Archaeology of Tomb Raider: In the Spotlight: Tara C
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| Interviews by Fans | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Archaeology of Tomb Raider: In the Spotlight: Tara C |
| Interviewer: | Kelly M |
| Interviewee: | Tara C |
| Date(s): | February 20, 2014 |
| Medium: | online |
| Fandom(s): | Tomb Raider |
| External Links: | In the Spotlight: Tara C – The Archaeology of Tomb Raider, Archived version |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Archaeology of Tomb Raider: In the Spotlight: Tara C was conducted in 2014.
Some Excerpts
How has Tomb Raider changed your life?
Lara’s gutsy attitude has always been one that I have aspired to. As someone who is naturally very shy, it was really valuable to have a female role model who could do anything, and wouldn’t take no for an answer. In a sense, Lara taught me that you could do whatever you want if you fought for it.
Were you interested in archaeology before discovering Tomb Raider? Have the Tomb Raider games and films inspired you to learn more about ancient history?
In short, no. I had very limited interest in archaeology prior to, or during, my original playthroughs of the Tomb Raider series (up until the reboot anyway) as it wasn’t until much later in my life that I started to gain a real appreciation or passion for archaeology and ancient history.
At the time when I was first playing the Tomb Raider games I was invested into the technicalities, mechanics and excitement – the archaeology was almost inconsequential to my enjoyment of the games. Even now when I play through, I find the most enjoyment in the mechanics, characters and overall plot rather than any explicit archaeological references.
What are your thoughts on Lara’s image? Is she simply the product of a sexist gaming industry or can she be seen as a positive role model?
I both love and hate her image. I think Lara as a character is overwhelmingly a positive role model – she has a ton of depth and an inspiring amount of gusto (occasional dubious treatment of archaeological remains and murderous tendencies aside). However, her hyper-sexualised pre-reboot physical appearance seems unnecessary and sensational. At times (promotional material especially) she is reduced to an object of sexual desire which in my opinion borders on detracting from her overall strength and depth of character.