What make a good "environmental" fiction?
I don't know where exactly I can ask this so I try here...
I think environmental (wildlife, flora, ect...) is a important problem but, for some reasons, I feel It has become a "silly" "annoying" thing for people.
Then, I would like to make my "environmental" message in my own fiction. So I ask:
-What makes a good "environmental" message in a movie/show/cartoon/etc., in a fiction?
-What things make them "dumb"?
-What fictions are good "environmental" ones?
Thanks.
I think environmental (wildlife, flora, ect...) is a important problem but, for some reasons, I feel It has become a "silly" "annoying" thing for people.
Then, I would like to make my "environmental" message in my own fiction. So I ask:
-What makes a good "environmental" message in a movie/show/cartoon/etc., in a fiction?
-What things make them "dumb"?
-What fictions are good "environmental" ones?
Thanks.
Comments16
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I would say an example to look at would be Frank Herberts Dune but you would have to read the whole saga to get the entire picture. And he incorporates more than ecology so you could get more ideas to put into your idea other than just the environment and how we mistreat it.
I think an ambiguous ending to signify that its all up to you now.
I think what makes a good environmental theme in a show/book/etc. is a message that's more about not entirely depending on either technology or "nature". If done well, a story can tell of a world where the two compliment each other
A bad environmental story: Humans/technology are a curse to the world and nature is moaning the destruction of their forests and bla bla bla
The whole "all of humanity are careless, tree torchers and nature is completely benevolent". Think 'Ferngully'.
Examples of good stories with environmentalist themes:
'Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind'~ It's a manga series which also had a movie adaptation done (I'd say the former is better than the latter, but they're both VERY good in their own right). It heavily acknowledges the fact that humans CAN be very careless and CAN have little respect for nature, but it doesn't preach that all humans are inherently evil.
'Princess Mononoke'~ An anime movie. One thing I like about this film is that not one side is perfectly good or perfectly evil. Some (human) characters seek to burn the forest and to defeat the forest gods in the film, but the forest gods also have faults of their own and often go about things in an overly rash way simply motivated by their anger. Even the main character, who in some ways acts as kind of the middle-man, has imperfections about him which make him more relatable and likeable as a whole. This makes for very dynamic storytelling!
'Once Upon a Forest'~ An animated film. It is a bit preachy, but the reason I add this to the list is because humans do redeem themselves at the end. Aww, humans do care
A bad environmental story: Humans/technology are a curse to the world and nature is moaning the destruction of their forests and bla bla bla
The whole "all of humanity are careless, tree torchers and nature is completely benevolent". Think 'Ferngully'.Examples of good stories with environmentalist themes:
'Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind'~ It's a manga series which also had a movie adaptation done (I'd say the former is better than the latter, but they're both VERY good in their own right). It heavily acknowledges the fact that humans CAN be very careless and CAN have little respect for nature, but it doesn't preach that all humans are inherently evil.
'Princess Mononoke'~ An anime movie. One thing I like about this film is that not one side is perfectly good or perfectly evil. Some (human) characters seek to burn the forest and to defeat the forest gods in the film, but the forest gods also have faults of their own and often go about things in an overly rash way simply motivated by their anger. Even the main character, who in some ways acts as kind of the middle-man, has imperfections about him which make him more relatable and likeable as a whole. This makes for very dynamic storytelling!
'Once Upon a Forest'~ An animated film. It is a bit preachy, but the reason I add this to the list is because humans do redeem themselves at the end. Aww, humans do care
A complaint that happens with environmental fiction that I have is that it is insanely preachy, saying that humans are EVIL (I question that logic, because humans are part of the animal kingdom and won't that make pets and domesticate animals "traitors"?), and technology is EVIL. Because every time I come across some fictional work like that makes me want to shoot endangered species.
A good work of fiction I would considered would be about how humans and the environment can get along or humans finding a non-damaging alternative (techy and/or magical way) solution to not to pollute the environment, bonus if it saves some species from extinction. I would like it if the author would write an interesting, well written story with enjoyable characters (and maybe wreck a few tropes).
These are some fictions that I like but I don't know if they can count as good at getting the message across, like Once Upon a Forest, Fern Gully, The Wild Thornberries: the movie, just to name a few. Though you can't go wrong with any movie made by Studio Ghibli, they are subtly environmental and tell a good/ enjoyable story (I still need to watch Princess Mononoke...I haven't watch it yet despite that I KNOW it is good).
A good work of fiction I would considered would be about how humans and the environment can get along or humans finding a non-damaging alternative (techy and/or magical way) solution to not to pollute the environment, bonus if it saves some species from extinction. I would like it if the author would write an interesting, well written story with enjoyable characters (and maybe wreck a few tropes).
These are some fictions that I like but I don't know if they can count as good at getting the message across, like Once Upon a Forest, Fern Gully, The Wild Thornberries: the movie, just to name a few. Though you can't go wrong with any movie made by Studio Ghibli, they are subtly environmental and tell a good/ enjoyable story (I still need to watch Princess Mononoke...I haven't watch it yet despite that I KNOW it is good).
I can understand the "Humans are Evil!" message can be annoying. I think we're more unaware than "pure evil" but I think "bad people" exists too. (but not also caricatured.....I think)
But the opposite can be as horrible and dumb. I mean I've seen so many fictions which the message is "Mankind is the greatest thing in universe!", "Humans are not hopeless!", "Humanity vs Nature" and most of time, the human heroes show those messages by beating the shit out of those who're not agree with them (most of them are not humans.)
And this "Power of Humanity" is the number 3 in my Top 11 worst cliches.
But the opposite can be as horrible and dumb. I mean I've seen so many fictions which the message is "Mankind is the greatest thing in universe!", "Humans are not hopeless!", "Humanity vs Nature" and most of time, the human heroes show those messages by beating the shit out of those who're not agree with them (most of them are not humans.)
And this "Power of Humanity" is the number 3 in my Top 11 worst cliches.
Oh, I forgotten about those annoying cliches (I guess the ones I mention are too in my face).
I agree on the subtlety part. The worst thing one can do is to shove the message in ones face. For example, Cpt. Planet in and on itself is a decent concept, a superhero born from the Earth to fight pollution and it's causes. The problem however is that it's overly preachy and silly.
In general when including a message in your story you should always remember the following: have a good story first and THEN include the message. This way you'll ensure that the message doesn't take over the story and becomes preachy and obvious.
As for good fiction with an environmental message I'd say you check out Princess Mononoke and Star Trek IV - The Voyage Home. No, I'm not kidding at all.
In general when including a message in your story you should always remember the following: have a good story first and THEN include the message. This way you'll ensure that the message doesn't take over the story and becomes preachy and obvious.
As for good fiction with an environmental message I'd say you check out Princess Mononoke and Star Trek IV - The Voyage Home. No, I'm not kidding at all.
I would love to see a gritty reboot of that.
Screw gritty reboots! Thanks to those we got Man of Steel and that movie is bad even if you look at it not as a Superman movie but simply as a movie.
I think, if it where to be remade, they should keep the basic premise of a superhero born out of the four elements (and heart.... come to think of it, can the Avatar bend heart?) but tweak some elements. Like having him be created directly by Gaia and not by a bunch of useless kids combining their rings and have the antagonists be less cartoony and give them actual motivations for their destruction of environment. Or hell, replace them with some aliens that want to terraform the Earth for their needs and perpetuate the destruction of the environment in order to achieve this. And the aliens need to do this because they trashed their own planet by screwing over their environment. I mean sure, it would be the plot of the first Ratchet & Clank game but you would get the point across that protecting the environment is important. Sprinkle a few Cpt. Marvel elements over it and you'll get a perfectly servicable Cpt. Planet reboot.
I think, if it where to be remade, they should keep the basic premise of a superhero born out of the four elements (and heart.... come to think of it, can the Avatar bend heart?) but tweak some elements. Like having him be created directly by Gaia and not by a bunch of useless kids combining their rings and have the antagonists be less cartoony and give them actual motivations for their destruction of environment. Or hell, replace them with some aliens that want to terraform the Earth for their needs and perpetuate the destruction of the environment in order to achieve this. And the aliens need to do this because they trashed their own planet by screwing over their environment. I mean sure, it would be the plot of the first Ratchet & Clank game but you would get the point across that protecting the environment is important. Sprinkle a few Cpt. Marvel elements over it and you'll get a perfectly servicable Cpt. Planet reboot.
I liked the message in Captain Planet, but I admit It was a really silly show. But I wonder if someone will make a new version of this show as good as the new Captain America.
*copy+paste from my reply to 
's reply*
"I think, if it where to be remade, they should keep the basic premise of a superhero born out of the four elements (and heart.... come to think of it, can the Avatar bend heart?) but tweak some elements. Like having him be created directly by Gaia and not by a bunch of useless kids combining their rings and have the antagonists be less cartoony and give them actual motivations for their destruction of environment. Or hell, replace them with some aliens that want to terraform the Earth for their needs and perpetuate the destruction of the environment in order to achieve this. And the aliens need to do this because they trashed their own planet by screwing over their environment. I mean sure, it would be the plot of the first Ratchet & Clank game but you would get the point across that protecting the environment is important. Sprinkle a few Cpt. Marvel elements over it and you'll get a perfectly servicable Cpt. Planet reboot."
It is however very unlikely that someone would do this since the franchise would be considered to be too risky because well... it's basicly about a Hippie Cpt. Atom wich is kinda hilarious if you consider that Cpt. Atom is pretty much the polar opposite of what Cpt. Planet stands for (although not villanous).
's reply*"I think, if it where to be remade, they should keep the basic premise of a superhero born out of the four elements (and heart.... come to think of it, can the Avatar bend heart?) but tweak some elements. Like having him be created directly by Gaia and not by a bunch of useless kids combining their rings and have the antagonists be less cartoony and give them actual motivations for their destruction of environment. Or hell, replace them with some aliens that want to terraform the Earth for their needs and perpetuate the destruction of the environment in order to achieve this. And the aliens need to do this because they trashed their own planet by screwing over their environment. I mean sure, it would be the plot of the first Ratchet & Clank game but you would get the point across that protecting the environment is important. Sprinkle a few Cpt. Marvel elements over it and you'll get a perfectly servicable Cpt. Planet reboot."
It is however very unlikely that someone would do this since the franchise would be considered to be too risky because well... it's basicly about a Hippie Cpt. Atom wich is kinda hilarious if you consider that Cpt. Atom is pretty much the polar opposite of what Cpt. Planet stands for (although not villanous).
One thing I would highly recommend is that you keep your message as subtle as you can. You want to get the point across, but you don't want it to come across as pretentious or excessive. If you've seen any of those Reduce Reuse Recycle PSAs that American schools shove down kids' throats, you know what I'm talking about. Just try to get your message across in an interesting, subtle way.
I don't think I was suffocated by those PSAs. I was more into "The Animals of Farthing Wood"..
You can take look Avatar
I like very much this movie, but people claims It was like a "Pocahontas" rip-off, and this Disney movie wasn't that great (even for me). But I like, for one time, humans are the "badguys" of the story.