Literary & Narrative Journalism MDIA5010

  "No matter how dull, stupid, unfair, vicious or mendacious they might be, the utterances of the great were to be reported deadpan, with nary a hint that the speaker might be a bore, a dunce, a brute or a habitual liar. For a reporter ....to question the value of "objective journalism" (at the Times) was worse than unthinkable. It was subversive. It was revolutionary .... ." Russell Baker, The Good Times, 1989

TOM WOLFE

–Warnock, Representing Reality pp. 461. New journalists wrote vivid, realistic accounts that they were happy to call literary, or artistic. They pointed out that the conventions of hard journalism were conventions, and moreover that these conventions allowed only the palest imitation of reality and the barest developments of meaning. New, or literary journalism, they argued, could represent more of the truth.... –Warnock, Representing Reality pp. 461.  

“The hard-news journalist purported to stand outside events “The hard-news journalist purported to stand outside events. The new journalists, according to Wolfe, had to “immerse” themselves in events, until they were able to see events as the participants saw them. This they had to do without sacrificing their journalistic objectivity.” Warnock, Representing Reality pp. 461.

Literary journalism is a hybrid form of narrative that uses literary techniques in an effort to convey “deeper perspectives” than is possible in news reports (Sims, 1995, p 19).

The New Journalism 1. Scene by scene construction. 2. Recording dialogue in full 3. ‘The third person point of view’ 4. Record details of a person’s ‘status life’

“It (literary journalism) leaves quirks and self- deceptions, hypocrisies and graces intact and exposed” Kramer, ‘Breakable Rules’

Breakable rules for Literary Journalists Immerse themselves in subjects' worlds and in background research. Work out implicit covenants about accuracy and candor with readers and with sources. Write in "intimate voice," informal, frank, human, and ironic Write from a disengaged and mobile stance, from which they tell stories and also turn and address readers directly Develop meaning by building upon the readers' sequential reactions.

SUSAN ORLEAN

Truth claims are strenuously contested – no ‘love in’ here A ‘torn’ sub-genre’ Literary aspirations and techniques vs journalism values Duty of care to real subjects Claims of inaccuracy, misrepresentation, appropriation and bias have in recent years been levelled at some of the authors reviewed here (Hoff, 2003; Zine, 2002; McKenzie, 2014).

A perceived dichotomy between “interest in mentalité [storytelling]” and the “decline of the analytical and structural approach” (Stone, 1979, p. 17).

“Was it possible to reclaim the positive messages in the Koran and Islamic history, and devise some kind of Muslim feminism? Could Muslim fundamentalists live with Western liberals, or would accommodating each other cost both of us our principles?” (Brooks, 1994/2008, p. 11)

“. not a quirky preference, nor merely a way of getting into the act “... not a quirky preference, nor merely a way of getting into the act. It is an effec­tive tool for a difficult modern job. It enables an author to step around acculturated views of relationships and issues that are usually guarded by walls of formal lan­guage and invisible institutional alliances ... pieties, faiths, taboos, appearances, of­ficial truths. The intimate voice sidesteps such prohibitions. (Kramer, 1995, p. 29)

“. not a quirky preference, nor merely a way of getting into the act “... not a quirky preference, nor merely a way of getting into the act. It is an effec­tive tool for a difficult modern job. It enables an author to step around acculturated views of relationships and issues that are usually guarded by walls of formal lan­ guage and invisible institutional alliances ... pieties, faiths, taboos, appearances, of­ficial truths. The intimate voice sidesteps such prohibitions.” (Kramer, 1995, p. 29)

“The inherent danger that self- revelation will collapse the distinction between the creation and the creator” (2014, p. 629)

“The inherent danger that self- revelation will collapse the distinction between the creation and the creator”. (2014, p. 629)