcoal black skin tones in certain goblin clans. 

It’s unclear whether these variations in skin tone are as evolutionarily adaptive as elven camouflage skin, or whether goblins of separate clans simply had random melanin mutations. While this second theory would be implausible for most races, goblins have extremely high rates of genetic mutations, for reasons unknown.

Similarly unknown is the reason why goblins grow little or no hair. Their heads have at most light fuzz, while the rest of their bodies are almost entirely hairless. Most don’t even have eyebrow hair. A commonly accepted reason is that goblins evolved in subterranean environments where hair was not beneficial, but it seems unrealistic that even those who have lived in cold climates for a hundred generations would still be hairless.

Development

Goblin development is fast and sloppy. They reach their full height at around eight years of age, and considered fully adult by ten. Being as goblins mature twice as fast as humans, goblins can increase their numbers incredibly quickly, which can put them at odds with other races when they expand too far. This, combined with their tendency to accidentally have more children than they can reliably sustain, can push goblin clans to raid and make war against their neighbours, usually to their own detriment.

Goblin cells reproduce quickly but imperfectly, so even a goblin who was well fed and kept from violence would likely not live past fifty years of age. Their shorter generation time also seems to come with a bizarre drawback: goblins are far more likely to be born with a mutation than humans or elves. While this can often be as benign as a different skin or eye color, it can also manifest as cancer. Goblins with visible mutations are often perceived as being a good omen by their peers, as these deformities are seen as blessings by gods or demons.