The Distance to the Moon and Back and the Construct of Genre
This week we are attempting to distinguish between writing in genre and writing that may use elements of genre but that is essentially literary. Discuss this question in relation to the work(s) you read for this week. Do you think this is an important or necessary distinction, or not?
The Distance to the Moon and Back is a story that isn't very mindful of genre, or at the very least doesn't really pay attention to typical genre archetypes. The story is technically sci-fi due to the fact that the idea stems from a scientific theory but in no way does Calvino try to make any attempt at making the logic of the story seem scientifically plausible. Obviously, if the moon was close enough to the earth that it seemed as if people could easily jump back and forth, life on earth would be in ruin due to the affects of the earth's gravity on the oceans, plant life, and so on. However, the idea is romantic and fun so it makes a compelling story. If anything, the story reads more like a classic fairy tale where logic goes out the window to focus on a specific set of characters and the moral that's being told. If I were to try to describe the genres that The Distance to the Moon and Back was going for I would say it's a whimsical, sci-fi fairytale. However I don't think Calvino was really trying to put a label on the type of story he was telling.
I think he wanted to use the growing distance of the moon as a metaphor to represent how distance can occur in romantic pursuits and knowing when to let someone go. The main character is in one-side love with the Captain's wife, while she is in one-sided love with his cousin who's in one-side love with the moon. The main character forces a situation where he is alone with the woman and she's more distant than ever proving they are incompatible. She goes even further than him and changes her life completely to almost become one with the moon because she wants to be love by the cousin. She changes herself completely and lives a lonely and solitary life on the growingly distant moon because she wants the love of a man who does not return it. It's a lovely and somewhat sad story and I don't think it would be able to retain the dreamy, sad, and romantic mood if it was forced into standard genre conventions.
I don't think genre is something one should be focusing on in the writing process. Genre is a short- hand label we use to more easily describe the different types of story out there so that it's easier to identify what stories we prefer as individuals. Genre guidelines are not something that is enforced, but rather something that evolves coincidentally after a group of readers and writers realize they like certain plot elements or set pieces. Unless one is setting out to do a satire or a deconstruction of a genre, the best stories usually come out from what the writer feels is write in the moment. I am actually interning at an animation studio right now and when I asked my boss for advice on storytelling he told me there are some structural guidelines to help but that a lot of great famous stories don't always follow these conventions. The most important elements to a good compelling story are the mood and the character arcs. I don't think you need to throw structure completely out of the window but I think it's important that writers and readers are willing to think outside the box for the best storytelling experience possible.
The Distance to the Moon and Back is a story that isn't very mindful of genre, or at the very least doesn't really pay attention to typical genre archetypes. The story is technically sci-fi due to the fact that the idea stems from a scientific theory but in no way does Calvino try to make any attempt at making the logic of the story seem scientifically plausible. Obviously, if the moon was close enough to the earth that it seemed as if people could easily jump back and forth, life on earth would be in ruin due to the affects of the earth's gravity on the oceans, plant life, and so on. However, the idea is romantic and fun so it makes a compelling story. If anything, the story reads more like a classic fairy tale where logic goes out the window to focus on a specific set of characters and the moral that's being told. If I were to try to describe the genres that The Distance to the Moon and Back was going for I would say it's a whimsical, sci-fi fairytale. However I don't think Calvino was really trying to put a label on the type of story he was telling.
I think he wanted to use the growing distance of the moon as a metaphor to represent how distance can occur in romantic pursuits and knowing when to let someone go. The main character is in one-side love with the Captain's wife, while she is in one-sided love with his cousin who's in one-side love with the moon. The main character forces a situation where he is alone with the woman and she's more distant than ever proving they are incompatible. She goes even further than him and changes her life completely to almost become one with the moon because she wants to be love by the cousin. She changes herself completely and lives a lonely and solitary life on the growingly distant moon because she wants the love of a man who does not return it. It's a lovely and somewhat sad story and I don't think it would be able to retain the dreamy, sad, and romantic mood if it was forced into standard genre conventions.
I don't think genre is something one should be focusing on in the writing process. Genre is a short- hand label we use to more easily describe the different types of story out there so that it's easier to identify what stories we prefer as individuals. Genre guidelines are not something that is enforced, but rather something that evolves coincidentally after a group of readers and writers realize they like certain plot elements or set pieces. Unless one is setting out to do a satire or a deconstruction of a genre, the best stories usually come out from what the writer feels is write in the moment. I am actually interning at an animation studio right now and when I asked my boss for advice on storytelling he told me there are some structural guidelines to help but that a lot of great famous stories don't always follow these conventions. The most important elements to a good compelling story are the mood and the character arcs. I don't think you need to throw structure completely out of the window but I think it's important that writers and readers are willing to think outside the box for the best storytelling experience possible.
I do agree the science behind this read is really strange and would not work whatsoever. Using the moon as a metaphor to love is an interesting take in a sci-fi novel. It's not something I'd expect. Great analysis as always, and have a good internship.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I hate using labels on art. I think things should be able to exist by themselves and art can be created to illicit an emotional response from the viewer, and I think that's exactly what he did with this story.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your take on the love story, and how the moon represents the growing distance of each one sided relationship. In the end, none of them seem to come to fruition as they are one sided and incompatible. It's a good lesson to take away, as when we push for something, sometimes we can drive it further and further away.
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