Authenticity in Creative Expression
Issue 10: Lessons from "Yellowface" by Rebecca F. Kuang
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Reading “Yellowface” by R.F. Kuang stirred several different emotions as I reflected on it. The book incorporates themes linked to the publishing industry, cultural appropriation, authenticity, white privilege, envy, and the price of fame and success. Although the protagonist's choices are not what we might encounter every day, I believe that the emotions she experiences are very relevant and realistically can happen within our professional and personal relationship dynamics overall.
Although I would agree that cultural appropriation and themes of identity are strongly apparent in this read, I would also argue that envy and personal responsibility stood out for me as well. Envy alongside authenticity is consistently present throughout June’s character journey, and although it makes her interesting, I felt that I was consistently waiting for the moment when she would redeem herself by taking responsibility and discovering her own voice.
Despite the book touching on important subjects, June’s character didn’t evolve the way I would have liked to have seen. However, that doesn’t mean that we can’t extract the lessons here on SparkSiren! Although June didn’t see the opportunity in being close to Athena, it is something that we could explore for ourselves by learning from her mistakes.
In this email we’ll cover:
The Book of The Week
Quotes and Questions to Reflect On
Insights and Inspiration
Closing Remarks
Quote From the book
What’s New?
Book of the Week:
“Yellowface” by Rebecca F. Kuang
Genre:
Literary Thriller Fiction
Synopsis:
June Hayward is a young writer whose debut novel has already been forgotten. Although her circumstances are difficult for her to grapple with, it becomes even more intensified when she’s ridden with jealousy over her friend’s success. Athena Liu is not only a fantastic writer but has had several different literary achievements under her belt to prove it too.
While June is still trying to identify her new book concept, Athena has just signed a deal with Netflix. June’s constant comparison to her friend is not only what catapults her into this story, but also serves as persistent internal conflict that she deals with. Despite both having had prestigious educational backgrounds, it stirs heavy resentment within June that she just doesn’t measure up to the same success as Athena has managed to attain. They are in vastly different positions in their career.
Unfortunate circumstances take place on an evening when they are both out celebrating Athena’s new deal when she accidentally chokes to death on a homemade pancake. What starts as a freak accident, entices June to make the most of the moment by stealing Athena’s new book draft, which she had shown June earlier that evening. As nobody has seen the work yet, June takes the initiative to finish the book and passes it off as her work.
What results in great success, also comes with the disadvantages of cultural backlash, suspicion of whether the new work is consistent with her previous work, and whether June had anything to do with Athena’s death.
Why We Love It:
This story illuminates several important themes, particularly cultural appropriation and identity. Although June doesn't achieve the same levels of success as Athena, she still benefits from her privilege as a white woman. One clear indication of this is that June’s writing simply does not match the calibre of Athena’s, despite both having attended Yale University. June's expectations in life are shaped by this privilege, leading her to believe she should attain the same success as Athena without critically assessing her own skills and work quality.
One of the most challenging aspects of June's character is her lack of growth despite the consequences she faces. Instead of recognizing her role in the decline of her literary 'success,' she consistently avoids responsibility, which only exacerbates the backlash against her. Throughout the book, June fails to honestly reflect on her skills, abilities, and network, opting instead to project her insecurities onto others. Her actions are further compounded by stealing from Athena, a minority within the industry.
"Yellowface" serves as a stark reminder of the importance of cultural authenticity and the dangers of entitlement. June's journey is a cautionary tale about the risks of avoiding self-reflection and responsibility. Her inability to acknowledge her privilege and shortcomings ultimately leads to her downfall, highlighting the destructive nature of envy and the importance of accountability.
The Key Message of The Book
I've always observed that those who avoid taking responsibility for their own lives often become jealous of others' achievements. In contrast, those who are willing to put in the effort will find inspiration in others' success. The key message I took away from this book is that we need to evaluate whether we're genuinely putting in the work before succumbing to feelings of envy, and if our envy is blocking our opportunities for success.
Envy can be a dangerous emotion if we focus on its negative aspects. However, like any emotion, envy can teach us a lot about ourselves. It reveals our desires and goals, showing us where we want to be and what we should be striving toward. Being envious of someone is more an opportunity to bring us closer to our goals by allowing their achievements to inspire us rather than generate bitterness. If we dwell on the negative aspects of envy, it can damage our relationships, self-esteem, and overall outlook on life.
Sometimes, our work simply doesn't meet its full potential yet. It might not be good enough at that moment, but that doesn't mean we can't improve it. Working in creative industries is particularly challenging because we invest our emotions, time, energy, and reputation into our projects. However, doing our best doesn't automatically entitle us to success. Our current efforts may not yet meet the standards of excellence. So being in the presence of someone who does, is ultimately an opportunity to push ourselves further.
Putting ourselves out there creatively is daunting, especially for those within these industries. However, there’s also a lesson in consistently showing up for ourselves, which is that the response we receive can be a direct indicator of where we are on the scale towards success. Facing these results constantly shows us areas for improvement. Although it is easier said than done, by embracing feedback and seeking guidance from others, we can achieve much more over time.
Quotes and Questions To Reflect On
Quote of the Week:
“Reading lets us live in someone else’s shoes. Literature builds bridges; it makes our world larger, not smaller.” - Rebecca F. Kuang, Yellowface
Reflection Questions:
What does "Yellowface" suggest about the ethical responsibilities of writers and creators when it comes to representing cultures and identities other than their own?
How does the relationship between June and Athena highlight the complexities of friendship, competition, and betrayal in creative industries?
In what ways does the novel address the concept of self-worth and validation of one's work and achievements?
Interview With The Author:
Insights and Inspiration
Author Spotlight:
Rebecca F. Kuang
Background:
Rebecca F. Kuang is the author of the Poppy War Trilogies, Babel, as well as this week’s read, “Yellowface.” Her impressive written accomplishments are paralleled alongside her educational career, which includes degrees from Cambridge, Oxford, and her current studies which are taking place at Yale University.
Other Works:
Babel
Poppy Wars Trilogy
Beyond the Book:
Closing Remarks
I think working towards any kind of success, especially within the creative industries, we need to learn to not only expand our comfort zones but learn our ways to be creative and take accountability for our work. Especially within today’s media landscape, authenticity is such a strong theme across the board. However, it’s not a strong enough theme yet to the point where we won’t be met with resistance yet.
Authenticity, although we hear about it often, is not something that we are necessarily well-versed in. Peer pressure, societal parameters, cultural expectations, and different backgrounds, are all factors to consider when we think about how our perceptions are shaped. Authenticity requires us to acknowledge all those parts of ourselves, as well as how we decided to perceive it all. What makes us who we are, and how can we express it sincerely in a way that lands?
The reality is that despite our best efforts, we can’t always predict how we’ll be perceived, especially on a big scale. Authenticity requires us to stand in our truth, know why we believe what we do, and show up in a way that reflects those beliefs, with the understanding that it could be met with resistance. June’s approach to her story, although it seemed like the safer route to success, came with its own disadvantages. From what I could tell, neither option was ‘safe,’ but if she had at least written something authentic to her, she would have been met with less personal resistance than she had.
What she could have learnt from Athena was to hone in on her skills and start to meet her on the same standard before feeling entitled to her level of success. It’s easy to take our friends and network for granted, especially when we experience envious feelings towards them, but that could also close the doors to our own opportunities in the end.
When dealing with feelings of envy, we can forget that those emotions can also be transformed into feelings of inspiration. In my experience, being around people who are better or are achieving more than we are, can set us up to set the bar higher for ourselves. It can allow us to meet more people on that level so that we’ll be positioned to push ourselves further as well as learn on how to get closer to our desired goals. I would say, that overall, knowing someone who is in a position to where we want to be, should be inspirational.
Until Next Time!
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Keep living life on your terms!
Warm regards,
June Tara
Founder of Spark Siren