Controversy: Centuries-Old Trend
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Posted by Derek Armstrong Dec 23, 2006 |
Dan Brown zoomed from nothing to one of the biggest-selling authors of all time by "bashing" Catholics. Apparent anti-semitism doesn't stop Mel Gibson from achieving box office envy. James Frey and other false memoirs become headlines, then remain on best selling lists in spite of posturing by publishers and indignation by an entire industry.
Endorphin Stimulation?
Is this just our normal quest for endorphin stimulation? Or is this the future of literature and books, television and books?
It seems we've always courted the provocative. But is this a trend or here to stay? I'd argue its ever been with us. Corporate publishers and big television studios or Hollywood Giants posture about morals, ethics and their horror at these trends. But the most popular books, TV shows and movies have always pushed the boundaries of good taste.
Books we now think of as great literature—The Great Gatsby, Moby Dick, Lolita, Huckleberry Finn—were once considered horrifyingly scandalous. In the case of Lolita, over-the-top controversial.
Now We Have Dan Brown
Now, we have Dan Brown, in the guise of commercial fiction—and TK Kenyon in Rabid—bashing Catholics. Future classics? Does that temporary quest for stimulation result in a sufficient paradigim shift to entrench scandalous books as part or our permanent literary culture?
Publishers such as Kunati actually sell on the position "Controversial. Bold. Provocative." boasting "We only want to be known for a handful of positions: controversial, hip, quirky, funky, fun, provocative."
Television is equally as provocative, going in two major directions. We have Dexter, an adaption of the phenomenal book Darkly Dreaming Dexter, placing a serial killer as dark hero, and growing on a groundswell of word-of-mouth into one of TV's hottest properties. On the other hand we have Survivor and Reality Television, appealing to our baser natures, and pushing the boundaries of good taste with Fear Factor, and new Survivor seasons segregating tribes by race.
Reality Television—in my case a condemnation of reality TV in a darkly comic thriller style—was my theme in The Game, my latest novel, which, I'll admit, pushes the boundaries of good taste, too. I hope it makes people think about the "stupidity" of reality television, and some of my jokes, frankly, go too far. But reviewers seem to like it, with comments such as "injects the trope with new vigor" from Booklist.
Injects the Trope with New Vigor
Perhaps this is the secret formula. We need endorphin-thrills and we want to be challenged to think. Injecting the trope with new vigor is what all of these books and movies, from Lolita to The Game are all about.
With publishers courting controversy, we are bound to see more Dexters, Rabid-like novels and DaVinci Code clones. It's really nothing new. Mark Twain was famous for it. All the memorable books seem to have once been considered controversial. James Frey's memoir probably would have long-ago been forgotten if he hadn't been a fraud.
And I can't wait. I love a good scandal, and even more so, a thrill.