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Athropomorphics in common use
12 years ago
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The following is a cross post dealing with the issue of anthropomorphic characters appearing in science fiction writing.
Being a science fiction writer, I often find myself in a predicament. I always want to incorporate anthropomorphics into my writing, but I have a difficult time finding a realistic and logical way to accomplish it. For those of you that don't know, anthropomorphism is like personification (giving inanimate objects human characteristics). Instead of inanimate objects anthropomorphism works with animate or living things. These range from plants and animals, to machines and computers. You can often find examples of anthropomorphism in Disney films and other artistic mediums.
In proper writing, you cannot have a race existing without some explanation. I wrote a piece in which social castes were separated by different species of anthropomorphic animals. I made the mistake of not providing any explanation. In the fantasy genre, a writer can get away with not explaining different races. The reader, with a little direction from the author, will create the back story by him/herself. In science fiction, however, the writer has to explain where the race came from and how it came to be.
Without explaining how or why a race appears in a piece of fiction, the writer can unintentionally confuse and ward off potential readers. For example, one could have the planet Earth inhabited by humans and a race of anthropomorphic creatures. The reader would be thoroughly confused after a few pages without explanation or back story on the other race. In the end, the writer (in science fiction at least) has to explain the race's origins. IN any case, the explanation of a foreign race only adds to the entertainment value of the piece of writing. I've come up with a few in my own writing to solve the problem.
The easiest solution to the problem is the "Aliens" method. I justify the existence of anthropomorphic characters through the usage of alien life. This method is the simplest way to explain and justify furry characters in writing, however, it leaves much to be desired. It isn't very creative. In my works I always strive for creativity and new thinking which is why I often steer away from the Alien method.
Another is the "Mutation method." This involves humans being morphed and changed by some force into the desired state. This method borrows from the movie "Splice" in which two scientists manage to splice together the DNA from several animals into that of a human baby. While the movie follows a horror path, in writing, the method can be used to create fantastic new races that can be peaceful or otherwise.
One method follows the same path as the Alien method, but differs in one key area. The "Home Planet method" creates an alien race on a planet where humans are nonexistent. In this method the race is viewed in the same sense that humans would be. This method offers a very creative way to introduce a new race. It is also relatively easy, compared to some of the other methods, to write a back story in this way.
I've used all of the aforementioned methods and more to incorporate races into my writing. Science Fiction can be done easily with only humans, but the addition of anthropomorphic races makes everything much more interesting.
Being a science fiction writer, I often find myself in a predicament. I always want to incorporate anthropomorphics into my writing, but I have a difficult time finding a realistic and logical way to accomplish it. For those of you that don't know, anthropomorphism is like personification (giving inanimate objects human characteristics). Instead of inanimate objects anthropomorphism works with animate or living things. These range from plants and animals, to machines and computers. You can often find examples of anthropomorphism in Disney films and other artistic mediums.
In proper writing, you cannot have a race existing without some explanation. I wrote a piece in which social castes were separated by different species of anthropomorphic animals. I made the mistake of not providing any explanation. In the fantasy genre, a writer can get away with not explaining different races. The reader, with a little direction from the author, will create the back story by him/herself. In science fiction, however, the writer has to explain where the race came from and how it came to be.
Without explaining how or why a race appears in a piece of fiction, the writer can unintentionally confuse and ward off potential readers. For example, one could have the planet Earth inhabited by humans and a race of anthropomorphic creatures. The reader would be thoroughly confused after a few pages without explanation or back story on the other race. In the end, the writer (in science fiction at least) has to explain the race's origins. IN any case, the explanation of a foreign race only adds to the entertainment value of the piece of writing. I've come up with a few in my own writing to solve the problem.
The easiest solution to the problem is the "Aliens" method. I justify the existence of anthropomorphic characters through the usage of alien life. This method is the simplest way to explain and justify furry characters in writing, however, it leaves much to be desired. It isn't very creative. In my works I always strive for creativity and new thinking which is why I often steer away from the Alien method.
Another is the "Mutation method." This involves humans being morphed and changed by some force into the desired state. This method borrows from the movie "Splice" in which two scientists manage to splice together the DNA from several animals into that of a human baby. While the movie follows a horror path, in writing, the method can be used to create fantastic new races that can be peaceful or otherwise.
One method follows the same path as the Alien method, but differs in one key area. The "Home Planet method" creates an alien race on a planet where humans are nonexistent. In this method the race is viewed in the same sense that humans would be. This method offers a very creative way to introduce a new race. It is also relatively easy, compared to some of the other methods, to write a back story in this way.
I've used all of the aforementioned methods and more to incorporate races into my writing. Science Fiction can be done easily with only humans, but the addition of anthropomorphic races makes everything much more interesting.
