Re: Is Levi-Strauss essential? was It still works? Avoid it anyway.
Chad Ryan Thomas (crthomas@indiana.edu)
16 Jan 1997 18:00:16 GMT
In article <5bk1g5$srg@darla.visi.com>, dsgood@visi.com says...
>Going back in the comment chain: Is it necessary for a science fiction or
>fantasy writer to know about Levi-Strauss's work in order to construct
>believable societies?
Not necessary, but helpful. As I argued above, we have to understand
earth's societies and inhabitants before we can begin to create fictional
cultures. Levi-Strauss's ideas are some of the most important in
understanding culture (or at least, understanding what we now think about
human culture, which in some ways amounts to just about the same thing).
>And -- what anthropological literature IS useful to science fiction and
>fantasy writers?
Any literature on anthropology, and for fantasy especially, I'd recommend
some folklore theory. Joseph Campbell doesn't work very well anymore for
interpreting mythologies, but his ideas are just peachy for fantasy authors.
--
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