So just a brief thought. Love to hear other authors and readers' thoughts.
There are plenty of legit reasons to write about dark emotions and subject matter. But I can also think of plenty of good reasons to write about positive emotions or more bright topics. I have often wondered why for so many of us it seems easier and more natural to do the former.
I sometimes think it relates to the cathartic experience so many of us find in writing. After all, catharsis is great for shedding burdensome emotions. But who wants to shed the good ones?
What do you think?
.Nevets.
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Again this is a topic I think about a lot. And, I'll say that as I've gotten older I go write more happy things. It's not quite 50% of what I write, but I'll say that it's at least 30%. There is a catharsis component to me when I write dark stuff, but there's also something selfish about it for me. I just like it for some reason. I've always been a depressive, so that has to be taken into account. Someone, I enjoy the depressing emotions more than the happy ones. Happy often seems boring.
ReplyDeleteI should have called this post Catharsis Reluctansis. C. Reluctansis could have put me on the map.
ReplyDeleteDark stuff is easier. Really, it is. Think of how hard it is to write something hopeful and optimistic without lapsing into Hallmark-television fluff.
ReplyDeleteOr what I took to calling Sappy-crappy. The world and the people in it are broken. For our stories to ignore that is to turn away from Truth.
ReplyDeleteBut don't forget hope, the thing with teeth.
@Loren, I don't really disagree with you, but I wonder why that is the case. It's certainly not tautological that dark = easier.
ReplyDelete@B, while the world and the people in it are broken, I also think that there are happy people and happy moments. I don't think you have to ignore the truth of the brokenness in order to explore those.
ReplyDeleteFor a host of philosophical and theological reasons, I am definitely invested in explore the hope in the darkness, but I'm not sure why I feel that must focus as heavily on the darkness part as it tends to.
Is it that we're simply more familiar with the darkness? That we're less likely to accept the verity and authenticity of good cheer?
I know that as literature readers we are taught to doubt t the verity and authenticity of good cheer starting in middle school English. You could even tie it back to the "falseness of appearances" message that we touched on in the Fairy Tale post.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't forget Freud. Popular conceptions of psychology teach us that self-interest is THE ONLY THING behind every action. There are worlds within worlds of darker motivations. There are no gods, only pedophilic monomaniacal priests.
Sex sells, death sells, conspiracy sells, demonic sells. I can't offer a satisfying reason why, but the nightly news is awash in the commerce.
Perhaps a touch of voyeur as well? I read Carl Elliot's "Mind Game" in the New Yorker regarding a psychiatrist's murder of his wife, and my first response was to want to know what made his mind tick that way. Perhaps it's another case of I like "other" or things that are uncommon and I find darkness a little uncommon.
ReplyDeleteI'm late to the party, but crashing anyway. I tend to write tragedies because I have a great deal of compassion and pity for humanity in general and I'm interested in showing how we're all in need of kindness because all of us are basically dysfunctional and life is hard and fucked up. We spend huge amounts of time bored, frustrated, confused and humiliated, and I just want to give all of humanity a hug. So I write tragedies about how we all need a hug. At one level. If you know what I mean. I don't write for catharsis; I have drinking for that!
ReplyDeleteI think the big question of tragedy is also whether or not it starts when life is too good or life is too bad. If like is too good we may feel, as writers, more daring and more willing to write about the dark stuff. We're so far away from it that it's exciting. If we are close to the dark stuff, we could be writing about it because it feels true.
ReplyDeleteMichelle hasn't even commented on this thread, but I'm going to reluctantly confess to stealing her technique of bolding names in responses.
ReplyDeleteScott, there shall never be a party at which your crashing is too late to be welcome. And I actually love your perspective on this, too. I don't think I've ever thought of it quite those terms, being someone who cringes at hugs, but I see a streak in my approach to writing dark material that is very like what you describe. But less touchy-feely.
Domey, that's an interesting point. I'm trying to figure out how to respond without sounding cynical, whiny, and emo. Except that I am cynical, whiny, and emo. So I'll just say it. If I'm ever at that happy place in life long enough to test the alternate hypothesis, I'll get back to you with my results.
In my case, I think sometimes (not always by any means) there is something of an, "Oh yeah, you think it can't get worse, watch what I do to this guy," kind of thing.
Aidan, it's the voyeur stuff that makes me wince. I recoil at the idea of being a voyeur. I absolutely cannot abide the idea of catering to other peoples' voyeurism. I'm not denying your point, precisely, just confessing to a large measure of discomfort with it.
B., a wise man once said we are all whores. Darkness does sell. And I would rather think of myself as a whore than a voyeur. Or a stripper, if you follow the analogy.
Egads.
Alas, in a white font, the bold shows up barely at all.
ReplyDelete