Unpacking 'Yellowface': A critical look at cultural appropriation in literature
By R.F Kuang
YELLOWFACE IS ANNOYING. BAD START. MY BAD. LET ME REPHRASE THAT :
Yellowface is both frustrating and intriguing. We explore the deceitful and contradictory realm of literature, publishing, authors and other book communities from the perspective of an eccentric woman.
Juniper Hayward, later known as Juniper Song, is a low-level writer. She had managed to secure a book deal, which initially filled her with excitement. However, the experience itself proved to be rather
underwhelming. Juniper found herself wandering aimlessly in the world of publishing, struggling to establish a noteworthy reputation for herself. This stood in stark contrast to her so-called “friend” Athena Liu.
SUPERSTAR AND INCREDIBLE WRITER, A PRODIGY OF WORDS AND MAGICIAN OF EMOTIONS, JUNIPER DOES NOT LIKE ATHENA.
However, a remarkable evening they spend together has the potential to alter Juniper’s perceptions. As the night draws to a close, they decide to engage in a game. And it is during this very game that Athena tragically meets her demise.
And what does our dear Juni do after panicking and calling the cops ? She decides to steal Athena’S latest work.
I was captivated by Junie's character right from the start. She exudes such bitterness that if her words could take physical form, they would pour out of her mouth like liquid acid or pure arsenic. Every single word she utters is tinged with a negative connotation. Even her compliments:
“Its about her. Athena Liu, is simply put, so fucking cool. Even her name – Athena Ling En Liu – is cool; well done, Mr and Mrs Liu, to choose a perfect combination of the classical and exotic.”
Yellowface, Rebecca F. KUANG, 2023, pg5
The only time we see her resentment diminish is during that night with Athena. For those few pages, there is a glimmer of hope that she could possibly transform into a compassionate individual. Unfortunately, she chooses to use this night to plunge headlong into Villaintown. If she was resentful and spiteful before the encounter, she intensifies these qualities after it. Not only does the mild prejudice she already possessed become more intense, but she also begins to make comments that could be seen as overtly racist, such as the following
“I read every single one of the sources that Athena cited in her draft, until I am as much an expert on the Chinese Labour Corp as anyone can be.”
Yellowface, Rebecca F. KUANG, 2023, pg 48
“For some reason, I keep thinking about how good her English is.”
Yellowface, Rebecca F. KUANG, 2023, pg 51
The hypocrisy is at its peak. Now she's altering Athena's book and writing, which she previously praised. She insists it's "editing," but she's not just changing characters, she's altering their relationships. She convinces herself that she contributed as much as Athena to the book.
Kuang denounces the hypocrisy that reigns in the publishing industry. The way in which it operates is well known, with a purely symbolic diversity, both in terms of books and in terms of authors.
Juniper's original surname was Hayward, but this was changed to Song, her middle name. The reason for the change was to give her a more attractive, star-like appearance. However, the connotation behind the change is obvious to us.
What also fascinated me was Kuang's vivid description of the profound influence of social media on today's publishing industry.
Juniper herself spends countless hours immersed in these platforms. The scandals surrounding her books seem to be accepted because they generate interest and help sell.
Shockingly, these scandals, which demonstrate the extent to which the industry has allowed itself to be swept along by the dynamics of social media, are even used by right-wing activists in book reviews to fuel their defensive arguments.
In Kuang's critique, they address a concept that caught me off guard: “emotional theft”. While it may seem cliché, I urge you to hear me out. As readers and writers, we understand the power words and sentences hold. Some of them stay with us for a lifetime, even becoming synonymous with entire franchises (think “I am your father” and “Yer a wizard, Harry”). So, when an artist shamelessly incorporates heart-wrenching expressions or remarkable anecdotes without acknowledging their source, it can only be described as theft. Enter Athena... grumbles into my pillow! Later in the book, we delve into Junie's growing estrangement from Athena and the origins of her resentment. After Junie returns from a date with a guy, she inexplicably has no memory of the night but finds herself partially undressed. Tearfully confiding in Athena, Junie pours out her emotions seeking comfort. However, a few weeks later, Athena publishes a short story that incorporates Junie’s experience and even uses her exact words. Adding to this, Athena’s boyfriend had previously commented on her character, depicting her as a heartless individual who exploits people's words for her own writing. He even recalls moments during their intimate quarrels where Athena seemed more focused on his words than his emotions.
This situation reminded me of a Tumblr post, it discussed how Fitzgerald allegedly stole much of his material from his wife, Zelda. I had heard about this story long before stumbling upon the post on the internet. It described how many renowned authors throughout history used the journals or words of their wives, mistresses, or concubines and received accolades for ideas that weren’t originally theirs. This revelation appalled and outraged me, but it also made me contemplate the extent to which our most celebrated writers have borrowed strong words and thoughts, yet were still praised for their work.
Reflecting on Yellowface weeks later, I still find it as compelling as ever. Junie’s portrayal can be criticised, but her character is skilfully constructed. It satirises the publishing industry and highlights the dynamics of western publishing and its impact on non-western writers.
Juni is the villain of the story, not only because she stole, but more importantly because she didn’t understand that by stealing “The Last Front”, she was stealing from an entire community. Not just Athena. Athena is just an accomplice in all this. Juni doesn’t understand the workers of The Last Front. Her research is technical and superficial. That’s what she doesn’t understand, and what many people don’t understand when whole communities are outraged. POC don’t just write stories, they write the details of thousands of lives that other people like them can understand and relate to.
Denzel Washington said it best in an interview promoting Fences : It’s details, like a warm comb in the
character’s hair on a Sunday morning before church, that make the stories personal to the viewers.