I just didn't want to Polly to say, "Oh look, an African girl!" it would be clearer if I did.
Yes. that would be a bit unsubtle. But perhaps something more indirect connecting her appearance and the type of person Polly had expected? Similar to what you actually did, but giving a bit of a hint as to how / why her appearance makes Polly understand and have a higher opinion of Experiment house? That way you needn't nail down exactly what Jill's ethnicity is. I'm not quite sure if there's a good option there, but it would be a middle ground. On the other hand, it *does* make for a nice mystery for the reader, who presumably at this point in reading is pretty attuned to matters of race and ethnicity in wartime England.
Someone said she really wanted more of an observation of Eustace's non-odious behavior -- Asim with a quirked eyebrow or something
Yes! I'm glad you're following up on this.
how is Ed going to react to a Narnian Friend, in England, who is closer in appearance to his wife than anyone else in their circle?
It is an interesting thought, and it is something that should not be entirely ignored. However, presumably talk of Richard's Kenyan wife has at least gotten Edmund used to the idea that such things happen here, however rarely. And perhaps there is opportunity for an interesting conversation between Edmund and Eustace here. It doesn't sound like Edmund is ready to talk about Morgan anytime soon, yet if Eustace brings up Jill's treatment at Experiment House and elsewhere in England around Edmund, he would obviously have something relevant to say. Perhaps even a relatively detached observation that mixed race marriages were common in his Narnia, without going into his own. There's never been any indication that Morgan or her parents were viewed as unusual in the Lone Islands on any sort of ethnic basis.
Morgan and Jill don't look at all alike in my head btw. I mean, they both have medium-darkish coloring, but so do billions of other women. I have Jill cast as looking something like Bianca Lawson as Kendra (the 2nd slayer from Buffy the Vampire Slayer http://buffy.wikia.com/wiki/Kendra_Young who was of Caribbean origin) although without that character's ridiculous accent.
If nothing else, Jill and Morgan would carry themselves entirely differently. Jill is more confident (in general, as opposed to Morgan's very situational confidence) and has excellent communication skills (as opposed to... well, you know). Skin tone and possibly a willingness to speak their mind would be about all I see in common so far. And possibly an interest in crows :-)
no subject
Yes. that would be a bit unsubtle. But perhaps something more indirect connecting her appearance and the type of person Polly had expected? Similar to what you actually did, but giving a bit of a hint as to how / why her appearance makes Polly understand and have a higher opinion of Experiment house? That way you needn't nail down exactly what Jill's ethnicity is. I'm not quite sure if there's a good option there, but it would be a middle ground. On the other hand, it *does* make for a nice mystery for the reader, who presumably at this point in reading is pretty attuned to matters of race and ethnicity in wartime England.
Someone said she really wanted more of an observation of Eustace's non-odious behavior -- Asim with a quirked eyebrow or something
Yes! I'm glad you're following up on this.
how is Ed going to react to a Narnian Friend, in England, who is closer in appearance to his wife than anyone else in their circle?
It is an interesting thought, and it is something that should not be entirely ignored. However, presumably talk of Richard's Kenyan wife has at least gotten Edmund used to the idea that such things happen here, however rarely. And perhaps there is opportunity for an interesting conversation between Edmund and Eustace here. It doesn't sound like Edmund is ready to talk about Morgan anytime soon, yet if Eustace brings up Jill's treatment at Experiment House and elsewhere in England around Edmund, he would obviously have something relevant to say. Perhaps even a relatively detached observation that mixed race marriages were common in his Narnia, without going into his own. There's never been any indication that Morgan or her parents were viewed as unusual in the Lone Islands on any sort of ethnic basis.
Morgan and Jill don't look at all alike in my head btw. I mean, they both have medium-darkish coloring, but so do billions of other women. I have Jill cast as looking something like Bianca Lawson as Kendra (the 2nd slayer from Buffy the Vampire Slayer http://buffy.wikia.com/wiki/Kendra_Young who was of Caribbean origin) although without that character's ridiculous accent.
If nothing else, Jill and Morgan would carry themselves entirely differently. Jill is more confident (in general, as opposed to Morgan's very situational confidence) and has excellent communication skills (as opposed to... well, you know). Skin tone and possibly a willingness to speak their mind would be about all I see in common so far. And possibly an interest in crows :-)