What's interesting in all this, to me, is the question : do you retell a story as accurately as possible or are you allowed some semblance of free will in your worldbuilding?
Because a story uses elements of a culture or society does it mean that it must take all aspects of it and play them out as they were/were told? Does it mean that if I were to have a thought on a singular concept of ancient Sumer that I have to incorporate the whole? Why?
In the course of writing fantasy one can and often does steal bits of culture. If one is representing a specific culture and a "what if it happened like this" - be it humourous or not - ok, I'd say, yes. The details are the thing.
But if you aren't? Why should you have to use all of it?
As has been noted elsewhere what often can inspire - not always does, but CAN - is the resonance a certain story has with an individual. Those resonances can be picked apart and played separately from the original, essences or specific spots teased into their own story. It is not necessary to recreate the whole.
We've all had a novel or legend or some such produced into a visual medium from a written one. And at some point we've been disappointed. As faithfully as one follows the word, the intent and reaction will always be personal. And outside of pure luck, we all will have at least once our personal reaction missed in some one else's "take" on a story.
And that's a direct translation. In the sense of using parts of a culture, even the cultures name, I feel no need in certain writings to follow the culture exhaustively, or even faithfully.
If it were about recreating the same stories, verbatium, then I'd have some way to nod my head and agree. But it's not.
no subject
Because a story uses elements of a culture or society does it mean that it must take all aspects of it and play them out as they were/were told? Does it mean that if I were to have a thought on a singular concept of ancient Sumer that I have to incorporate the whole? Why?
In the course of writing fantasy one can and often does steal bits of culture. If one is representing a specific culture and a "what if it happened like this" - be it humourous or not - ok, I'd say, yes. The details are the thing.
But if you aren't? Why should you have to use all of it?
As has been noted elsewhere what often can inspire - not always does, but CAN - is the resonance a certain story has with an individual. Those resonances can be picked apart and played separately from the original, essences or specific spots teased into their own story. It is not necessary to recreate the whole.
We've all had a novel or legend or some such produced into a visual medium from a written one. And at some point we've been disappointed. As faithfully as one follows the word, the intent and reaction will always be personal. And outside of pure luck, we all will have at least once our personal reaction missed in some one else's "take" on a story.
And that's a direct translation. In the sense of using parts of a culture, even the cultures name, I feel no need in certain writings to follow the culture exhaustively, or even faithfully.
If it were about recreating the same stories, verbatium, then I'd have some way to nod my head and agree. But it's not.
2 cents and inflation.