The Sharks are gonna have their way, tonight ...

Dearest blog readers, did you see the news this past week of the rescue dolphin and the sharks?

 

That incident is an example of life being tragic in that kind of way that you laugh at because it’s so unbelievable. The sort of incident that makes you think, “Ha, this is some clever internet hoax that will soon be uncovered on Snopes to be a fake news item, it’s too perfect to be otherwise.”

 

(I want to note here that I’m not advocating the death of rescue dolphins – or any other kind of dolphins, for that matter – as perfect. I’m talking about the general circumstances which came together to result in the news item.)

 

And then, when you realize that no, it’s a for-real story, you laugh again, because you’re horrified and there really isn’t anything else to do. It’s hard to feel outrage at a shark. And then it becomes one of those guilty “I’m laughing because I feel awkward about having laughed, and that’s funny, and I’m also laughing because my god can you believe this story, but oh it’s terrible, but also kind of funny, this is irony right?, so it’s ok to laugh?, oh god I can’t stop laughing in this weird, almost forced way, oh dear I better go see what’s in the fridge.” laughs.

 

Which brings me to: What if you’d read about this incident in a novel? Would you believe it, or would you fault the author for being too cute and heavy-handed and “writerly”?

 

I’d argue that it depends entirely upon the tone of the writing.

 

Some authors can totally pull off too-perfect scenarios, or obvious, normally unbelievable coincidences, and I’ll walk happily away with the package they handed me, all tied up with no loose ends. Other authors have me groaning, demanding of the pages in my hands, “Really? Seriously?! SERIOUSLY?!” before I turn to whomever I’m with and say, “This is so lazy and stupid, I hate it.”

 

So what’s the difference? How can some authors sell me the shark story, and some not?

 

I think it has to do with truth, and earnestness vs. sincerity.

 

Stay with me on this one, but to me, sincerity is a prefereable tone for an author to take than earnestness. Sincerity implies, to me, genuine desire to tell me a story, a real story, and a story that matters to the author and will matter to me. Earnestness implies desperation; the author needs me to believe the story, and though it may be 100% god’s honest truth, it’s less about the story and more about the author’s need to be taken seriously.

 

Sincere tone keeps the characters at the center of the novel. Earnest tone leaves no room for anything besides the author.

 

There are plot devices which appear again and again in fiction. That’s kindof the nature of storytelling – taking a few familiar ideas and either retelling them or reimagining them, twisting them slightly so they evoke a new response from the reader.

 

Take star-crossed lovers. Romeo and Juliet define that device, yes? Theirs is a familiar story that, when retold, doesn’t surprise anyone with its basic elements. Yet it can be retold sincerely, or earnestly, and if the latter, it becomes less enjoyable.

 

(Now I’m sorry, I have to jump over to movies here, because I have a good example of an earnest star-crossed lovers movie, but I can’t think of an earnest star-crossed lovers book [I’ve only had one cup of coffee so far this morning].)

 

Ok, don’t get mad at me if you loved this movie but … Titanic. Earnest all over the place. Each step James Caeron took just screamed, “Get ready! Pretty soon I’m going to make you cry!” Ugh, and as the ship is sinking (oops, spoiler alert!) and he does those cuts between all the lower class passengers who are frightened and facing death? Mother tucking in her small children, telling them it’ll be all right! Elderly couple, crying and spooning in bed as cold water rushes all around them! JAMES CAMERON WANTS TO KNOW, ARE YOU CRYING NOW? HOW ABOUT NOW?! That’s what I felt at the end of that movie – not the tragedy of the lives lost, but James Cameron delighting in telling me the story, assured he’d be provoking an emotional response.

 

On the sincere side, West Side Story takes the familiar plot points and characters and tweaks them just a bit, preserving a wonderfully sincere tone, so that the reader (or viewer, depending on how you’re digesting these stories) doesn’t feel hit over the head with the message that my GOD isn’t this TRAGIC and aren’t you CRYING so HARD. I actually am sad for Maria and Tony (and Anita, but that’s an entirely different post). No one is standing over my shoulder, asking me if I’m crying yet – they don’t have to, because that last reprise of “Somewhere” is so effective and comes from a place of such truth. The storytellers trust the power of the material, and believe in the reader/viewer.

 

And now, to bring it back full circle, some dolphin-safe Sharks:

Comments

[Barbara Poelle]

This is EXACTLY like this story I like to torture Polly Soot with. This couple rescued a baby sea lion and then released it back in to the wild...OFF OF THE FARALLON ISLANDS. Come ON, People!!!! If you are going to release a seal or a dolphin maybe you should RESEARCH THE WATERS YOU ARE PUTTING HIM IN. Just type in Farallon Islands. It will take a second. And you'll see. Don't blame the sharks, who are they to say no to a snack served fresh? Don't get me started...