 Fantasy: July 31, 2013 Issue [#5811] |
  Fantasy
This week: Personality Edited by: Robert Waltz  
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Dwarves are not heroes, but a calculating folk with a great idea of the value of money; some are tricky and treacherous and pretty bad lots; some are not but are decent enough people like Thorin and Company, if you don't expect too much.
-J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
Clever's not enough to hold me - I want characters who are more than devices to be moved about for Effect.
-Laura Anne Gilman
The way she looks right now, you have to think about multiple car pile-ups. Imagine two bloodmobiles colliding head on. The way she looks, you'd have to think of mass graves to even log thirty seconds in the saddle.
Think of spoiled cat food and ulcerated cankers and expired donor organs.
That's how beautiful she looks.
Chuck Palahniuk, Choke |
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In stories, anything can be a character.
This is especially true in fantasy, science fiction, kids' stories and literary fiction.
We can all relate to humans, animals and even aliens as characters, but objects are generally considered "inanimate" by the imagination-impaired. It's tempting to consider a hatpin, or chair, or city, or planet as an object or setting, but to write with depth, try considering such things as characters instead.
Why? Well, one of the reasons to read (and write) fantasy and science fiction is to explore reality from different viewpoints. We add in aliens or elves or catpeople or whatever in part so we can view our own strengths and weaknesses through the eyes of the "other."
Now, I'm not saying that you should give them all eyes and a mouth like it's a Disney movie or some such, or even necessarily the semblance of free will, but memorable examples of objects-as-characters abound in fantasy and science fiction.
How about the One Ring? Clearly a manufactured object, but it can also be considered a character in its own right - its history and enchantments drive the plot of four books. While it is said to have the ability to choose its owner, and affects the minds of those who come into contact with it, it's still a ring, not a hobbit or a wizard. And yet, without it, there's no story - in that sense, it's a character.
In Star Trek, the Enterprise is a character. She has a personality of sorts, strengths and weaknesses, and influences the lives of the crew and, sometimes, the population of entire planets.
Or how about in Star Wars, that "wretched hive of scum and villainy," Mos Eisley? Yes, a city or town can certainly be a character. And don't even get me started on the Death Star.
Likewise, in Doctor Who, the TARDIS is a character - the only one, in fact, that is a constant through all the incarnations of the Doctor and his companions. The Doctor is, of course, the titular character, but he's different in each incarnation while the TARDIS is always... the TARDIS. In that case, of course, the writers know that she's a character and write accordingly (Neil Gaiman knows what he's doing).
But every object in a story can be a character of sorts - like the people or other life forms in the stories, they have history, role, and a future. In a Western, a gun can be a character just as much as a horse or a cowboy. A military uniform isn't just a collection of cloth, buttons and insignia; it represents something, has meaning. Superman's costume is just as important to the story as Kal-El himself. And so on.
In stories, everything can be a metaphor. Some writers take this too far and make things into only metaphors, but that gets in the way of storytelling - and yet we can all benefit from writing objects, cities, planets, whatever as if they have their own personality and traits.
Because even in our world, they do. |
Just some assorted Fantasy...
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Last time, in "Fantasy Newsletter (July 3, 2013)" , I talked about the concept of freedom.
pinkbarbie: Thanks for the helpful newsletter. [Submitted item: "Invalid Item" ]
Thanks for reading 
Mummsy  : *casually reads newsletter* Hey!  I'm doing that! *pats self on back* 
Good
A*Monaing*Faith  : Enjoyed the freedom quotes though of course I was reminded of Braveheart and surprisingly thanks to Morrison I thought about Peeta: "Only keep wishing I could show the Capitol that they don't own me. That I am more than just a piece in their game. If I am going to die I still want to be me."
Actually haven't read (or seen) Hunger Games yet.
BIG BAD WOLF is Howling  : I rarely discus politics in my items, but in my AvZ interactive, city dwellers have to spend at least one week in uniform as part of their Civic Duty, as part of the Town Guard. While there are some exceptions, like health conditions, not even money can get you out of Duty week forever- Pay the fee to Skip, and you're wearing the uniform the next year. [Submitted Item: "Anthros Versus Zombies" [18+]]
The good thing about Fantasy is being able to come up with ideas like that.
stan  : informative...i like this
Thanks!
And that's all for now - see you in August! Until then,
DREAM ON!!! |
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