tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43905348168571177.post5149588040204660380..comments2023-08-20T17:36:35.914+10:00Comments on Soooz Says Stuff: Topic: "Violence in Literature; When is Enough, Enough?" My guest today, Author, Debbie BennettSoooz Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390489724415063410noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43905348168571177.post-29093304852230430312011-08-05T19:24:34.565+10:002011-08-05T19:24:34.565+10:00@Sudam - I get your viewpoint entirely and showing...@Sudam - I get your viewpoint entirely and showing it for the sake of showing it elicits the same response in me. But sometimes I feel I owe it to my characters to tell their stories as completely and truthfully as I can.<br /><br />@Webbiegrrl - you're right. It's all about the aftermath. In my thriller, it isn't what I expected it to be at all. That's what I love about writing, the way the characters take on a life of their own and won't do what you want them to do. :-)Debbie Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06761474820689143835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43905348168571177.post-23280029166814898182011-08-05T11:50:42.653+10:002011-08-05T11:50:42.653+10:00Debbie how can you blame the readers for the limit...Debbie how can you blame the readers for the limit, why can a writer set a limit either? The gory details of rape, sexual molestation, shooting, gang war, parading naked...not everything can be shown or written in detail.<br /><br />Just give a touch, stretch a bit and finish. Let the reader guess. I can't watch violence in movies and close my eyes. Eeh! <br /><br />Here, here the telling element is necessary at the end. There must be violence as it is a part of our society but there is a limit. If a writer can tolerate extreme violence, this does not mean the readers will tolerate. And not all writers can depict violence in graphic detail. <br /><br />In Sooze's Empty chair, she has chosen to give a hint and told the event rather than showing. <br /><br />I think there is a limit, i can't see the blood, pieces of flesh and withstand too much wailing or moaning or screeching. <br /><br />In an Indian film, Bandit Queen, the director showed gang rape in a quiet way. There was everything, the rape, the cry, the screeching. Once the clothes were tore, shown some resistance and final giving up. Then sound of opening and closing the door while one man would enter and another would come out. This was brilliant as it showed the intensity still showed it in a hushed way. <br /><br />I'd not write a violence scene in gory details. <br /><br />Thanks.Sudamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17305650466474659841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43905348168571177.post-21554915034840676102011-08-05T07:39:53.727+10:002011-08-05T07:39:53.727+10:00Deb,
I absolutely love your remarks about the Ram...Deb,<br /><br />I absolutely love your remarks about the Rambo and Saw franchises. As a result of tripe like those, I've wholesale dismissed the horror genre of movie--and book--from my interests in life. I mean, life is too short and I WRITE about enough violence to not really want more when I seek out entertainment. <br /><br />I do like tension, however. Sadly, sometimes the best tension just HAS to lead up to something incredibly violent or it makes no sense at all. Too true.<br /><br />I think as writers, we are responsible for what happens immediately AFTER the violence. As you said early on in your article, if we're good enough at our craft, we've got our readers inside the head of our character, feeling their pain, so to speak, rallying for them to live through it by sheer force of will of the reader. If there's a death (or worse, survival) despite our reader's prayers, then it's our responsibility as writers to have the aftermath make just as much sense. <br /><br />I don't believe it when I read about someone killing another human being and having no reaction at all. I don't find them to be cold-hearted. I find them to be 2-dimension and made out of cardboard. I often put the book down with a sigh and go look for some munchies because obviously, the book is going to require reinforcements to read on.<br /><br />Immediately following a death is NOT the time I want any of MY readers putting the book down!<br /><br />I've done both torture and murder and beatings for the sake of interrogation. I've done rapes of various sorts and for me, the single-most rewarding part of the entire process is getting to work through the aftermath. I mean, having my CHARACTERS work through the aftermath. Yeah, that's what I meant! That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.<br /><br />Great blog post. Much thanks to Soooooz for inviting you to make a guest appearance, too!Webbiegrrl Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16585739648523183167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43905348168571177.post-82790360947025974482011-08-05T07:35:12.272+10:002011-08-05T07:35:12.272+10:00Excellent point about the high stakes... if we spa...Excellent point about the high stakes... if we spare the details too much as a writer, why should a reader care? A visceral response to grip the audience is what we strive for in any genre.Ruth Barretthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13365934356823526283noreply@blogger.com