The Great White Savior (Or Why It's Way Past Time To Retire Tarzan, Sheena, and The Last Samurai)

Oh, boy. I'm about to open a can of worms, I'm afraid. When it comes to pulp fiction, this trope has its grubby fingerprints all over the place. Without Ki-Gor and Tarzan and Allan Quatermain and John Carter, how else would we geographically limited little white boys yearning for adventure learn to picture ourselves in exotic locales? 

And it's not just in books. It's all over our movies. A group of samurai need saving? Call in Tom Cruise and hand that boy a katana. A group of indigenous Americans instead? Oh well, let's russle up Kevin Costner and his six-shooters. 

Examples abound!

• 
  To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: While Atticus is portrayed as a moral hero, the narrative centers on his perspective and heroism rather than Tom's experience and agency.
  
  
• The Help by Kathryn Stockett: The story revolves around a young white journalist, Skeeter Phelan, who writes a book about the experiences of black maids in the 1960s South. The narrative often shifts focus from the maids' struggles to Skeeter's journey and growth.
  
  
• The Blind Side (2009): The narrative emphasizes the wealthy white family's role in Michael's success, overshadowing Michael's own resilience and efforts.
  
  
• Dangerous Minds (1995): A white teacher, LouAnne Johnson, takes a job at an inner-city school and is depicted as the savior of her predominantly non-white students, who are portrayed as needing her guidance to succeed.
  
  
• Avatar (2009): A white protagonist, Jake Sully, becomes the savior of the Na'vi, an indigenous alien race, by leading them in a fight against human colonizers. This narrative centers on his transformation and heroism rather than the Na'vi's own resistance.
  
  
• The Last Samurai (2003): A white protagonist, Captain Nathan Algren, joins the Samurai to resist the Emperor and imperialism as part of the Satsuma Rebellion. The story focuses on Algren's journey to be a hero rather than the efforts of the Samurai (wich a few exceptions that need to be shown in how they related to Algren's growth). 
  
  
• The Phantom (comic strip, movie, comic books): While the mask may hide the identity of "The Ghost Who Walks," it never hides the fact that this hero of the jungle is the white man Kit Walker. 
  
  

Sure, those stories fit a niche, and they maybe even convinced some of us to become anything from archeologists and ministerial MDs to Peace Corps members or (for the rest of us) writers. So, that's certainly a good thing, right? These few examples illustrate how the white savior trope often shifts focus from the experiences and agency of non-white characters to the heroism and moral growth of white characters. By recognizing and moving away from this trope, writers can create more authentic and empowering narratives.

A cavaet: A lot of this will be aimed at white writers because historically we've been the most guilty of this trope. But the skills and techniques used to avoid the trope apply to all writers. 

Well, let's back up a step and look at the possibility that maybe there was a better way. 

The white savior trope is a recurring narrative in literature, film, and other media where a white character rescues non-white characters from their plight, often overshadowing the agency and capabilities of the latter. 

This trope is problematic for several reasons, and as writers, we need to recognize the issues and move away from them. After all, don't we all want to create more authentic, respectful, and empowering stories? 

Well, What's the Problem?

In spite of it being about the only way to introduce readers to other cultures in the publishing world years ago, this trope is problematic for several reasons. It's crucial that we as writers recognize and shy away from it to create more authentic, respectful, and empowering stories.

Reinforces Racial Superiority: The white savior trope perpetuates the idea that white people are inherently superior and more capable than people of color. It also comes with the baggage that indigenous peoples always benefit from the introduction of white culture and civilization, which supercedes anything the native culture has to offer. This narrative also suggests that non-white characters are unable to solve their problems without white intervention.

Erases Authentic Voices: By focusing on the white savior, the stories of the people being "saved" are often marginalized or erased. This diminishes the rich, diverse experiences and perspectives of non-white characters, reducing them to mere backdrops for the white protagonist's heroism.

Promotes a Simplistic View of Complex Issues: The trope often simplifies complex social, political, and economic issues into a narrative where a single white character can provide a solution. This undermines the real, systemic efforts needed to address these issues and ignores the contributions of those directly affected.

Perpetuates Stereotypes: It often relies on stereotypes about non-white characters, portraying them as helpless, passive, or in need of guidance. This not only misrepresents these communities but also perpetuates harmful stereotypes that can influence public perception and policy.

As innocent as these characters may seem to the white audiences they were marketed to, they did create a sort of fictional world that stressed the underlying notions of colonialism and European cultural supremacy. It diminished the lives and ways of living of the people who were colonized.

Retiring Tarzan and Sheena

Okay. Okay. I'm convinced. So, as a writer, how do I create a more equitable and inclusive literary world? How do I write more diverse and authentic stories that respect the dignity and agency of all characters, regardless of their race, class, or culture? 

I'm glad you asked. 

Here are just a few ways to round that corner as a creator of fiction.

Center Non-White Characters: Writers should focus on creating stories where non-white characters are the protagonists of their own narratives. This means giving them agency, depth, and the ability to solve their problems without relying on a white savior.

Highlight Authentic Experiences: It's essential to portray the authentic experiences of non-white characters, including their struggles, triumphs, and contributions. This requires research, empathy, and often collaboration with people from the communities being represented.

Create Allies, Not Heroes: Even if your POV character is white, he, she, or they don't have to be your hero. Give the story from the character you can best write, but let that character be Watson to the indigenous Holmes. Or maybe a white handmaiden raised as a daughter by the native queen rather than having to be seen as a golden-haired goddess. 

Challenge Stereotypes: Writers should actively challenge and subvert stereotypes rather than reinforce them. This involves creating complex, multifaceted characters who defy simplistic categorizations.

Promote Diverse Voices: Encouraging and amplifying the voices of writers from diverse backgrounds is crucial. This not only enriches the literary landscape but also ensures that stories are told from a variety of perspectives, leading to more nuanced and authentic narratives.

Who's the New King of the Jungle?

Even in genre fiction there are new ways of looking at culture and racial identity in our works. Instead of the outdated and (let's face it) racist viewpoints of colonials and white saviorism, there are new themes we can use to undergird our fiction. 

"What might they be?" you ask. 

Identity and Self-Discovery: Many of these works explore the protagonists' journeys to understand and embrace their identities. This includes grappling with cultural, racial, sexual, and personal identities. 

Resilience and Empowerment: These stories often highlight the resilience and strength of their characters in the face of adversity. Dillon, created by Derrick Ferguson, is a shining example of embracing this type of story. 

Community and Belonging: A strong sense of community and the importance of belonging are central themes. Black Panther celebrates the unity and strength of Wakanda, and I like to think that Evelyn, Broomstick, and Belle provide that underpinning in the Rick Ruby stories, as well as being the source for any heroicness Rick may deign to aspire to. 

Social Justice and Activism: Several works address social justice issues and the characters' roles in advocating for change. 

Cultural Heritage and Tradition: These works often emphasize the significance of cultural heritage and traditions. Black Panther, an epic sci-fi and superhero film and comic book, tackles this theme with great style and excitement.

Intersectionality: Intersectionality, or the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender, is a recurring theme. These stories explore how multiple aspects of identity intersect and impact the characters' lives. Look no further than the fantastic Ursula Le Guin for great examples of this. Perhaps the best example of this theme is the movie Finding Forrester, since Jamal and William rescue each other. One of the most emotional intersectional tales is that of broken folks who cooperate to rebuild each other. (This theme would have made both Dances with Wolves and The Last Samurai far better, more relevant flicks.) 

Wow, you may say, those are some hifalootin' ideas for my little pulp stories. But are they? Are they really? You've already probably written about most of these, but hidden away in elves and orcs and fairies and shapeshifters and alien species and sentient robots. You've just never connected them with real people. 

Even in your pulp stories, you've embraced the "out there weirdness" and decided to put your white dude (because that was your comfort zone for writing character) in the middle of it. As the protagonist and hero, he did what he had to do in a way that makes him somehow a better equipped specimen for being the star of the show. You just didn't think about the message that blind spot (let's hope) inadvertently shared. 

Let's Rewrite History (Well, Literature Anyway)

Let's take a few moments to ponder ways to make some of the classic white savior heroes less troublesome. How can we make these classic pulp and genre protagonists into something less colonial or driven by societal prejudice that has gone long past its expiration date?

Tarzan: There are several ways to fix this one. For starters, we can lose the white child lost in the jungle and just have a tribal child raised by the creatures (more like Mowgli). Or, if you want to write from the POV of a white character for a more natural voice, have the kid raised as the sidekick instead of the hero and experience the real hero's story through the sidekick character's eyes. (Ditto for Sheena and 1930s and 1940s Queen of the Jungle genre movies.)

The Last Samurai: Okay, this one is based on a true story, but let's keep the focus where it should be, on the Japanese samurai heroes, not on the white military man who shifted sides. Let his story be support to the real heroes, not the focus. Or we shift the focus to how the Samurai are responsible for rebuilding the broken Algren.  (Ditto for Dances with Wolves and Avatar.) 

She and Ayesha: Why in the name of God did the heroine have to be a white woman at all in this book? The book gains nothing from it except that it makes the romance between Leo and "She" more palatable for European tastes, which couldn't have coped with an interracial love story. 

The Phantom: Again, aside from the fact that it was written for a white audience, there was no reason the man behind "The Ghost Who Walks" couldn't have been from one of the local tribes Kit Walker protected. That way, you have a person from the inside as the hero rather than one who comes from the outside, another culture, to save all the insiders. 

Wrapping It All Up

I did say I was going to open up a can of worms. I didn't lie, did I?

Now, a lot of genre and pulp writers approach this issue in different ways. 

"It was a long time ago. Let's just enjoy it as a creation of the period."

That's cool. I can get behind that. But nowhere in that statement is the need to keep creating the same stories that were culturally accepted then (still wrong though) but no longer put up with because we've had almost a decade of knowing better. 

"It doesn't hurt anyone, and I'm more comfortable writing white dudes."

This one's harder for me to defend. Learn how to write other POVs. Learn how to empathize and not just sympathize. Or, at least make your white dude the sidekick instead of riding roughshod over the strength of the insider you were going to have him usurp.

"But I won't write that woke bullshit." 

Bye Felicia. Go make oil with the other fossils. 

"I can see that it's important, but isn't it more important for indigenous voice to tell their stories?"

Absolutely. So tell ally stories, like I mentioned above. Don't try to tell the voice of the hero if the hero clearly needs to be another color, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, etc., other than you feel comfortable writing. Tell the voice of the ally. Or write a different story. Even a different genre.

"This is important, but I want to figure it out for myself."

Cool. Go for it. Learn. Make mistakes. Fix. Rinse. Repeat. Be prepared to slip up and risk being misunderstood and accused of reinforcing stereotypes, but keep growing. Admit when you get it wrong. Then change directions and don't go that way again.

"This is so important that I need to seek out more marginalized voices and get their input and value their perspectives."

Welcome to the graduate-level class. This is where real change occurs. First-person input from those who have lived this shit, there's nothing better than that. There's no learning module you can take online that will give you more efficient access to the real deal. There's no college course you can sit in on that can ever replace true, meaningful, LISTENING time with someone who has lived it. Period. 

So there it is. The proverbial cat is out of the bag. Now it's up to you. Either retire this way-overdone cliche or not. All I can do it tell you why I think it's the best move for you if you want to become a better, more relevant writer.