A Fundamentalist View of Sci-Fi and Fantasy - Part Four
I’m thinking this will be the last part of the Fundamentalist View of Sci-Fi and Fantasy. This last article deals with the more general issue of "adult" language.
Jules Vern and H.G. Wells spring to mind as two of the earliest writers of SF. They looked at the trends of the day and speculated on where society and technology would be in the future. They also wondered about technology’s influence on humanity, as in The Invisible Man. And they crafted their works without the crude language found today.
Somewhere in the 1930s, however, Science Fiction took a turn for the worse. Pulp fiction magazines and other publications - while allowing SF authors a voice - catered to the baser elements of society so that SFF became… well, soft porn. Many novels produced have at least one graphically detailed scene and the use of profanity increased.
We all know sex sells. Look at television advertisements. The same market forces applied to SFF stories then and continue to do so to a certain extent. Modern stories continue to include intimate scenes as if the pinnacle of societal development is “free love.” Larry Niven’s Ringworld society is built upon intra-species hanky panky (These are different human species and not to be confused with bestiality). Cover art in the genre tends to show the sordid side with Der Arnold-type Heroes and damsels dressed in chain mail bikinis – a favorite of Boris Vallejo.
Over at http://specfaith.ritersbloc.com there has been much discussion about obscenity and profanity in literature. Should Christian’s use such language in their works? Should other Christians read books or watch movies that contain foul language? Frank Peretti in an interview at Where the Map Ends talked about this as well. He’s not the first one I’ve encountered that equates profanity with other acts of evil (murder, rape, theft). On one level they are correct. The Ten Commandments has all those listed as “Shall Not’s”. They say if we say we cannot use profanity then we cannot write about any of the other sins as well.
If that’s true, we should throw out the Bible as inappropriate for Christian readers. David and Bathsheba? Hanky panky. Sampson? Hanky panky and violence.
This is the argument taken to its illogical extreme but the point is made. All these sins are part of the human condition in a fallen world and should be explored in literature. Yet writing about sin is entirely different than experiencing that sin. I don't have to murder someone to write about murder. Do I have to swear in order to write about someone swearing?
We can write about the profane without using profane language. We don’t have to use offensive words to describe an offensive action, nor must we include all the gory details when a despicable act occurs. Is it realism and artistry you’re after or just shock value?
Modern movie makers have taken the horror genre to new lows with the graphic and intense scenes of cruelty and barbarism. Blood and gore have replaced excellence in writing. Horror movies are all about shock value and over the years we’ve seen a lot. It takes more and more gruesome and violent acts to catch our attention these days. Suspense no longer means on-the-edge-of-your-seat excitement but instead cringe-under-the-covers disgust. I’m afraid Christian authors may be looking at these worldly tactics as the way to express themselves artistically.
Why do Alfred Hitchcock movies continue to amaze audiences today? They are black and white, have virtually no special effects, and lack any real hard core elements. These movies present the actions without all the gory details with exceptional writing and visuals. We know the girl was undressed in the shower because everyone (I think) showers that way. We know Norman Bates brutally killed her with the knife even though we did not see the blade penetrate her skin nor did we see her intestines leak out. A modern retelling of this story would certainly incorporate more titillating and shocking visuals. Would including graphic elements raise the artistic value of Psycho? I doubt many people will remember any of the Saw movies five years from now.
One of the biggest struggles I have in my choice of literature and movies is the appropriateness of the work for my children. I don’t want them exposed to hard core elements just yet. I think most of my 3 readers would agree that children should not be viewing A Clockwork Orange even though it is an “artistic” movie. Where we begin to differ is on the subtle details.
I was really looking forward to the Spider-Man movies when I first heard about them. I’ve been a fan for many years. But I became hesitant when I found out the movie would be rated PG-13. My son’s seventh birthday was within a week of the movie’s opening. Could I take him and not feel guilty?
In the end I did take him but I did my research first. The reason for the PG-13 rating was due to the violence and not any other aspect. That’s what Spider-Man does: Beat up bad guys. Yes, there are punches thrown, cars wrecked, and bombs that explode. But there aren’t body parts flying or blood spraying into everyone’s faces. This sort of violence has been labeled as “cartoonish” because of the lack of detail, although some would say it lacks “realism” (a code word for “lacking graphic elements”).
The second biggest struggle I have is the appropriateness of literature for me. Part of me wants those adult themes and situations. I’m an adult, right? I can handle that sort of thing. Another part says I should abstain from what appeals to my carnal nature. I have heard many Christians say that if it isn’t appropriate for children it isn’t appropriate for adults.
I really want to agree with this. I really do. I don’t think Christians should expose themselves to ungodly influences even in the name of entertainment. Yet I want to read something else besides Clifford the Big Red Dog. What a dilemma.
Fundamentalists and other Christians with strict convictions have very little choice: Ether read or watch offensive material or suffer with substandard writing. Let’s be honest: Many authors write for children because they really can’t write well. Children’s literature is full of inconsistencies and other errors that wouldn’t be tolerated in “adult” novels. Family movies tend to be poor quality with flat acting and editing. There are exceptions, of course, but the general rule seems to be that producers and publishers spend less on family oriented entertainment and fill the Cartoon Channel with SpongeBob.
There are always the classics: Tolkien, Lewis and… Um, are there any others? The choices for quality literature when your standards are pretty strict are very limited.
I discussed some of this in my review of Bryan Davis’ Dragons in Our Midst series. Here’s a modern author that gets it. He has written novels that are both clean and well written, thus proving the two are not mutually exclusive. My son has been devouring so many other Christian authors lately that I can't keep track. Christian literature, escpecially speculative fiction, is growing and I expect big things from this genre.
Everything I’ve written should be taken in the context of the 3 principles laid out in Part One: Commandments, Convictions, and Preferences. We are commanded to be Holy. Our convictions will determine where we draw the line on graphic elements in literature and influence our preferences.
The Bible is Holy even with all the despicable acts given to us as examples. I believe fictional works can also be both useful and enjoyable without succumbing to the unnecessary use of graphical elements and I encourage Christian authors to avoid shock and focus on excellence.
This is the blast from your past.. LOL.. e-mail me some time...
Khai (Bigelow) Barfield
Married with 1 child.. in VA.. Woo Hoo!!!
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Hello, Khai! It has been a long time (more than I want to post here!).
I hope you enjoy all my ramblings. Be sure to check out all the various links in the different entries. Elliot has some excellent stuff posted at his site.
I guess I'll have to really put the web page together if people are going to stop by and visit.
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Seems reasonable to me. The difference between violence and sex that furthers the plot and has some deeper meaning; and the violence and sex that is purely gratuitious, can be hard to make. I mean, take Shakespeare. He's deep and profound and brilliant, but on the other hand even he occasionally pandered to the thrill-seeking crowd. (Particularly in plays like Titus Andronicus!) It's always a bit of a mixed bag, even in the great works.
In regards to the 'other' Christian SF/F authors, besides Tolkien and Lewis, have a look at my series that starts here:
http://clawoftheconciliator.blogspot.com/2006/03/science-fiction-fantasy-and-faith-part.html
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Elliot, you're no fun! How am I supposed to be a Red neck Baptist when you make me sound so reasonable?
That comment about "other" writers was in jest, trying to make my argument sound more... argumentative. Yes, there are many other authors but Lewis and Tolkien (mostly) get a pass in Fundamental circles. Very few others are discussed.
I'd suggest very little gratuitous violence is necessary to further a plot - at least in a "Christian" novel. I do believe we have a responsibility to try to meet the stricter standards of our audience. If we set ourselves and our stories as "Christian" then we better meet the expectations of the "Christian" audience. Those expectations may be off base from what is Scripturally allowed and more strict, but there are certain cultural expectations for all Christians.
There's a good topic for you: What does our culture, both Christian and secular, expect from "Christians" and how do those stack up against Scripture?
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Heh - well, maybe if you started arguing that Harry Potter is demonic, or that W.H. Auden's Christian poetry isn't because the man was gay... or something! So far you sound reasonable to me.
As to the 'stricter' rules, I don't know. I'm a big fan of Catholic writers like Grahame Greene, Evelyn Waugh and Flannery O'Connor - wouldn't stricter standards have kept them from writing? They explore all sorts of depths of human experience.
There does seem to be a popular image of "Christian fiction" as meaning 'no sex, no swearing, and the main character says the sinners' prayer at some point.' The 'plaster saint' attitude.
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That goes along with the popular image of Christians in general. Do you drink alcohol? Listen to Punk Rock? Our culture expects certain behaviors from Christians even though those expectations may not be entirely realistic.
"I do not drink....wine" to quote my favorite vampire. Alcohol consumption is often a point of conflict with Christians of different flavors. I have a few reasons as to why I don't drink, but the one that relates here is that it helps maintain that idea of separation. If I go to a bar and order a Coke instead of a beer, my coworkers look at me funny for a minute and ask questions. The minute I tell them I'm a Christian they all nod their heads in understanding. Why was ordering a Coke considered weird before they knew and considered normal after? It's that cultural expectation.
I know many Christians that consume adult beverages. I know many that consider drinking alcohol a sin. Some won't even go into a bar for fear of appearing a drunkard. I place this item under the category of Personal Conviction and leave it up to the individual, knowing full well that with enough study and prayer you'll see things my way.
However, I strongly encourage people to avoid alcohol. I think it is unnecessary. I believe the use of expletives and other "adult" devices in fiction is also unnecessary and should be avoided to keep a certain level of separation between Christian and non-Christian literature.
I also dislike the excuse "I don't use such language, but my characters do". That's just wrong because you, as the writer, are using that language. It's coming out of your head and your heart and whether you speak it or write it, others have to hear/read it. It's intellectually dishonest to claim otherwise.
I guess all this again falls to the idea of eating meat offered to idols. Do you want to be a stumbling block to your weaker brother?
So, Christian literature should conform to a stricter standard and avoid conforming to worldly standards. I really do believe we can write well without all the garbage that is excused in the name of "realism".
This isn't a black-and-white issue of either Christian or non-Christian. There's a whole slew of grey in between. Perhaps we should have a scale of plus-10 to minus-10 for overall content with individual scores for the naughty bits. How does this story rate for language, graphic-violence, and Christian-friendly attitude?
As Christians should stand out in society by not conforming to sinful behaviors, so should a Christian author stand out in literature by avoiding expletives and glorifying sin. Again, it one thing to say in a story "Claude threw her down and raped her" and entirely something else when too much detail is used "Claude threw her down and used his weight to pin Becky. Half suffocating, Becky could barely move as she felt her skirt being lifted up and her panties ripped roughly away. She felt a pressure between her legs and then the sudden sensation of..." you get the picture. One is certainly more "real" than the other and could possibly found in any number of books. The other gets the job of telling the action without being titillating.
It's not that these subjects are off limits, it's all about the presentation.
Harry Potter is evil.
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Hi James,
I'm enjoying your blog.
I guess I've come around to where much of the "stuff" I don't want going into my kids' minds, I don't want in mine either. I don't want the foul language, the detailed descriptions of sex and violence and evil acts, anti-biblical worldviews, etc. There are books with adult situations in them that I might feel okay about reading even though my kids aren't old enough to understand or deal with them yet.
I feel a much stronger conviction about such things in movies. Largely because I feel that the visual image has a stronger effect on our minds.
Your description of the problem with magic was thought provoking. I've been trying to figure out why, knowing that witchcraft/magic is condemned in the Bible, I can read of magic in a story and not feel a sense of conviction that it is wrong like I do when I come across the foul language and slander of God. The tool analogy kind of helps.
I think my kids are going to use the Dragons in Our Midst books in their book club. Any suggestions for "girl" books? Seems everything I recommend is considered by some a "boy" book. Hmmph!
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Thanks, Kathy!
Actually, I think there's enough in DIOM for both boys and girls. There is a very stong female character, Bonnie, who isn't just the damsel in distress. She is a great companion for Billy and finds plenty of trouble for herself.
Are you looking for "girl" books for young readers in your club? My wee lass has been reading the American Girl series. It's tough to find books for her since she isn't a big reader just yet.
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