When the Facts Aren't Fair and Balanced

'Sometimes, uncomfortably aware that the antagonist is turning into a caricature, the author tries to "round him out" by giving him a good side...Adolf introduces Fascism to Germany, spreads war throughout Europe, murders millions in concentration camps-- but he's a strict vegetarian and loves his dog. Tossing in a touching scene with his German shepherd and a dish of lentils won't make Hitler's character "balanced". Hitler's character isn't balanced.'
--How Not to Write a Novel

There's a tendency for some historical fiction writers to go for a 'good guys vs bad guys' angle, which often fails in the face of history's nuances, which I've written about before. Today, I'll talk about the authors who feel compelled to make everything ambiguous, because that makes it 'real'. Again, real life isn't quite so dramatically simple. There's a difference between being neutral, being sensitive to context, and creating 'gray and gray morality' where none exists.

Perhaps this is part of the idea that being objective about an issue means treating both sides as equally valid, and that history should be written about in a 'fair and balanced' way. But there are more than enough circumstances where the facts are not 'fair and balanced'. Someone--or a group of someones-- did something that's awesomely heroic or downright despicable. It's one thing to use neutral language to convey facts (sometimes it can be used for incredibly chilling effect) but another to alter the facts or context to create a more 'balanced' narrative.

Another part of the problem may be a confusion between explaining what motivates the characters and excusing their actions. We need motivations for the characters to be believable. Otherwise they're just cardboard heroes and villains. But because they have a reason that makes sense to them doesn't mean the author has to make excuses for them or show tacit approval. We can understand that the bad guy sincerely believes it's okay to buy and sell human beings and has overcome any niggling morality with a bout of mental gymnastics, even if we see his actions as horrifying and inexcusable.

In the end, it's important to convey correct information (or well-researched alternate history timelines) rather than trying to pretend that everyone is morally ambiguous all of the time. Larger-than-life struggles between heroes and villains, between good and evil, sometimes happen, and we need to tell those stories too.