Should authors be told how to produce their works?

Post » Sat May 03, 2014 2:58 am

In a Tolkien forum that I frequent someone once posted this link called "Princess Leia was not enough" http://www.wired.com/2013/02/opinion-star-wars-females-media/ as part of a complaint that in the Lord of the Rings, Tolkien was racist and sixist because all 9 members of the Fellowship was male and white. She said Tolkien should have added females and "men of color", to quote her.

When I first saw Star Wars in 1977, I never cared about the fact that there was only one female in the cast. To me, she was just Princess Leia, not a girl. I am almost 50 now and I still see her in that fashion, not as the only girl, but one member of a movie cast.

Same with Lord of the Rings. I just don't see 9 white males. I just see 9 characters with different personalities.

My personal point of view is that anyone should have the right to do what ever they want with a work of fiction that they are creating. I think it's stupid to be expected to have a certain ratio of genders and skin colors in a story.

From some people's point of view, the movie "Predator" with Arny saying "get DA Choppa" should be banned because there was one girl in the movie and she never fired a weapon.

What do you people think? Should a certain ratio of gender and skin color be required in works of fiction? I think they should write what ever they want.

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WYatt REed
 
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