Clichés; A Tale of Love and Hate
Agring
They can generate an arch. They can anchor a character. They can, once we see them, wipe out a once compelling story into the bowls the hackneyed hole that is unoriginality. I am of course speaking of clichés, and how our love and hate bond with them have us tearing our hair out.
I’ve become a cynic about clichés in just the last few years. And when I say ‘cynic’ I mean brandishing my swords and slicing cliche-ridden material to ribbons. Unjustifiable behavior? Well, maybe. Perhaps I should direct my ardor at works that deserve the same passion with which they were created, and not trashy mediocrity created for the sake of making a buck. But what should we think of the tiresome storylines and characters when the writing was carefully premeditated? After all, it is someone’s brainchild, and whether or not these redundancies were intended, they may have no bearing on the heart instilled in the pages.
A friend once told me that everything has been done, and that true originality has but a single foundation, and it is long finished; The Bible. According to this person, there are but 17 basic storylines possible that will be slightly malleable to the specific writer’s vision. Otherwise they are all the same. A journey spurned on by exile and the resolve to one day return home may be traced back to the Moses template. Tales of betrayal, glory, and finally forgiveness are derived from Joseph’s acceptance to the Pharaoh’s kingdom and ultimate reunion with his brothers.
These are just examples off the top of my head (and do pardon the inaccuracies, for my Biblical knowledge is frightfully rusty). This idea of story-emulating was told to me in high school, and though I did not believe it at the time, it stuck with me into adulthood. In the broadest (BROADEST) sense, what my friend said was true. Stories share templates, especially in short description. Try telling the plot of your novel in one sentence. Smart money is that a few name swaps would describe another story, and you’d be feeling terrible discouraged with your manuscript.
Of course one sentence is not a complete story in most artistic mediums, especially when condensing a novel (even brief poetry is usually several verses long). Your story becomes less and less common as you add more and more details (‘Less is More,’ if I may be so clichéd, haha). Play your cards properly, and you’ll have something fresh.
So my question to you is this; do you agree with my friend? Are we all just writing the same stories over and over again? Or are our works the product of “convergent evolution” (aka two things looking alike but derived from different places)? As writers, I’d like to know what you think.
Have at it!
~Agring
Covergent Evolution in anteater like mammals around the world
- Array
Litopia is the winner
Character and Story
Tale of love and hate cover cliches nicely: Even if we consciuously avoid them, we tend to use steteotypes whether we want it or not.
I have to admit, that I dont mind cliches too much when it comes to storylines. Thats probably, because in my mind, human experience is limited to a vast, but nevertheless countable number of possibilities which boild down to similar things after you boil them down to their basics. A part of the beauty of storytelling lies in that: Most people can somehow identify because theyve been through something similar, or know someone who has, they recognize and relate. Withour "cliche", that would be hard to do.
Where I dont want to see (or recognize) cliche in character. Yes I know, same stuff from above applies here, too, but unlike events, variation in human character is so much more numerous than it is in events. I love character who suprise me, who seem paradoxical but work nevertheless. I much prefer those characters to chliche one's, who by nature tend to be flat and should be used as porps.
And nothing against the greatbook, but does it really contain all possible storylines? Really all? Or is it just gossip... or a cliche to say so
Your friend is wrong.
Your friend is wrong. According to Homer (the Greek not Simpson) there are only three stories and any narrative is one of these or a combination of two or more of them:
A journey
A meeting
A metamorphosis.
As for the Bible being the font (sic) of all narratives, well, someone who reads it would say that...
Characters vs Story
I had never thought of clichés has something identifiable, and now that you mention it, they can make a story better. If we can personally empathize with the character’s experience, we more easily become them as part of the reader’s journey. Nevertheless, it has to be executed well and be coupled with interesting characters, as you’ve pointed out. For an example, I’ve always had a peeve with this storyline: a workaholic parent must overcome the challenge of balancing professionalism with family love. Truth be told, it’s an okay platform and an issue that millions know. But in mediocre writing and film, it’s the characters that OVER AND OVER turn a tragic premise into a hackneyed disaster. Too often the workaholic is so in love with his (or her) work that he is BLIND to his loved ones, and in the end he ultimately gives up work to be with family. Not only is it unrealistic (most of us can’t leave our jobs—we have to find balance, which is but more challenging and character building) but it’s incredible one-dimensional, suggesting that we can only be on the polar end of good or evil.
Well, that’s a personal peeve of mine, but what you’ve said is quite illuminating! I’ll keep it in mind the next time I’m nitpicking storyline clichés.
And I’m inclined to be on your side when it comes to the Good Book. Only ‘inclined’ because I’ve never read but a few bits of the bible and am in no place to judge whether or not it covers every possible story. Still, I’m skeptical.