On 11/24/06 9:29 AM, "Kerry J. Schooley" <
gsp.schoo@murderoutthere.com> wrote:
> noir writers also recognize that reform
> is essentially impossible, or its benefits, at best,
fleeting.
It is my opinion that noir writers actually do a better job
of addressing social issues. My apologies if this sounds like
bashing - these comments are generalizations not universal
absolutes - but humourous mysteries, cozies... they don¹t
have a realistic feel to me. There¹s a fundamental optimism
that runs through some of them that I don¹t find believable.
You know that the hero is always going to save the day,
nothing too bad will ever happen to the main characters and
the crimes are often treated lightly. They¹re bloodless, and
a lot of times the pain is glossed over.
And how can you advocate for social reform, for change, if
you never actually confront the issues?
Simon Kernick¹s The Business of Dying and A Good Day To Die
are examples of books that made me think about situational
ethics. About what it would be like, as a cop, to work day in
and day out seeing criminals walk free. About the crimes the
cops don¹t seem able to stop. Do we give criminals too many
rights? Do we curtail the job the police can do by protecting
the accused and guarding their rights, even at the potential
expense of more victims? That's the train of thought prompted
by books like those, and there's a push here to reduce the
rights of criminals and give more rights to the cops. Whether
the author intended it, their work may affect my thinking on
that issue, and subsequently how I vote if it's important
enough to me. And if you want to talk about combining noir,
hardboiled and issues regarding social reform there¹s The
Wire.
A lot of the noir I read raises issues. It doesn¹t provide
answers, or if it does, it shows all the reasons why the
solutions will never be implemented. That¹s realistic, and
ultimately necessary.
Bear in mind a big part of the reason change doesn't happen
is because people are comfortable with the way things are.
They think things aren't so bad. Sometimes the only thing
that makes people adjust their thinking is realizing how
bleak a situation really is and that something needs to
change.
Personally, I think the only way to really spark social
change is to change the way people think. If reading Rankin¹s
Fleshmarket Close makes me think about the way immigrants are
treated, or reading Billingham¹s Lifeless makes me think
about the discrimination against the homeless, and the result
is that I adjust my behaviour, then that¹s where it begins.
The author may or may not have an agenda, but it is my
opinion that the best social commentary is coming out of
crime fiction, in particular books that fall under the noir
spectrum.
Sandra, who shall resume lurking
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