Rendering Tolkien's Reality

Cultural Considerations

When writing about a particular culture (or, as is more often the case, writing about one or a few members of a culture), take a little bit of time to examine your plans for the story in light of what is known about the culture involved. Does the clothing fit the fashion for the class and society involved? How about the weaponry? What about language – does your character necessarily understand the conversation in Sindarin or Khuzdul going on only a few feet in front of him? Each culture will have its own standards for style, technology, and language. Your aim as a writer should be to follow those standards. Doing so does not in any way limit an author – far from it, believe it or not. Once the standards for the culture are met with an intention toward maintenance, the author has freedom to develop the story however he or she wishes. On the other hand, deciding to drop out a detail (for instance, not worrying about the fact that a stable boy you’ve just created speaks every language in Arda or even a language not used in Middle Earth) for purposes of writing Middle Earth “your way” might leave some very noticeable marks on your tale that could turn away readers who value theme, and may undermine your story when a reader takes it in relation to what is thematically reasonable for the cultures of Middle Earth. Essentially, this stage of the process is not unlike what designers for films have to do – if they do their job well, no one notices the extra work. If they don’t, their work stands out in the production, and not always in the most flattering way.

Incidentally, bear in mind that you can involve detail without having to describe it explicitly. Showing is almost always preferable to telling. You also don’t have to set out with the intention of writing a veritable cultural studies tome every time you write a fic. Make sure what you want to write works with the culture, and as far as mores in the culture beyond the scope of your story, let someone else do that writing. Your aim as an author of Tolkien fic should be to write your fic such that it presents itself as being a credible account of life in the culture (or cultures) in which it is based in relation to the situations you wish to present.