Cynic Has a Point: Attack of the GrimDark, Part II
In real life, bad things happen. They happen to good people and bad people, to people who appear to be getting their karmic due and to innocent bystanders. And since the beginning of human history, storytelling has been a way for us to collectively process these events.
In that way, truly dark fiction-- particularly speculative fiction-- has a place in our collective psyche. Confronting the worst, most terrifying parts of our collective and individual human experience in fiction is part of understanding them. For example, I think the large amount of fiction of all genres set in WWII* (or an alternate history version) is a manifestation of our society trying to understand and process that scale of destruction and suffering.
As I have written before, this is also true of YA. While fiction which is dark for the sake of being perceived as 'cool' or 'edgy' lacks merit on this front, that's because it tends to come from a place of emotional ignorance and insincerity, rather than because of the material itself. When the author writes with genuine understanding and insight, dark stories can be particularly valuable for young readers who may feel isolated by their problems. Speculative fiction, once again, is a safe area, just detached enough from the immediate situation to allow thinking, but applicable enough to offer insight into the real world.
Finally, I would like to point out that portraying awful things in fiction does not mean condoning them, even if the characters believe they're doing the right thing. You have hundreds of ways to show the consequences of an action, even if your fictional society is blind to them. In some ways, it is more powerful to portray the fallout without commentary rather than hosting an authorial PSA via your characters.
*Although one cannot discount the appeal of a ready-made outrageously evil villain.
In that way, truly dark fiction-- particularly speculative fiction-- has a place in our collective psyche. Confronting the worst, most terrifying parts of our collective and individual human experience in fiction is part of understanding them. For example, I think the large amount of fiction of all genres set in WWII* (or an alternate history version) is a manifestation of our society trying to understand and process that scale of destruction and suffering.
As I have written before, this is also true of YA. While fiction which is dark for the sake of being perceived as 'cool' or 'edgy' lacks merit on this front, that's because it tends to come from a place of emotional ignorance and insincerity, rather than because of the material itself. When the author writes with genuine understanding and insight, dark stories can be particularly valuable for young readers who may feel isolated by their problems. Speculative fiction, once again, is a safe area, just detached enough from the immediate situation to allow thinking, but applicable enough to offer insight into the real world.
Finally, I would like to point out that portraying awful things in fiction does not mean condoning them, even if the characters believe they're doing the right thing. You have hundreds of ways to show the consequences of an action, even if your fictional society is blind to them. In some ways, it is more powerful to portray the fallout without commentary rather than hosting an authorial PSA via your characters.
*Although one cannot discount the appeal of a ready-made outrageously evil villain.
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