Comments on: Digging Into Taboo

By: Richard Ahlquist

Richard Ahlquist — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 12:26:48 +0000

Very elegant point. I know that personally one of the most memorable series I read (Piers Anthony’s Tarot series) was memorable because of the vivid handling of taboo subjects. Not once when I have ever endeavored to recall what series that was have I paused even momentarily, it will forever be on the tip of my tongue.

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 21:21:30 +0000

I wrote a long post about this topic, or something very close to this topic, back in August on Forbidden Story Themes: Peril and Promise:

http://www.mikebrotherton.com/?p=197

The most relevant part for this discussion:

“The first striking example of a “forbidden” theme I remember seeing in a workshop was at Clarion West in 1994. One of my classmates had written a fantasy story in which the central message was: once a slave, always a slave. Hoo boy, that didn’t go over well. The critiques kept picking around the point that took people a long time to articulate, and that point so many wanted to make was that you aren’t allowed to write a story with this message!

“Of course, I’m sure such a story would have gotten a different reaction in a past society were slavery was accepted. Such a theme would have helped maintain the status quo, and would not have been forbidden. In fact, the story of a slave transcending their station would have been the forbidden story.”

It also occurs to me that in a different country, like India, with a strong caste structure, the story theme would be responded to very differently. The American culture continuously reinforces ideas of equality and that it’s possible to go from rags to riches. Other cultures have not wanted to spread that meme.

Write what you must write, but recognize the likely cultural reaction of your audience. I was recently told that my new novel Spider Star feels very “American.” Guilty, I’m sure. Makes me nervous that I’m planning to set my next book in a real place that isn’t America, which will be a challenge for me.

By: Radish

Radish — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:22:45 +0000

Usually I see a taboo as a rule that’s enforced by superstition and social censure — sometimes a taboo is a good thing, and sometimes it isn’t. Tradition isn’t always beneficial to everyone.

But not examining and discussing an uncomfortable topic? Wouldn’t that only lead to its perpetuation, and allow things like slavery and child abuse to go unchallenged? Kinda like leaving that splinter in the finger because removing it can be painful — but not removing it will have greater consequences.

By: Michele Conti

Michele Conti — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:01:25 +0000

What’s so bad about getting a period. It’s a rather natural event in womanly life. And it’s not nearly as icky as it sounds when you look at the science behind it. I mean, all it means is “no baby this month” Which, to people my age translates to “WHOO HOO….not ready for that yet anyway”

Far as I’m concerned, you should be able to write about whatever you want. The readers CHOOSE whether to read it or not anyway. I mean, I know it is a little about what will sell, but if there’s a market for all the “strange” things you find in an adult shop, there’s a market for just about anything. So I figure, write what you want to write, even if nobody but family and friends see it.

By: S.C. Butler

S.C. Butler — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:49:02 +0000

Killing pets is taboo? Uh-oh. Can’t wait to hear what my editor says about the book I just handed in. Is it taboo if the pet simply dies because it wasn’t meant to live and the body gets used for magic afterwards?

Not that I’m going to change it.

By: Karen Wester Newton

Karen Wester Newton — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:47:20 +0000

Interesting. My current book is a YA novel with teenage boy as the protagonist. It’s first person, which I find challenging in this instance, especially because having been a mother of a teenage boy, I have to let go of how I wanted my son to think at that age and delve into how he really thought. He’s 24 now, but he tells me teenage boys really do spend a huge amount of time thinking about sex and checking out every woman they meet. I saw Sharyn November on a YA panel at World Fantasy and she suggested the taboo now is not SHOWING teenagers having sex, i.g., it can happen but off-stage. Another panel suggested the only taboos in YA were the two B’s: boring and bestiality. Of course, then people in the audience kept dredging up bestiality examples.

By: Lucy Kemnitzer

Lucy Kemnitzer — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 06:26:43 +0000

I get that we ought to dig into taboo, but there are times when that dilemma of “effective presentation” is an obstacle. When you want to make sure that the thing you’re saying is the thing you want to say, and not some other thing.