help? symbolism/themes

[Flawed Creation]

My fantasy novel draws heavily on christian symbolism.

the main charcater, Lucifer is a christ figure. he represetns both Lucifer, the angel, the devil, and the christ.

I also have a Garden, angels, Creator, and other things. however, it's only symbolism. my God isn't the bhristian God, in fact, my God isn't really a God at all. only an impostor.

The problem is, the book not being set in our world, chrisitianity doesn't exist. Therefore, allusions to the bible or Paradise Lost, JCS, etc. ar difficult.

For instance, the well-known line from Paradise Lost , "Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven" would make sense either to sum up a character's state of mind, or as a line of dialogue in one scene. (as an accusation by someone else.)

But that book doesn't exist, so how can my characters quote it?

EDIT: on an unrelated note, why don't we have a moderator for this forum?

 

[HConn]

He can't quote it, but he can say something like "I'd rather be a king in Gehenna than a groundskeeper in Valhalla."

Or whatever.

 

[veingloree]

Indeed. The concept can be translated into whatever belief structures do exist. What would those be?

 

[Kida Adelyn]

it's perfectly plausible to have a christianity-like religion. Hconn's idea is good. Just don't make it to obvious.

 

[Yeshanu]

The other thing you can do is use the quote as kind of a chapter "introduction" (though you'd have to do this for every chapter if you do it for one) and use it as the theme of the chapter, without having the character actually say it.

As to why this forum doesn't have a mod: I believe Jenna may have someone in mind for this and other un-moderated forums. She just hasn't got around to it yet.

Your Round Tuit

 

[macalicious731]

Since you yourself are stating it's implausible for the character to know the book, the quote is best left out. Like others have said, you can still translate the meaning/idea/inspiration of the quote into your own words and place it in your character's mouth.

Ruth also has a nice idea of using the quotation as a chapter or section heading. Even still, it might displace the reader away from your story.

If you want that quote to display the theme of your book somewhere in the contents of the bound pages, I would suggest placing it before the novel even begins, around where the dedication will be.

 

[Flawed Creation]

thanks everyone.

 

[A Pathetic Writer]

I know nothing of your work, Flawed... but works most speak to people when the protagonists are frail, very human characters -- regardless of race.

Frodo is not immune to the ring.

For all the holy angelic/satanic warfare in This Present Darkness, the protagonists are the humans fighting a war which they cannot even see.

Resist the temptation to make your prot one of the angels.

 

[Flawed Creation]

thank you.

i appreciate the advice, and what's mroe i agree with it.

one of my book's themes is that perfect beings like angels can't exist. no creature is completely good, because even people striving for the best for eveyone, truly alrtuistic, can't agree on what should be done.

the portagonist is an angel, but the book is about a civil war among the angels engendered by a debate about whether human freedom is more important than human justice.

furthermore, Lucifer is a falling angel.

(o re-read the post, and it looks really defensive. rest assured that i'm not upset. i really appreciate the concern.)