Gnomes in Modern Fantasy

[Nova]

Lately i have been thinking about Gnomes i have been reading about the Books and life of Will Huygen who if you don't know wrote many books some of them "Gnomes" and "The Secret of the Gnomes" which a fictitious accounts of the Life, Death, education, etc of Gnomes. Ive been starting to want to write a modern Fantasy about Gnomes. Something that uses the prevailing folklore etc but introduces stuff thats has a bit of an edge. This is a challenge as the prevailing image of Gnomes are rather cheesy and hard to take seriously. Gnomes are kind of stored in most peoples cute, ugly, and harmless box in there mind. I Guess my question is do you think that its possible for Gnomes to be taken seriously, or do you think the overall cliches and perception thats gnomes are mythological creatures that are know nothing but a joke?

[waldenwriter]

They're taken seriously in Gail Carson Levine's book Ella Enchanted and also in Fairest, which is set in the same world (and in which the gnomes play a bigger role; they take the role of the dwarves in that book, which is based on "Snow White"). In that world, gnomes are miners and craftsmen, can "illuse" (throw their voice to make it come out of someone or something else), and can sometimes see a little of the future. They also live in caves and eat nothing but soup, but that's not so relevant.

[metalikhan]

Yeah, the stubby, shy ones are what I was most familiar with (thanks, Brian Froud!); but when I read Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett, I saw a whole different kind of gnome in the character Wee Mad Arthur.

I think the key is to clearly define what kind of gnomes yours are.
Defeating cliche's and turning the reader's expectations up-side-down are parts of the creative process. The first glimpse of Wee Mad Arthur puts the reader more in mind of a volatile Rambo-esque character who happens to be six inches tall rather than a roly-poly red-capped gardener of the same height.

Gotta love that scrappy little guy!

[beckyminor]

Yeah, I think Travelocity has done nothing for the image of gnomes. Even in the world of gaming, gnomes get no respect...the newest version of Dungeons and Dragons downgraded them from character class to monster! How's that for dissing a race?

But seriously, I think if you put your own nuances into your gnomes, the mere name of the race shouldn't completely make your readers dismiss them. Maybe they'll balk at the first time they see the word "gnome" and formulate a cliche mental picture, but if you do your job in describing the gnome characters to differentiate them from the pointy hat-garden gnome stereotype, then it could work fine.

After all, the gnomes need some advocates out there! Sally forth and defend the dignity of the gnome!

[j2starshine]

I'm actually working on a story with gnomes in it. I think the whole of speculative fiction can and does have alot of cliched character/race/species...I mean why ruin a good thing... Just kidding. As authors we work on giving new life to and meaning to these aspects...redefining them. Have any of you read Artemis Fowl? I love those books and the author did a cool job at redefining elves, dwarves, goblins, etc

I definitely think it can be done.

[morganlbusse]

One way to reshape the way a reader thinks about gnomes in your book is have a gnome comment on how the world sees his/her race (maybe sees one of those fake ones in someone's yard and has some snarky remark about how they're nothing like that...).

[myrthman]

I really like Morwena's idea. And I'm so glad Gail Carson Levine's gnomes don't really live in caves eating soap (had to reread that!).

I have gnomes in my fantasy setting, but, like all my races, I've renamed them. They're still short and mischievous but they're tasked with maintaining the world's library. They also teleport to random places in their memories when they sneeze which, in a library, is quite often! However, despite my use of them as comic relief, they still play an important roll because they don't just shelve their books; they read them too! Heroes can ask a lot of probing questions of gnomes who really do know everything. Almost.

[myrthman]

Upcoming movie, relevant to this thread: Gnomeo and Juliet
trailers.apple.com/trailers/touchstone/gnomeoandjuliet/

[morganlbusse]

Looks like a cute movie And I love gnomes, so might need see it.

[Ranger Varon]

Gnomes are scary, if you think about it. They stand around in people's yards, smiling cheerily and what-not. But what do they do when nobody is looking? Or when someone is looking the other way? And what did they do to the flamingo lawn ornaments?
Goofy ideas, I know, but the world can always use some comedy.

[Bethany J.]

I think gnomes can easily be re-imagined! It'd be fascinating. I LOVE Gail Carson Levine, too - she very creatively re-imagines typical fantasy creatures and I love the way she does it. Her worlds are always vivid and interesting. If you haven't read any of her works I highly recommend it.

Thank you so much, waldenwriter, for tipping me off to the fact that there is another book in Ella Enchanted's world! I wish I had known that when I was at the library today...must get it next time!

[Kessie]

Terry Pratchett wrote a juvie fiction series about "nomes" called the Bromeliad Trilogy (Truckers, Diggers and Wings). They're sort of like the Borrowers, just little people who live in the walls and under the floors, and get up to all kinds of adventures. Being Terry Pratchett, he also deals with what happens when a god doesn't live up to a religion's expectations.

The Borrowers is much more straightforward, and also has more books (I think five?). They're wonderful. I'm curious to see Studio Ghibli's treatment, and as far as I can see, it sticks right to the book. Here's the trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlMe7PavaRQ

[This Baron of Mora]

The Gnomes was actually the original name for the Noldor Elves in Tolkien's Middle-earth, he later changed thinking it would be confused with the lawn ordament type, to whitch I must agree.

[yoda47]

Some lady wrote a Windrider book or something like that... it has cool gnomes in it. Kinda take some of the best of the stereotypical dwarf attitude and some of the best of the gnome stereotypes, and add in original stuff. Works pretty well. (Still not as cool as elves, but what is? )