Books tagging update
Jul. 29th, 2012 11:11![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
I have added a "books: chromatic protagonist(s)" tag, since the clear response on the poll I posted was that people would find it useful. I am slowly retagging all the appropriate posts with this tag, but that process is not complete yet.
There are a few things I want to note. One of them is that I am defining "protagonist" as a POV character, and another is that I am attempting to take a catholic definition of "chromatic." Whether or not the characters would consider their status as non-white relevant, we do as readers, and I am attempting to use the tag in that mindset.
One problem with this is epic fantasy. I don't plan, at this point, to use the tag on the Inda books, for example, because although there are occasional chapters narrated by chromatic characters, the culture of the main protagonist, Inda, and his friend, is not marked as chromatic. I'm also not planning to use the tag for Michelle West's House War books, for example, although if future books return to emphatically chromatically marked cultures such as Annagar, I probably will.
Another problem is that the tag puts me in the place of judging who counts as chromatic. There's no way around that, and although I'm fairly confident that 85% of these decisions will be fairly obvious, there will be that other 15% that are ambiguous and that I may well get wrong. So, if you have questions or concerns about my decision to use the tag or not, please do let me know, and I will certainly listen.
There are a few things I want to note. One of them is that I am defining "protagonist" as a POV character, and another is that I am attempting to take a catholic definition of "chromatic." Whether or not the characters would consider their status as non-white relevant, we do as readers, and I am attempting to use the tag in that mindset.
One problem with this is epic fantasy. I don't plan, at this point, to use the tag on the Inda books, for example, because although there are occasional chapters narrated by chromatic characters, the culture of the main protagonist, Inda, and his friend, is not marked as chromatic. I'm also not planning to use the tag for Michelle West's House War books, for example, although if future books return to emphatically chromatically marked cultures such as Annagar, I probably will.
Another problem is that the tag puts me in the place of judging who counts as chromatic. There's no way around that, and although I'm fairly confident that 85% of these decisions will be fairly obvious, there will be that other 15% that are ambiguous and that I may well get wrong. So, if you have questions or concerns about my decision to use the tag or not, please do let me know, and I will certainly listen.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-07-29 19:00 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-07-29 19:55 (UTC)"Q1. What do I know about the worldbuilding of Marlovan society? A: They are descendants of the Vikings from way back when.
"Q2. Do I remember it ever being emphasized that Inda and his relatives, etc, aren't white-skinned? A: No.
"Conclusion: Don't tag it."
But I could be wrong or misremembering or having been oblivious or having been oblivious because of society's white-biased blinders. I am not trying to make this much more complicated than that above diagnostic, but even something that simple can have errors, and also, yes, epic fantasy is complicated. Augh!
(no subject)
Date: 2012-07-29 19:56 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-03 18:41 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-07-03 18:47 (UTC)