Talking Animals

[Pibs]

So, what do ya think? Are talking animals in stories lame? Cute? Corny? Useful? Annoying? Adorable?

I'll post my opinion when stuff gets going. :cool:

[Crocolyle]

Depends on the story. Like Watership Down tries to simulate animals talking if animals actually had a language with which they could express abstract concepts. They seem more human in that story--not cute, lame, corny, annoying, or adorable. It just depends on the story and what happens in the story. Like, I personally thought the talking animals in Narnia books were a little annoying and a little corny until you got immersed into the world...

[Rafael Domination]

I. Hate. Talking. Animals.

No seriously, especially when they start acting human, wearing clothes and stuff. I hate it for some reason. Whenever I see a talking animal, I immediately want to eat it. I dunno why, I think animals are better off making their little animal noises.

However, when I see an animal behaving on the intelligence level of a human without speaking like one, I immediately want it as a pet. I also don't know why. I mean, the pet I want the most in the world is a wold that can think for itself almost on my level of intellect. But I hate it when they talk. I just do.

[Crocolyle]

Destroy the anthropomorphs!

[Rafael Domination]

YES!!! LET'S DO IT!!!

Death to Redwall!!! BWAHAHAHAHA!

[Carraka]

I don't think Redwall was that bad. It was just all the books after it. They seemed to follow a single formula. Meet the shrews. Get a funny rabbit-hare thing. Solve a riddle. Use the sword. Badger lord. But the talking animals I didn't mind at all.

Then again -- I suppose these days I think that if an animal can talk, it should either have a really screwed up worldview, or a distinct personality so that it can be a character that is a character, not something that's there to be cute or cool.

I liked Watership Down. And I didn't mind Narnia too much, but then again it's never been a favorite series for me.

[Crocolyle]

I realized that too! That's why I only read a total of 3 or 4 of them. It got me so mad.

[Carraka]

I had nothing to read back then, so I probably wound up reading eight or nine, hoping and hoping for something different.

Then I read ASOIAF and my life was complete. (Yes, I try to turn every thread into an advertisement.)

[Pibs]

ASOIAF??

Anyway, I think they are interesting characters when used rationally. They have to be interesting, play a key part in the plot, and not be like, dependent or just adorable or anything.
Ooo, Raffy, I like that idea of the incredibly intelligent yet silent animal character! Somehow I hadn't thought about it before.
Yeah, I tried starting Redwall twice, and it just didn't hold my attention very well. I have friends who LOVE it... but I'm just not into it.

Another question... what about people who are able to talk to/communicate with animals?

[Rafael Domination]

Yeah, there's a lot those! The big black panther in Cybersis (I doubt you guys know this show) kicks major butt, responding to words, emotions, thinking of its own tactics, etc, but it can't speak. That doesn't mean it can't communicate, but it can't talk. That is one animal I love. Smart, but not human.

[sXe_Jinxeh]

I definitely agree on the talking animals thing with Raf. I can't stand them...more then anything. Of course, I'll come off as hypocritical if I ever sit down to write the short story about the cat...hm.

But I hate talking animals. It's cheesy and overdone. (To Raf: I love that show! I haven't watched it in like three years though...stupid Teletoon...)

I read an excerpt from a book my little sister was reading (the Warriors books by Erin Hunter) and had to put them down in disgust. Witty, well written NON-SPEAKING animal roles are good though, like Hedwig or Crookshanks, both of whom are intelligent animals that are entertaining.

[Carraka]

ASOIAF??

A Song of Ice and Fire Series by George R. R. Martin

I am obsessed.

And it has talking ravens that are (probably) intelligent but have limited vocabulary, so they end up sounding like parrots.

And then there are the wolves that are intelligent but don't talk? And I'm not even supposed to like the idea of intelligent wolves anymore, but I can make the argument that GRRM uses these wolves differently, so it's still entertaining. Somewhat.

[Imelda]

A Song of Ice and Fire Series by George R. R. Martin

I am obsessed.

And it has talking ravens that are (probably) intelligent but have limited vocabulary, so they end up sounding like parrots.




The ravens ACTUALLY talked? :O I didn't realise!

[Rafael Domination]

Hold up...Jinx...are you in Canada as well?

[Carraka]

The ravens ACTUALLY talked? :O I didn't realise!

... you mean they don't speak in the first book?

-hangs head-

[sXe_Jinxeh]

Yeppers...where about you from, Raf?

[Ichigo]

YWO is going to get taken over by us Canadians!

I agree, talking animals is a no go. I couldn't properly enjoy Alvin and the Chipmonks because animals can't talk. I feels so narrow minded but I can't stand it. One of my pet peeves I suppose.

I don't mind it when it's in like...Silverwing or something. I never read Redwall but I get what it's about...I think.

I guess what I really don't like is animals communicating verbally with humans.

[Rouge]

\

I read an excerpt from a book my little sister was reading (the Warriors books by Erin Hunter) and had to put them down in disgust. Witty, well written NON-SPEAKING animal roles are good though, like Hedwig or Crookshanks, both of whom are intelligent animals that are entertaining.

hehe, I read all of those books. One through twelve.
Now that I look at them though, they really are childish.
As long as the story about the talking animals is good, I don't mind. I'll read anything. :) Firebringer was a really good book, though I read it in sixth grade.

On movies and stuff though, not so much. They're retarded.

[GeorgeMichael]

Wait...a re we talking books here or movies (Alvin and the Chipmunks, etc...)

Because I'm sorry that you all seem to have a passion for hatred towards talking animals but if this a vague discussion then I will defend to the death my fellow talking animals in The Lion King, Ratatouille, Toy Story (Toys... Animals... whatever), Finding Nemo, A Bug's Life... I mean really... They're just so incredible... (was there a talking animal in the Incredibles???)

as far as books go... well I can't really think of any books with talking animals at the moment... I liked the Raven by EAP but he just said Nevermore... and I don't think he was really talking... I don't think that counts...



Lord of the RIngs!!! :)

[Starry]

Wow, normally when people start bringing up specific examples from books, I haven't heard of half of them...but I think I've read every single one of these talking animal books. :[

Personally, I'm not entirely against talking animals if they're done well. With Narnia, the Warriors, and those ones, once you get past the "Ooh! Adorable talking animal!" factor (I've read all of Narnia and most of the Warriors *hangs head in shame*) you realize that they're really not all that interesting. If it's either a talking animal who exists for the sole purpose of being a talking animal, or it's an incredibly cliche character who has just become an animal for the sake of being original (in the same way that some stories take a cliche, overdone plotline, make the main character gay, and then call it originality xP), then no. Just no. But if you create a few interesting characters that just happen to be animals, and give them really interesting, engaging personalities, why not?

My current project, Estara, has three "talking animals" in the sense that they are semi-physical canine manifestations of magical energy...who talk. But despite their cuteness, they serve an important function in the plot, and they are getting fully developed personalities (somewhat based on Shakespearean villains, actually). So if it works, why not?

[Pibs]

Because I'm sorry that you all seem to have a passion for hatred towards talking animals but if this a vague discussion then I will defend to the death my fellow talking animals in The Lion King, Ratatouille, Toy Story (Toys... Animals... whatever), Finding Nemo, A Bug's Life... I mean really... They're just so incredible... (was there a talking animal in the Incredibles???)

EEEEEE! Didn't you just LOVE Ratatouille??? It was SO adorable!! Remy was sooo cute and I just wanted to hug and squish (gently squish... they like it) Emile!!! And I swear Remy boggled when he ate that cheese! So realistic!! Sooooooo cute! LIGHTNING-Y!!!! *dies from cuteness overload*

...

Hey, it's my thread, I can spam it up if I want. ^^

[Rafael Domination]

Yeppers...where about you from, Raf?

I'm in BC.


Anyways...while I admit that I don't mind talking animals in less-serious works of art, seeing them in more serious pieces like Redwall and Narnia kinda makes me shake my head. I dunno, there's just something corny about it. :P

[Zombified]

Now I can finally contribute my views on this.

I find talking animals in literature okay.
Then again, I'm also the guy who wrote a story about the end of the world through the eyes of a manatee.

I think talking animals in some stories is actually good comic relief. Because usually, its not used in a serious way. Its always pertaining to a dream or hallucination and that always cracks me up.

You don't often see a horror story where out of nowhere the dog tells the protagonist, "Hey! I know who the killer is!".

If its used tastefully I see no problem with it. And if I could get away with it, then any smart writer could as well.