Capturing Authentic Human Reactions in Fiction
Note: I’m taking a break this week to enjoy the holiday in the U.S., so am sharing this shortie instead of the usual post and podcast. Enjoy!
The goal of all memorable fiction is to capture the truth about humanity. Sometimes that truth is weighty and all-encompassing, such as the ubiquitous “good triumphs over evil.” But sometimes the important truths in fiction are found in the tiniest representations of the world around us and the people who inhabit it. When authors faithfully capture the rainbow glint of a dragonfly’s wing or the raspberry sherbet color of a sunrise, they offer us a nugget of truth about our shared existence.
This is even more applicable when these truths reflect upon human nature itself. Too often, in fiction, we feel the need to streamline our characters’ actions and dialogue. Sometimes the addition of a subtle deviation can reflect human reactions in fiction so accurately it’s worth the extra effort.
For example, William Faulkner was well known for his portrayals of flawed people living in small Southern towns. His accuracy stemmed not just from his knowledge of the geographic area or his willingness to balance the black and white of sins and virtues. His accuracy was also due to the little variations and quirks he captured in his characters’ conversation and behavior.
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner (affiliate link)
In his classic As I Lay Dying, he writes about an overbearing woman telling her husband to come in out of the rain, or he’ll “catch his death.” A less experienced author might have been tempted to have the husband immediately voice a reply. But all Faulkner writes about the husband is that he “does not move.” The wife is forced to call his name a second time before he responds.
In this paragraph alone, Faulkner not only allowed readers an insight into the husband’s character, he also presented an exchange that screams with realism. As you guide your characters through your plot, take a little extra time to make sure they’re reacting as authentically as possible.
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