Is Barret portrayed Fairly? - Page 3

April 10, 2007, 9:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shyne

smh at anyone complaining. Barret WAS portrayed very fairly, just as fair as everyone else. Everyone was portrayed fairly. If not, the game wouldn't have done well, as people would have jumped on the 'racist' bandwagon. The word 'Racism' is just too easilly used today. I think the people behind the FF7 characters did a great job of not being offensive towards white people or black people. But i don't see it as black or white. To me, Barret was just the same as Cloud, but with a different personality. We just have to look past the skin colour and see the personallity, just like we'd do in real life.

Quoted for truth!

I agree with and endorse everything youve just said

its the perfect reply

April 11, 2007, 12:23 AM

See, I always thought he was portraid fairly. I saw him like a tough strong fighter, fighting for what he believed for. I didn't see anything that stereotypical or racial in his character. I thought he was actually a well thought out character

April 11, 2007, 12:57 AM

He is portrayed fairly. Hell, he even have a chapter only for him in "On a Way to a Smile" where we discover many things about what he think.

But the truth is that no one in FFVII is portrayed more fairly than Zack!

April 11, 2007, 2:57 AM

I have to say that Barret had a very fair portrayal, even in the beginning. Sure he was angry, a single parent, large, violent, and foul mouthed. But, honestly, a lot of other characters come pretty close to that description. The only way I can think of his portrayal as unfair is when I think back to my first play through. At first I didn't think anything of him. He kind of annoyed me actually. After awhile I sort of got the impression that he was just the "token black guy" that you see in movies, on tv, and whatnot.

For those of you who don't know what I'm referring to, the "token black guy" is a phrase describing any African American who appears for the sole purpose of "equality". Basically, he wouldn't be there if someone didn't think some black person or organization was going to throw a hissy-fit if he wasn't. Not that I agree with why people do it, but the fact remains that people do. But, thinking back to the story, that may have very well been the reason he was black. After all, he fits all of the descriptions of the "token black guy", which are as follows:

*Is typically the only black person, and usually a, but not the, main character.

*Serves no purpose in being black.

*Does not die.

*Overcomes an adversity that is unrelated to the overall plot. (This one doesn't really fit for Barret)

*The fact that he is black is never discussed, brought up, or hinted at.

Basically the "token black guy" is just there to keep Jessie Jackson and his cronies at bay. Once again, I don't agree with doing this, but it happens nonetheless. And besides, why else is Barret the only black guy in the game (at least from my memory he is)? It just doesn't make sense. Either way it doesn't really matter to me, he makes for a great character, and has a fully developed background. So, it's all good in my book.

April 11, 2007, 3:04 AM

I thought Dyne was black... but upon further inspection... only slightly tanned. >.> Anyhow, I don't think he was a tolken black guy. They would've had some "I'm black... but I'm a person too" theme in there. There wasn't any at all.

On a sidenote: I agree that tolken black people are annoying characters. Playing Tom Clancy's Rainbow 6: Vegas right now. You're a texan with an asian computer guy and a badass black explosives expert. Could they have been more racially profiled?

EDIT: Mr. Coates was black... ran the chocobo races.

April 11, 2007, 3:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aztec Triogal

I thought Dyne was black... but upon further inspection... only slightly tanned. >.> Anyhow, I don't think he was a tolken black guy. They would've had some "I'm black... but I'm a person too" theme in there. There wasn't any at all.

On a sidenote: I agree that tolken black people are annoying characters. Playing Tom Clancy's Rainbow 6: Vegas right now. You're a texan with an asian computer guy and a badass black explosives expert. Could they have been more racially profiled?

EDIT: Mr. Coates was black... ran the chocobo races.

Good catch!

My main point was not so much that Barret was a "token black guy", but that he felt that way my during my first play through. I agree, I don't really see him so much as a token black guy, but when I started typing I started thinking about it again, and then I started saying to myself "well, maybe he was...". Obviously he's not though; we have Mr. Coates to prove that!

Though, that picture of him makes him look a little stereotypical. Look at that chain! Bling bling. Ahem. Sorry.

April 11, 2007, 3:47 AM

And I tell you what... Mr. Coates looks somewhat like that picture I posted earlier that I said would've been racially profiling. Big gold chain, big gold ring, open cut shirt... looking stereotyped to me.

April 11, 2007, 3:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aztec Triogal

EDIT: Mr. Coates was black... ran the chocobo races.

he looks like a pimp

-I thought Barret was portrayed pretty fairly and I thought it was funny that he reminded me so much of Mr. T. That's sort of the voice I pictured him having.

April 11, 2007, 6:15 AM

I think many people here are reading too much into Barrett being black. I mean, who cares if he was black, white or pink with purple spots? He was a great character and as far as I am concerned one of the best next to Cloud.
'token Black guy'? Better make Cid the 'token Old guy' and Cait Sith the 'token Cosplay guy' and Cloud the 'token Transvestite guy' then.....sheesh....