Yes, Your Novel Has a Message
By Greer Macallister | May 1, 2017 |
image by Ross Angus
So, Captain America is a Nazi.
You may not have noticed this in the Avengers movies – because in the movies, that’s not the case. The reveal that Captain America has been a Hydra agent all along was announced as part of a new series of Marvel comics, Captain America: Steve Rogers #1. Marvel has stated that completely redefining the loyalties of the superhero most associated with America (I mean, it’s in the name and everything) is “not a political statement.”
Guess what: whether it’s meant that way or not, it is. Maybe not political, but definitely a statement. Definitely.
In a related vein, you may have read that the cast of the new adaptation of “The Handmaid’s Tale” on Hulu resisted calling the show “feminist” at a film festival event.
Ditto: whether it’s meant that way or not, it is. Feminist means women should be treated as equal to men, and by showing us a bleak, unpleasant (to put it mildly) dystopia where women’s rights are stripped and their value to society is based only on their reproductive capabilities, the show inherently argues that this treatment is wrong. If the show were on board with the extreme marginalization of women and smothering dissent with bullets, it would present these events very differently.
One more example from the world of book-to-TV/movie crossover: I recently devoured the Netflix adaptation of Jay Asher’s book “13 Reasons Why.” I must admit I suffer from the writer’s disease of rarely being able to enjoy anything written purely as a reader or viewer; I’m always looking at the bones under the skin, analyzing the writing, wondering what decision the writer – not the character – will make next.
So two or three episodes into “13 Reasons”, when a character raised the question of whether or not Hannah’s words could be trusted, I thought: Is that where this is going? Will it be revealed that this suicidal girl is not innocent and wronged, but manipulative and vengeful, even from beyond the grave? I do love unexpected plot twists, and that would certainly be unexpected. What made me realize quickly that that was unlikely was the fact that I knew the show had been adapted from a young adult novel, and while YA books don’t shy away from complexity, they also provide young adults the tools with which to interpret their world. I doubted the book would be so popular and loved if its basic message were If someone tells you they were bullied and mistreated in high school, don’t believe them.
Because every book has a message. It’s not as simple as “Heroes can be villains” or “Stand up for your rights no matter what” or “Be nice to each other,” but that’s part of it. You have to be careful with your characters: what they say, what they do, how they move through the world.
I’m not generally a fan of novels that are written solely to communicate a message, but I believe that every novel does send messages to its readers, intended or not. While writing my latest novel, inspired by the real-life first female detective in America, Kate Warne, I had read that Warne was widely assumed to be having an affair with her boss, Allan Pinkerton. Yet there was no actual evidence of an affair, and so I thought, What message am I sending if they do get romantically involved in my novel? Am I saying that’s what probably happened? I’d rather have readers walk away with a sense that Kate was independent and fierce and a trail-blazer, rather than the idea that even a trailblazing woman got preferential treatment because a powerful man cut her some slack for romantic/sexual reasons.
Don’t write a book to send a message. But do think about the messages your book might send, whether or not you intend them.
Raised in the Midwest, Greer Macallister earned her MFA in creative writing from American University. Her historical novels have been named Book of the Month, Indie Next, LibraryReads, Target Book Club, and Amazon Best Book of the Month picks and optioned for film and television. Her latest novel, The Thirteenth Husband, is inspired by Aimee Crocker, the Paris Hilton of the Gilded Age. Macallister also writes the ongoing Five Queendoms epic fantasy series as G.R. Macallister. A regular contributor to Writer Unboxed and the Chicago Review of Books, she lives with her family in Boston, MA. www.greermacallister.com
Some books NEED to be written to send a message. They can change the world.
For an easy example, Black Beauty.
The harder ones change history, whether they start a trend or ride its crest.
But there’s no reason they can’t also be a rip-roaring story; in fact, I believe that the more powerful the message a story carries, the more entertaining and otherwise compelling it should be, through characters, language, and plot.
Otherwise the message is very easy to dismiss.
A good enough writer can sneak a message into readers’ heads without them being aware of it.
Yes! Agreed on all counts.
Greer, interesting timing here. I just finished a book by an author whose work I’ve been enjoying, but this particular book had what struck me as a heavy-handed message. I got the sense that the author was pushing his own political agenda by means of the story. I was put off, not because I agreed or disagreed with his views, but because it felt manipulative to me. He presented a real and troubling issue, but in a very slanted way. Maybe I’m being too sensitive here. But I’ve always found that the powerful messages in novels are the ones that allow you to ponder all sides of an issue. They slip in quietly and remain with you after you close the book.
I believe that as writers, we write in order to grapple with and discover more about the themes and issues that are close to our hearts. It’s also why I read. If a writer gives me only one side of a story, I’m going to be left feeling cheated. Wonderful post. This has given me a lot to think about!
Good points! Yes, books that are written purely to send a message tend to read that way — and not only does that mean the reader doesn’t enjoy it, but then the message is less likely to land. The plot still needs to compel, the characters still need to live and breathe, etc. That’s what makes a novel a success on all levels.
If there is a story outcome for which we hope, that outcome is “good”. The value it affirms is “good”. Thus, if you are writing a story you necessarily have a point.
Even existential and post-modern stories have a point, much as they may try to pretend they don’t.
The question is whether authors know their points, consider them and make them deliberately. Following easy story patterns is not illegal but easy stories cannot have the force of stories that grapple with their point.
What I’d add to your own terrific point, Greer, is a suggestion: Whatever your outcome and whatever value it affirms, find a way in your story to argue against it. Challenge it. An outcome is not persuasive unless it is earned.
Thanks Greer for this post. Most intriguing for me: “… do think about the messages your book might send, whether or not you intend them.” I am totally unaware of any message I may be sending while in the process of writing a story, though I agree with you that there will turn out to be messages in the tale. They emerge from beneath the surface of dialog being said and action being done. Whenever I’ve taken the time to search out this under layer, I have found that although I may not have intended the messages to be there, I definitely believe in what they impart. Alice – http://www.aliceorrbooks.com
Excellent, thought-evoking post! Thank you…
As a developmental editor, I often work with very raw material, where any ‘messages’ from the author (intended or not) can jump from the pages, since the ‘taming’ of an edit process hasn’t yet happened. I would say that 90% of my authors, when alerted to these messages, had no idea they existed, and will deny them or be surprised or disturbed by them.
Just like passive-aggressive behaviors (and others), we can express things we don’t intend to at times. From my own writing, and that of the authors I support, I believe we can release inner ‘demons’ or hopes/dreams in our writing. That ‘secret’ passion can put the fire the characters and our stories.
I’m so glad you brought this idea forward — and really enjoyed your very direct approach to it. Thanks again!