How To Escape--Or Not

Jeff Cohen

I notice I've been blogging a lot lately about respect for "light" entertainment, like the books I write but also about television and movies that aren't necessarily considered the most "important" examples of their medium.

There is a certain "middle child syndrome" that comes from growing up in New Jersey, constantly stuck between our evil overlords in New York and the cocksure wiseguys in Philadelphia (they boo their own teams there!). But this isn't simply about feeling unappreciated--I have it pretty good, myself, and I have what I think is a reasonably clear picture of the kind of thing I do. I'm fine with it.

But. There is a tendency among critics, media reporters and in some cases those in the industry to look at the supposed "light" entertainments and dismiss them as simple, empty-headed (get ready for the word of the week) "escapism." The idea is that entertainment like books, theater, film and TV (and one assumes now online things like cats on skateboards or something) help the reader, viewer, or absorber--I love it when they talk about us "consuming" entertainment; I can eat pretty prodigiously, but I don't think I could handle that--mentally break with reality and provide some way to avoid dealing with the horrors of everday life.

Let's see how many different things are wrong with that idea, shall we?

First: ALL fiction is some form of escape, in that it insists that the audience member (and that's the term we'll use for all media, okay?) suspend thinking about his/her current circumstance and pay some attention to one of the creator's design. In order for "Crime and Punishment" to work, the reader has to stop thinking about his life and start participating in the ones Dostoyevsky dreamed up. And anyone who thinks "Crime and Punishment" is "light escapism" should be kept away from sharp objects.

Beyond that, though, is the assumption that light entertainment (which is code for "anything that's not depressing or, heaven forbid, might try to be funny") is in some way secondary or inferior because it bears no resemblance to the dark, hideous truth that is human existence. 

If your view of life is that it is all misery, you should stop reading this blog immediately and seek out someone who can help you. (Or go make another movie, Woody.) And if you think that comic or "light" forms of entertainment can succeed if they don't reflect reality, you don't understand the concept of entertainment.

In order for a story, a joke, or a piece of music to be successful, it has to connect with an audience. It has to reach people, and they have to find something in it that relates to their lives. That's basic. You can write a book from the perspective of a house plant if you feel like it, but the story had better be about human emotions and human interaction, even if it's reflected in plants. Do you think "Animal Farm" is about, you know, animals?

So if Blazing Saddles makes you laugh, at least part of that laughter will be a form of recognition: "I get that because I know people who might act like that, or think that way." Sure, it's exaggerated, but don't tell me it isn't true.

Do people sometimes need a way to distract themselves from their troubles? Of course they do. Some of my favorite emails from readers have been from people who read my book in hospital rooms with desperately ill relatives or after a loved one's death. They say the book takes their mind off difficult thoughts sometimes, and thank me for that.

One of my favorite booksellers (besides you, Marilyn!) recently told me that she'd sold a copy of one of the Haunted Guesthouse books to a special customer, one who had managed to escape (not without injury) from the World Trade Center in 2001. She said her customer had been having a hard time dealing with people, but showed up for a book club meeting to discuss my book.

She said my book was the first one--almost 12 years later--this customer had read all the way through since 9/11.

Escapism? Maybe. But don't you dare tell me it's not important.

Comments

[Toni Lotempio]

i agree. the editor who bought my mystery series said she read it while she had the flue and it managed to distract her.

I couldn't have gotten a higher compliment.

[Robin Minnick]

Thanks, Jeff. As a person who escapes into fiction -- yours, for instance, and others -- and as a writer, I wholeheartedly agree.

There is another aspect to this for those who don't think you are 'serious' enough about it yet. Part of what actually goes on, part of why escaping is necessary for a healthy life, is that while one part of your mind is distracted from your immediate troubles, the other part is working on both calming you down and finding solutions (if there are any) to the problem. Escaping isn't just about not feeling the pain, it's about giving your brain some free time to work things out.

And I LOVE your books!

[Jack Getze]

After he read my first hopefully funny novel, my brother-in-law could only say, "Well, it's not War and Peace, is it?" Since my bro-in-law is an electrician, there was only one response I could make: "Oh, yeah? Well, you're no Thomas Edison either!"

[Mark]

I love escapism. Life is serious and depressing enough as it is. Yes, I will occasionally go see/read something darker, but most of the time I seek out the funny/cozy side of things. Why? Because if I want to be depressed and face the seriousness of life, I'll watch the local news with all the real life murders.

[Eve]

There's a lot to be said for making people laugh. Did you know that that's all some people have?

[Jeff Cohen]

Now you're just showing off. And I am wearing a very large smile.

[Eve]

Always a goal of mine.