Chasing Truth

Though it may not be Friday anymore – or even Saturday for that matter, whoops! – I still want to make sure that I pump out a blog article before we all go scrambling back to work and school. So for our first discussion in the Writer’s Corner, I’m going to be doing something a little different, so I hope that you’ll indulge me.

As writers, one of the tools we use the most is the suspension of disbelief. Though we do our best to tell a story that is believable, with characters that could pass as real people, there’s always going to be certain questions nagging at the back of someone’s brain. Let’s take the world of Detective Comics, otherwise known as DC, for example. Not only do we have to accept the fact a super hero like Superman is an alien from a far off planet, we’re also expected to believe that he is powered by the sun, can fly so fast that he can change time and can really look manly while saving people in red pajamas. And yet, Superman still holds the place as not only being one of the most beloved superheroes of all time, but also as a symbol of all that is America. And, as mentioned before, it’s mostly because of his character.

We don’t just love Superman because he’s DC’s most lovable Boy Scout, but also because he encapsulates some of the biggest problems that Americans are having today. Just like some people question whether or not such a god-like being should be allowed to exist, America has also had to re-think its place on the world stage. We’re no longer the super power we were back in the days when Superman could simply punch Hitler in the face and lead G.I. Joes to victory. We’re a more self-conscious, weakened America who must now wonder if we have the right to simply fly around the world spreading Democracy, especially when some civil liberties are being questioned within our own borders. And yet we still want to see ourselves as the home of the free and the land of the brave; as the small group of colonists who sent the enormous British Empire packing and caused the banner of revolution to be taken up across the globe.

What I’m getting at is that why we love Superman, or any well written character, is because they have one major thing going for them: truth. Though they live in a fantasy land, their experiences and surroundings ring with the same truth that we in the real world have to spend our day-to-day lives in. But lately, there’s been a disturbing little trend that I’ve been noticing that revolves around how writers, in all medias, have started to… meddle with this truth.

The modern day publishing industry has become all about perfecting the art of escapism. This is something that we, as people who want to be a part of this huge machine, have to learn to deal with. Most people read because they want to run into worlds they think reality should be more like. While some of us long for the gritty, yet hopeful world of Harry Potter, others long to frolic in the golden fields of yesterAusten where everyone was beautiful and marriage seemed to be just around the river bend. But even the realms of escapism can be pushed too far. Lately, it seems that the literary world has fallen into two very opposite categories: either we have powdered sugar covered vampires, or lawless cowboys taking names and spreading gore in a sad, sad world that would even make the World of Darkness want to cry for its mummy.

On the sugary side, we’re more and more finding what I’ve started to call the “veggie vampire” disease. And this isn’t just Twilight we’re talking about. Lately, I’ve noticed quite a few books that introduce themes of darkness or flaws that could bring some real meat to the character… and then just drop them for the pretty thing with long legs that goes waltzing through the plot line  These are the novels that are light and sanitized; the sort of thing that you would expect to see at a bridal shower. They don’t really want to admit that there are problems with the world, but they want you to think they do. So they give you characters with broken homes, political issues and characters traits, but then fail to follow through with them once they can finally move on to what society has decided makes people happy.

And then we have the other side. The side where doom, gloom and zombies live and no light will ever be allowed to shine. These books don’t just have heroes, they have anti-heroes, and they’re here to show you just how twisted and hopeless humanity has become. And because of that it’s time to eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we need to load up to be eaten by the next apocalypse cycle Hollywood things is cool. Now, while I’m not mocking these stories for bringing up real issues, or even being controversial… my main problem is that they seem to refuse to see that there is still some hope left for the world. They give us characters who tend to not only be flawed, but quite unlikable  hoping that the action scenes and witty banter will be enough to get butts into seats, or to sell enough books before people realize what on earth they’re actually buying.

So why is it important that we, as writers, try to fight against these two over-powering forces. Well, simply, because of truth. Though escaping to a new world is always nice, just writing for the sake of pandering to what is popular shouldn’t be what motivates you to write. Though I may sound naïve at best, it is my belief that the most important part of writing is not only to convey a clear message, but to also not be blind to the real world. No world can have characters who are flawed for the sake of not being an infamous Mary Sues. And no gritty future land can completely stomp out the idea of hope and redemption without ripping out all of its humanity. If we as writers are really to put any kind of truth in our novels, movies or comics, we must include both of life’s elements if we want to have a story that will be impactful.

An example of this is a series called Elm Creek Quilters, written by Jennifer Chiaverini. As you might except, this is a book about a group of women who have found friendship through their great passion, quilting. On the surface, this is a chick book that will no doubt be as sugary and diabetes inducing as the many other  of the hobby book that are on the market. But, as Chiaverini takes you deeper into the psychology of her cast of characters, the series shines through to be something much more deep and thought provoking. 

Like women in the real world, her characters are forced to deal with some of the more unpleasant facts of life: that husbands cheat on their wives, that families drift apart and that racism has and will always be a black spot on the pages of American history. But as they start to face these challenges, we’re shown just how remarkable any one woman, or quilt, can be. Quilts, as the series goes on, become more and more like symbols of the human condition. Just like quilts, we are all patch-work pieces of art that are made through our understanding of history, and our own life experiences. We are the works of many hands, and the memories who will be passed down to the next generation.

And let remind you again, this is a book about quilting! It didn't have to be deep or soulful. It could have been simply a book for the sake of warm fuzzies, and it still would most likely have been a success. But thank heavens it isn’t. Thank heavens that Jennifer Chiaverini decided that the world of quilters, and quilting, deserved something that was both fun and inspiring.

So as we’re all getting ready to dive into the madness that is NaNoWriMo, I want you all to just take a few minutes and to think about your writing and the things you want to say with it. Let’s all try to just be a little more truthful in what we decide to bring into the world and, maybe, we’ll be able to keep the wonderful world of writing a place where both our hearts and our brains can be enriched.