HalaxyGigh
Active Member
- Joined
- May 8, 2017
- Messages
- 28
Thanks for all replies, really, appreciate it. And for the links, Star-child.
I should clarify that I meant historical fantasy-horror, not just straight historical, and even include some alternate history elements in the form of fictional public figures, recent events, etc. It's just the setting and background that is ground in reality.
I guess if I have one rule going ahead then that is simply that every character is fully fleshed out as an individual, not just as a set of cultural traits, and this applies to ANY demographic, racial or cultural.
I guess if there is a major underlying theme, it is that historical reality is complicated and the truth is not what it appears in literary and pop cultural terms, since one objective is to address and dispel stereotypical myths such as both Noble Savage and Bloodthirsty Indian, as well as other romanticized images of the old west - and I know this is hardly a new literary objective, but IMO still a worthwhile one. The main plot, meanwhile, is still basically good-ish guys vs bad guys, or bad vs even worse, and the main objective is to make an interesting story.
I should clarify that I meant historical fantasy-horror, not just straight historical, and even include some alternate history elements in the form of fictional public figures, recent events, etc. It's just the setting and background that is ground in reality.
I guess if I have one rule going ahead then that is simply that every character is fully fleshed out as an individual, not just as a set of cultural traits, and this applies to ANY demographic, racial or cultural.
I guess I plan to do both: without giving too much away, while the plot is largely driven by fantasy elements, elements of social realism and grit are used to reveal character (by how characters react to them) and demonstrate the nature of the world: cruel and cynical, mostly.If you're telling a historical adventure story where some characters are NA, and you don't shy away from the ugly realities of the era but don't dwell on them too much because the adventure is calling, you probably won't attract too much controversy unless you manage to hit every bad stereotype going. I'm not saying there won't be any, there's a wide range of people out there, but most aren't hard obsessed with "nobody shall portray/represent us but us". At least, that's true of 99% of people from most walks of life.
If you're telling a historical story that aims to focus on and show the truth of what was really happening in terms of the racism, then you are inviting controversy, because that's a lot closer to the identity and mistakes will be all the more glaring.
I guess if there is a major underlying theme, it is that historical reality is complicated and the truth is not what it appears in literary and pop cultural terms, since one objective is to address and dispel stereotypical myths such as both Noble Savage and Bloodthirsty Indian, as well as other romanticized images of the old west - and I know this is hardly a new literary objective, but IMO still a worthwhile one. The main plot, meanwhile, is still basically good-ish guys vs bad guys, or bad vs even worse, and the main objective is to make an interesting story.
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