History and Fantasy
This post comes directly from the "talk" I did for Leigh Grossman's fantasy class at UConn. In that class, they were discussing the role of history in fantasy novels, so Leigh asked me to do a discussion about that. That was pretty much all the guidance or direction he gave me, but I figured I'd at least bring up what I thought about the subject here. This isn't really a writing post per se, but rather a discussion of one of the favorite topics in the fantasy genre: Why is all of the fantasy out there so stereotypically European medieval in nature? I tried to get Leigh Grossman's class talking about this. It is something that writers in the field need to think about, even if in the end they wind up writing medieval settings for their novels anyway.
So the real complaint is that all fantasies seem to be medieval in nature, and in particular European medieval. Why? There are plenty of other cultures out there that would be great as settings for fantasy settings, and they just aren't used. So why not? Why do we stick to the same types of settings and worlds, when we could be using other influences such as ancient Japan, or medieval China, or even the South American cultures such as the Incas or the Aztecs. Where are all the Aztec fantasies? Everyone always claims they're looking for something new, but in the end we seem to wind up with the same types of novels. Is it because the publishers don't buy the new, unique stuff (contrary to what they say they're looking for) or is it that the writers just are writing them?
Before I bring up some of my points, a little disclaimer. There ARE fantasies out there that have different settings. I'm making a generalization based on the common preconception of the majority of the readers out there. Alma Alexander has unique fantasies based on oriental culture, which were to be featured in Leigh's class. Guy Gavriel Key uses specific cultures, even European cultures, to suffuse his work with a uniqueness as well, rather than the simple standard medieval settings. So there is stuff out there that fits the definition of "non-European-medieval settings". Everyone should go check them out.
But I think everyone will agree that the majority of the fantasies out there
have a fairly standard European medieval setting. So why?
My basic answer is because it's familiar. Being familiar means many things though. The most uninteresting thing about it being familiar is that a certain onus typically set on the writer's shoulder is relieved. In fantasy, you're being asked to enter a completely new world. The writer has to reveal this world to you. If the world is familiar, or has familiar elements in it, then the writer doesn't need to spend time explaining those elements to the reader in any great detail. For example, suppose I mention an inn or tavern. The reader immediately has an image in their head of this inn, without me explaining anything else in any detail. The reader has probably pictured a room full of many tables, mixed patrons, probably a shadowy booth or two, a few frazzled wenches, a hearth with a roaring fire, and someone is probably going to die. All of this comes along for the ride simply because the reader is familiar with the fantasy concept of an "inn". In essence, by using something familiar, the writer doesn't need to work as hard to bring that image to life for the reader.
If instead the writer is asking the reader to place themselves in a completely different culture, the writer will have to explain everything about that culture as it arises, because IT'S ALL NEW. It's unfamiliar. The writer can't simply say the main character enters a quidrall, and then go from there. No ones knows what a quidrall is. So you're going to have to spend time explaining what a quidrall is.
So yes, we end up with medieval settings because writers are lazy. *grin*
But that's not all I mean by using medieval settings simply because they are familiar. It's deeper than that. When I say we're familiar with those settings, I mean we were literally RAISED on them. That IS our culture, the base of our culture. We know all of the myths, all of the little nuances, all of the child folktales, idioms, all the games people played, all of the in jokes, everything about that culture. And I mean everything. And knowing all of this stuff, even unconsciously or subconsciously knowing it, infuses the writing itself with a life of its own. The writer automatically builds that life into their story without even realizing it, and the reader picks up on that. Picks up on it in a way that's impossible to describe. It's just . . . THERE. And when it's NOT there, the reader picks up on that as well. And when that subtle life isn't present, it destroys the reading experience.
So why is there not Aztec fantasy out there? Because writing that Aztec fantasy in such a way that this subtle, invisible LIFE is there, hidden beneath the surface, is nearly impossible. Because most of us writers haven't grown up with the Aztec culture. We don't know all of the games Aztec children played, we don't know all of the in jokes, the myths, the children's stories, the LIFE that they lived, and when we try to fake it it almost always comes across as just that: FAKE. It's hard to get that subtle life into the story if you weren't born and raised with that particular culture. It's not impossible by any means, I'm not saying that, but it's HARD, and it takes effort, and it's unlikely that if you try you'll be able to pull it off. And you'll KNOW that you're failing as you write it because it just won't have that life.
So our own history, our own culture, informs our writing in ways that we can't predict and can't be faked. At least not easily. So the reason we have so many medieval fantasies is because that's what we're familiar with. We KNOW it, on an intimate level, and we recognize it when that intimacy is missing.
That's what I think anyway. What about you guys? Any thoughts on this? I certainly haven't brought up everything that Leigh's class brought up, so I know this entire post is ripe for controversy and disagreement. Have at it!
This post comes directly from the "talk" I did for Leigh Grossman's fantasy class at UConn. In that class, they were discussing the role of history in fantasy novels, so Leigh asked me to do a discussion about that. That was pretty much all the guidance or direction he gave me, but I figured I'd at least bring up what I thought about the subject here. This isn't really a writing post per se, but rather a discussion of one of the favorite topics in the fantasy genre: Why is all of the fantasy out there so stereotypically European medieval in nature? I tried to get Leigh Grossman's class talking about this. It is something that writers in the field need to think about, even if in the end they wind up writing medieval settings for their novels anyway.
So the real complaint is that all fantasies seem to be medieval in nature, and in particular European medieval. Why? There are plenty of other cultures out there that would be great as settings for fantasy settings, and they just aren't used. So why not? Why do we stick to the same types of settings and worlds, when we could be using other influences such as ancient Japan, or medieval China, or even the South American cultures such as the Incas or the Aztecs. Where are all the Aztec fantasies? Everyone always claims they're looking for something new, but in the end we seem to wind up with the same types of novels. Is it because the publishers don't buy the new, unique stuff (contrary to what they say they're looking for) or is it that the writers just are writing them?
Before I bring up some of my points, a little disclaimer. There ARE fantasies out there that have different settings. I'm making a generalization based on the common preconception of the majority of the readers out there. Alma Alexander has unique fantasies based on oriental culture, which were to be featured in Leigh's class. Guy Gavriel Key uses specific cultures, even European cultures, to suffuse his work with a uniqueness as well, rather than the simple standard medieval settings. So there is stuff out there that fits the definition of "non-European-medieval settings". Everyone should go check them out.
But I think everyone will agree that the majority of the fantasies out there
have a fairly standard European medieval setting. So why?
My basic answer is because it's familiar. Being familiar means many things though. The most uninteresting thing about it being familiar is that a certain onus typically set on the writer's shoulder is relieved. In fantasy, you're being asked to enter a completely new world. The writer has to reveal this world to you. If the world is familiar, or has familiar elements in it, then the writer doesn't need to spend time explaining those elements to the reader in any great detail. For example, suppose I mention an inn or tavern. The reader immediately has an image in their head of this inn, without me explaining anything else in any detail. The reader has probably pictured a room full of many tables, mixed patrons, probably a shadowy booth or two, a few frazzled wenches, a hearth with a roaring fire, and someone is probably going to die. All of this comes along for the ride simply because the reader is familiar with the fantasy concept of an "inn". In essence, by using something familiar, the writer doesn't need to work as hard to bring that image to life for the reader.
If instead the writer is asking the reader to place themselves in a completely different culture, the writer will have to explain everything about that culture as it arises, because IT'S ALL NEW. It's unfamiliar. The writer can't simply say the main character enters a quidrall, and then go from there. No ones knows what a quidrall is. So you're going to have to spend time explaining what a quidrall is.
So yes, we end up with medieval settings because writers are lazy. *grin*
But that's not all I mean by using medieval settings simply because they are familiar. It's deeper than that. When I say we're familiar with those settings, I mean we were literally RAISED on them. That IS our culture, the base of our culture. We know all of the myths, all of the little nuances, all of the child folktales, idioms, all the games people played, all of the in jokes, everything about that culture. And I mean everything. And knowing all of this stuff, even unconsciously or subconsciously knowing it, infuses the writing itself with a life of its own. The writer automatically builds that life into their story without even realizing it, and the reader picks up on that. Picks up on it in a way that's impossible to describe. It's just . . . THERE. And when it's NOT there, the reader picks up on that as well. And when that subtle life isn't present, it destroys the reading experience.
So why is there not Aztec fantasy out there? Because writing that Aztec fantasy in such a way that this subtle, invisible LIFE is there, hidden beneath the surface, is nearly impossible. Because most of us writers haven't grown up with the Aztec culture. We don't know all of the games Aztec children played, we don't know all of the in jokes, the myths, the children's stories, the LIFE that they lived, and when we try to fake it it almost always comes across as just that: FAKE. It's hard to get that subtle life into the story if you weren't born and raised with that particular culture. It's not impossible by any means, I'm not saying that, but it's HARD, and it takes effort, and it's unlikely that if you try you'll be able to pull it off. And you'll KNOW that you're failing as you write it because it just won't have that life.
So our own history, our own culture, informs our writing in ways that we can't predict and can't be faked. At least not easily. So the reason we have so many medieval fantasies is because that's what we're familiar with. We KNOW it, on an intimate level, and we recognize it when that intimacy is missing.
That's what I think anyway. What about you guys? Any thoughts on this? I certainly haven't brought up everything that Leigh's class brought up, so I know this entire post is ripe for controversy and disagreement. Have at it!
