Misunderstanding Pratchett

[claudeb]

This morning I was reading The Digital Antiquarian's take on Pratchett, and finally realized why I never understood the latter's fiction.

Look. My stories, too, are about ordinary flawed people only trying to save their own little world, as best they can. But that's just it: they're trying in earnest. Not taking refuge in hollow irony. Sometimes they stumble or have doubts, because it's all part of life. Sometimes they fall in love, others laugh at them, or both. But their struggles are real. Not anyone's joke.

And sometimes they end up saving the capital-W world anyway. Comes packaged with getting involved in major events way over their head. That's what Tolkien got right, and Pratchett didn't: you're not too small. Your efforts matter. Even if you fail, your story can inspire others one day. Keep the flame alive.

Which is exactly what Tolkien's imitators later did. What is it with this obsession to mock Tolkien and his fans anyway? Or for that matter Star Wars? The villains in both are so obvious, down to literal color coding, precisely because subtlety doesn't work. And so many people still missed the message. Much like with cyberpunk, go figure.

At least Pratchett never fell into the trap of cynicism that ruined the next couple of generations. We could at least take this one lesson from his writing.

Comments

[cmcmck]

Have you read: 'Small Gods'? I think that might change your mind.

[claudeb]

I was thinking Mort, since I accidentally wrote a novella with an identical premise, and Pratchett's Death sounds like a very interesting fellow anyway. But thanks for the rec!

[sandwolf5]

Excellent article. Now I'll have to go read Prachett.

[claudeb]

Just skip The Colour of Magic.

[fred_mouse]

I'd expand on this - skip everything with Rincewind in it.

[cmcmck]

Apart, perhaps, from Rinso the bushranger in 'The Fifth Continent'. :o)

[fred_mouse]

Last Continent or Fifth Elephant? I'm assuming the latter, because I've re-read the former recently and don't remember any bushranging, but ah, it has not aged well (or maybe it wasn't good at the time, and I've just forgotten that).

[cmcmck]

What made me write that! :o)

I meant 'The last continent'!

[fred_mouse]

Right! I .. have seen that error more often than you might think.

[kantuck]

I fully agree. Everyone has a voice, everyone can make a difference, even if it's local, or even family and friends. We may never know, but what we do impacts someone; be it good or ill.

This speech always comes to mind, in times like this:

Frodo : I can’t do this, Sam.

Sam : I know.
It’s all wrong
By rights we shouldn’t even be here.
But we are.
It’s like in the great stories Mr. Frodo.
The ones that really mattered.
Full of darkness and danger they were,
and sometimes you didn’t want to know the end.
Because how could the end be happy.
How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad happened.
But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow.
Even darkness must pass.
A new day will come.
And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer.
Those were the stories that stayed with you.
That meant something.
Even if you were too small to understand why.
But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand.
I know now.
Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn’t.
Because they were holding on to something.

Frodo : What are we holding on to, Sam?

Sam : That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.

But Disturbed (the band) song says it best too:

They don't care about the blood on their hands
Look at the world, and you will understand
They count the money as the innocent continue to bleed


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS6pTrKeLc4

I admire Tolekin, and see him as my mentor. But your right. The villains was never suitable as you shown. Why should they be? This is about good vs evil, and evil will always be ugly. Even a beautiful female villain /is ugly inside/.

[claudeb]

Even a beautiful female villain /is ugly inside/.

C.S. Lewis got that right for a change, with the White Witch. Then again it's the same C.S. Lewis who put Santa Claus in his books, never mind Furry Jesus.