writerly ways

[cornerofmadness]

As I said last week City of Dragons stinker of a historical mystery as it was, got me thinking about writing so some good came of it. We've discussed the how to make a broken miserable character compelling versus too ugly to read about. The other aspect of the book, being a historical, was how to handle changing values and prejudices. As unenlightened as we think we are now (and I'm not arguing that we don't have a ways to go), I was born in a time where African Americans couldn't ride the same bus or drink from the same water fountain as a Caucasian. I've had patients with Nazi death camp tattoos and friends whose Japanese grandparents were in internment camps in this country. As distasteful as we might find it today, things were very different for minorities, non-Christian religious groups and homosexuals (I mean it wasn't that horribly long ago the police used to troll clubs looking to arrest people for just being gay).

Yes, I realize most of my flist already know the history. How we deal with it in writing though can be a tricky thing (and sometimes I think a no win situation). In many of the novels I've read (and short stories I've written) it's dealt with in reality by not really dealing with it. I suppose in one way, it's a cop out but then it's predominately Caucasian authors writing about Caucasian characters. If some minority does wander into the plot often there's an attempt to deal with it in the least offensive way possible, unless of course it's more the villian of the story and that's used to set him/her off further.

It's probably not very historically accurate but it's probably more comfortable for the modern reader. Then, like City of Dragons, maybe the novel revolves around minority characters or the struggles there in. That would probably call for a much more honest, accurate portrayal of the attitudes of the time. It would be easy to slip into a salacious use of some of the derogatory slurs.

The thing that got me in the novel in question (and several others judging by Goodreads reviews) was the main character felt too modern day in her attitudes and everyone else were ogrish in their prejudices. the balance was very off.

And this is where the sticky wicket comes in, many people were 'ogrish' in their beliefs by modern standards. For example, my great grandfather's reward for doing well in his job for the railroad back in the nineteen teens was a name change from Marichetti to McKeets so he could be legally paid. That's how little was thought of Italian American's in both my grandmother's lifetimes. You couldn't even legally hire them in many places (but they were cheap and you could pay them under the table, sound familiar?) How do you depict time periods like this with accuracy without being seen as offensive or is a little rose colored glasses okay?

Thoughts? I'm currently working on a storyline set in the 1930's. One character is Catholic, one is Hindu and one is what would have been considered a 'good' man being of WASP heritage only he, like the other three are gay. I have a lot of potential for conflict based on prejudice alone (though I'll admit it, I'll be downplaying that as much as I can to concentrate on other aspects more important to my storyline).

writing wise I'm making minimal progress. sigh.

original fiction total for the year

6689 / 125000 words. 5% done!

Too confounded to bother with the big bangs.

Edited: Yes indeed, I DID work on Machiavelli Moon!


Also starbase_karma is doing a blogathon today for the Australian relief charities. stop on in. (I had wanted to volunteer but I realized there was no feasible way time wise)

Comments

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

this is kind of why I prefer writing in fantasy worlds. Granted, there are usually prejudices in the storyline, but I can control them.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

definitely an advantage there

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Makes sense to me? :D