Worth a Look
Chime In About Money
But Is Money All That Interesting? Really?
Check out this think piece on Lit Hub. The author reflects on the magical absence of money in literary fiction. Just a few years back a third of literary fiction was—in theory—devoted to money, the lack of money, the pursuit of money.
In The Program Era, Mark McGurl floats the idea that MFA programs had to systematize literary fiction in order to assign their student writers a grade. One of the three approved categories, he called “Dirty Realism” or “Kmart Realism.” Such books and stories centered around a character trying to reach the middle class, or clinging to the middle class. Often these were white people trying to attain or retain a financial status they saw as “whiteness.” McGurl cites Raymond Carver and Joyce Carol Oates as big writers in this category.
But does the reader still engage emotionally with money issues? Yeah, I know, Maslow’s Hierarchy and stuff, but does money carry an emotional charge? Unless the money is tied to an emotional issue—my baby needs a life-saving operation—I’d wager that money is too abstract. Even in Jane Austen money plays second fiddle to love. Would people still be reading Austen if money was the main issue? Even in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes the quest for money is background for laughs.
As a child of the “Big Store” con stories—The Sting, The Grifters—I love a scam. But my scams always go to fill an emotional need: death tourism in support groups, fake choking to facilitate being “adopted” by would-be heroes. Isn’t the emotional need always more interesting?
Long ago I argued with screenwriter Cynthia Whitcomb about whether or not the film The Talented Mr. Ripley really worked. Her stand was that the first act was far too long, and that prolonged build-up ruined the story. My stand was that the film needed to create its strange, rich, beautiful world so that Tom Ripley would seem like more than just a murderous gold-digger.
Would a novel centered around money still work? Would you write such a novel?
Please let me know what you think. Is there still a place for Kmart Realism?
I really like the idea of a character pursuing resource/money if it means their family and friends might be safe in order to drive the story but I also like creative purity. Like in Breaking Bad. Walter broke our hearts and thrilled when he had to pursue meth production in order to get his family financially stable. I also like the relatability of a character who does not know what's going to happen next financially or otherwise. I notice I'm not as invested with characters who are upper middle class or extremely wealthy. What made Walter's character even more powerful was the fact that after a few months it was clear the money was only secondary. He loved himself as the villain and that's what carried him. Harmony Korine talks so much about the idea of creative purity. Also see:"Uncut Gems." I love the quote "This is how I win." You realize Sandler's gambling habit has almost nothing to do with money. Really interesting.
Money is stored energy. Intention is interesting. Compulsion is interesting. Thou shalt not covet is interesting. (Have you seen 'Dekalog:The Ten Commandments' by Kieslowski?) Thou shalt not steal is interesting. Behavior is interesting. I like what you are saying about what keeps our interest.