Major thread for historical fantasy based on Algerian colonialism

One of my projects is a historical fantasy novel set in a country modelled on Algeria which is being colonised. The male protagonist is the chieftain of a local tribe living in the desert who's leading a rebellion, and the female protagonist is a Caribbean courtesan. They eventually have a friendship/romance, with a Culture Clash. How do I write this without playing into "North African men are sexist" stereotypes, because tradaitionally Bedouin tribes have a strong moral code, especially for women, depending on honour.

edited 28th Mar '13 4:25:24 AM by MorwenEdhelwen

Just focus on the characters as characters rather than representatives of their cultures. Explore the character and how they react to their societal norms. If the character is sexist, why are they sexist? Is it wrong for them to be sexist considering the society they live in? How does their sexism manifests and effects them and the characters around?

Focus on the "whys" and keep those character-oriented questions in mind and you'll be fine.

Maybe he's picked up some ideas from overseas education from the French or the radical/left leaning groups and it might've changed his views on sexuality and women in society a bit? My knowledge is a bit foggy but I do know there were revolutionaries or otherwise politically vocal youth groups who did have European education and brought back part of what they learned with them to the motherland.

@ Stillbirth Machine:

That's a great idea! I didn't think of that Why is it that when something is obvious you never think of it?

edited 26th Mar '13 9:53:58 PM by MorwenEdhelwen

I imagine some people might find it to have some unfortunate implications of how the male lead ends up being saved from his evil misogynistic heathen ways by the intelligent culturally superior Europeans. Basically, it could come off as white-washing to some readers. Perhaps it shouldn't all come from his foreign education? Maybe the occupation and rebel conflicts, aside from generally raising hell, also slowly start tearing down certain societal divides.

Maybe he's influenced due to his revolutionary ideals?

edited 30th Mar '13 4:25:56 AM by MorwenEdhelwen

That reminds me, are there any tropers of Algerian descent who'd be willing to check cultural details? Also, one of the issues that crops up in the book is the racism the guy faces from members of his tribe, because of the fact his grandmother was a Black concubine/slave from what is basically Liberia, and a lot of the "White" members of the tribe don't like the fact that they have a chieftain who's got Black ancestry. In North Africa, racism against Blacks is quite common. There have been people who were both Black/White Arab, like this guy.

edited 30th Mar '13 4:52:09 AM by MorwenEdhelwen

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