I've had my dog Peanut for about five weeks now. He doesn't speak English or Thai--and don't get me started on his French. I, as well, have yet to figure how to speak Peanutese. Really, the inability to tell him that I'll be back in just a couple of minutes or that we can't cross the street because we are waiting for the light to change or that I love him can be frustrating.
But the stories are true, and somehow a lot of my intentions seem to make it through to him. He can tell when I'm mad or scared or confident, even though, to my knowledge, I'm not doing anything to show those emotions outwardly. This invisible communication has such a big affect that already I'm finding myself able to stay calmer and cooler because I know that my attitude makes a difference to him.
We're working on walking around the neighborhood. At first I was letting him lead the way a lot of the time, sniffing wherever he wanted to sniff, as long as it didn't involve him snatching something that looked to be poisonous or disgusting. A funny thing happened, though. With all of his freedom, he would occasionally just stop and whimper. Without my direction, he sometimes got disoriented.
It's the same way with reading, isn't it?
I feel like with some stories I'm being confidently led from one stop to the next. The direction feels clear. At other times, I get frustrated because I feel like I'm just randomly going from place to place with no one guiding me. In all the reading that I've done, I've never quite been able to point to phrases or words and say, "Here. This is why I feel secure in my reading." That guiding force seems to be invisible, just like the feeling of confidence I get with some books and not with others.
The idea of invisible communication between writer and reader is something that makes no sense to me. (At least with Peanut I can blame my smell.) With reading I often feel like that invisible communication is nothing but magic--and I don't particularly believe in magic.
So, what do you think it is? What are the subtle cues that a writer gives off that communicates to us beyond the lever of a story? Am I the only one who feels it? Does this fall back into the idea of authorial intention, which may or may not have any impact on a reader?
Actions speak louder than words. It's true with pets as well as fiction.
ReplyDeleteMy dog (a neurotic schnauzer named Leo) can tell me when he wants to go out, eat, or play. I'll be sitting in a chair reading, and he'll come up and start pawing at my leg.
I ask, "Do you need to go outside?" No reaction.
"Do you want to play?" No reaction.
"Do you want dinner?" He jumps up, his ears move forward (he has floppy ears, not the typical cropped schnauzer ears), and he yips. That is, he says, "Yes, I am asking for dinner!"
When I write, I try to use action to provide insight into characters emotions, rather than bluntly stating a character's emotion. Not always...there are times when a feeling can be directly expressed, but I think it's more interesting to convey some thoughts-particularly emotional states-by showing the reader how the character reacts to something said or done around him/her.
In "On Writing," Stephen King has a great example of the connection between a writer and the reader (pages 105-106 of the hardcover edition) where he "telepathically transmits" the image of a rabbit in a cage to the reader. It's a fully formed mental image, one that transcends the simple words used to form it, an exchange between minds that enables them - the minds of the writer and the reader - to be in sync even across vast stretches of distance and time...
Rick, I couldn't have cited it, but I remember that section in King's book about telepathy. I think it's right on and the concept is pretty amazing. For me it's most impressive with some of the minimalist Japanese writers because, you know, they use so few words, and yet I feel completely transported to a new setting.
DeleteWhat a fabulous post! I'm really not sure. It's not something I can put my finger on. I either connect with the author and the story, or I don't. And when I don't, I can't waste my time trying. It's different for every book, every author, every genre. The type of connection changes depending on my mood sometimes.
ReplyDeleteApril, That's a really good point about the connection changing depending on mood. I experience the same thing, and that makes me wonder if this is all in my head. The books that feel secure and confident to me might not feel the same way at all to someone else.
DeleteDavin, love this post (AND THE PIC!). I like to believe I don't believe in something like magic, but in a lot of ways, I do. I think what you're talking about here is so unexplainable, so intangible, but can affect us so deeply, that it must be something like magic. I think certain authors work for me more than others. I don't know if it's their writing or them, if that makes sense. I would like to think that if I met them, we'd click right off the bat. I connect to yours and Scott's writing so well because I feel some sort of dialogue between writer and reader when I read your work. And look, we click. :)
ReplyDeleteMichelle, I often wonder if familiarity plays a big role in this. When I love a writer, I tend to read multiple books by that writer. At some point as I'm going along I develop a much deeper connection as repeated themes start to become more obvious, etc. Then, I start to feel like I understand her or his intentions more and it feels more secure.
DeleteI lurk but rarely post. However, you've put words into my mouth. Sometimes, when I'm critiquing a story or just reading something, it'll be really well written but somehow directionless. But I've never had the right words to express this experience. So I just wanted to say thanks. Great post! I quoted a little of what you said and linked back to this blog. Hope you don't mind.
ReplyDeleteWelcome M.R. Jordan. Lurkers are cool, and the occasional comment from lurkers are cool too! It makes me feel great that this post connected with you. Don't mind you quoting me. :)
ReplyDeleteI feel that if a writer writes with confidence, most of the time that confidence will be passed on to the reader in the form of style or voice or whatever abstract thing you want to call it, but the main thing is that we feel we're there, and it takes absolutely NO work to get into the world the writer has crafted. What is that quote, "easy reading is hard writing"?
ReplyDeleteI have two Chihuahuas that seem to be able to read me very well. I believe they have trained me rather than the other way around.
ReplyDeleteIn writing, I believe in providing enough information to lead the reader, but also enough freedom for the reader to sort of find their own way also. Nuances, subtleties, and outright statements, skillfully blended will create a clear path for the reader.
I totally enjoyed Stephen King's book, "On Writing". It lives on my desk;)
This is something I've thought for a while - and it relates to an author's voice, too. Some authors seem to have such an air of authority that you'll follow them no matter how many twists and turns the story takes. One thing I can point to is continuity, and delivery; for instance, if something happens in one chapter that raises a question, I don't really want to wade through endless chapters before reading the 'answer' (depending on the style of the book). Otherwise I might tend to gloss over everything in between, waiting to see what happens to that specific storyline...
ReplyDeletePeanut's cute!