Dealing with politically sensitive issues in your Writing

Dec 11, 2008 17:11

Two things. Firstly I wanted to say there is a Hurley character discussion posted and it's only had two responses so far. Don't forget to show the big guy some love!

Secondly, I wanted some thoughts from my fellow writers on dealing with so-called politically-charged issues in your writing. Things like portrayal of gender, race, sexuality, etc.  ( Read more... )

het, politics, sexuality, disability, writing sex, religion, race, slash, gender

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janie_tangerine December 12 2008, 11:36:40 UTC
Mm. This is a very, very interesting topic.

1) I consider myself a feminist in the sense that I think that there's absolutely no difference between what a woman can do and what a man can do and I hate gender discrimination fiercely. And as elliotsmelliot said, if I were a better one I'd have more problems than I have with Lost, but I just take it as the show it is and just enjoy what I like and try to dismiss the rest (see after 1x20 policy). It could also be that I'm way more bothered with Heroes right now on both racism and women issues if I have to be sincere ( ... )

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janie_tangerine December 12 2008, 11:36:58 UTC
4) Ouch, I hate dealing with religion. I find it such a personal and private issue that I just don't feel like I should do it especially since it's not a topic I can say anything on.

How do you feel about writing atheist characters?

They are the only characters I can write on that aspect because being an atheist myself I feel like I can give my two cents on the issue.

Does your own belief system influence how you portray religion or spiritualism in your writing?

Yes because I feel like my atheism could make me portray religion in a negative way and it wouldn't really be fair. I'd just rather not deal with it at all and I carefully avoid it. Which is also one of the reasons for which I feel like I don't exactly get Charlie and, to be honest, the main reason for which I never really warmed up to Eko as a character even if I liked him just fine. And the reason for which the island part on Fire + Water bothered me like television has rarely bothered me, which is why I just try avoid it while writing Lost ( ... )

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elliotsmelliot December 12 2008, 16:47:52 UTC
Your story about Boone surviving and living with one leg is so memorable. You addressed the pain involved in this tragic act, and how it was complicated by their poor living conditions. Plus I like how you handled Jack responsibilites there too.

That's an interesting comment about Fire & Water. I actually found the religious imagery the most interesting part of that episode.

Do you think the final episode will have the Flying Spaghetti monster besting Jacob and turn the islanders into rollicking pasta-eating pirates!

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janie_tangerine December 12 2008, 22:05:41 UTC
♥ Thanks again. I kind of didn't spare him anything there and it was probably the hardest thing I've ever written in emotional terms, but there I figured it was the only way I could deal with it. Especially regarding the responsibilities. ;)

You know, maybe Fire + Water could have been interesting, but I found the whole on island Charlie story ridiculous (baby stealing? *rolls eyes*), the whole 'what do you know about baptism' issue pretty implausible and in the end it just felt forced.

Do you think the final episode will have the Flying Spaghetti monster besting Jacob and turn the islanders into rollicking pasta-eating pirates!

If it happened it would make the BEST FINALE EVER IN HISTORY. And I'm sure that Sawyer would be on board as soon as he knew that he was going to get strippers in Heaven!

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falafel_musings December 12 2008, 22:07:13 UTC
Interesting that you never write Italian characters. Have there ever been any Italian Lost characters? Ooh, I loved your Boone fic where he lost his leg. Like I said, my favourite BSG character is missing a leg now too. Things like phantom-limb syndrome are very intense to write about ( ... )

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janie_tangerine December 12 2008, 22:34:11 UTC
Oh, sure they are. Sayid's target in The Economist (who also was excellently casted I must say, he was exactly your average Italian businessman going to the Seychelles for holidays) and Jack's... mh, I don't know what it was, anyway, the daughter of the guy he couldn't cure whom he kissed and then left there in The Hunting Party. (ETA: also, why the hell did they call her Gabriela when here it doesn't exist as a name and it'd be Gabriella I've never understood, but still.) Clearly if I had to stick with them I wouldn't go anywhere. ;) But writing characters of my own nationality just feels weird. I'd feel like an idiot even trying to pick names if they were original characters.

Things like phantom-limb syndrome are very intense to write about.Oh, indeed. At certain points I was feeling terrible ( ... )

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falafel_musings December 12 2008, 22:55:46 UTC
Desmond also made the sign of the cross before turning the key and supposedly dying. I just think they like to throw in religious references into the show here and there but they don't have much depth to them. Crazy fans (like me) can anaylise the Verrocchio painting in Charlie's dream, but the writers don't commit any real meaning to it. Ditto with the Abraham/Isaac reference in Catch-22. I don't mind religious symbolism in stories, but with Lost the religious elements just seem pretentious.

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zelda_zee December 13 2008, 07:41:45 UTC
Although even lapsed Catholics will automatically cross themselves when they enter a church if they aren't thinking about it - just a personal observation. I think Catholicism is a religion that gets into people on a very deep level and it seemed natural to me in both cases that Desmond and Charlie would make the sign of the cross.

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falafel_musings December 13 2008, 09:36:27 UTC
Yeah, it IS in character for both Desmond and Charlie as lapsed Catholics. This is just a good example of how I often have to go with the characters feelings about their faith and put my own feelings aside.

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