Markham on Robert Saxtorph:
"'He is a flatlander.'" (6, p. 56)
Dorcas Saxtorph in reply:
"'...you have delivered an intolerable racist insult.'" (ibid.)
Arthur Tregennis, commenting:
"'There is a certain prejudice against the Earth-born among the space-born. I understand it is quite widespread.'" (p. 57)
No doubt it is. I did not realize the racist content of "flatlander" when Markham said it so I did not initially understand Dorcas' response. We are invited to imagine a different society with a different language.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I admit to finding "flatlander" a rather vague term of contempt. I guess we would have to grow up in a society where it was an insult to truly understand it. After all, everyone born or living on planets are "flatlanders."
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
Despite that, the term is applied only to Terrestrials. Those born on We Made It are "Crashlanders."
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I should have remembered that! I assume We Made It got that curious nickname "Crashlanders" for the inhabitants because the first Earth ship to arrive crashed on the planet. So, the survivors could say "We Made It"!
Ad astra! Sean
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