Where everybody and nobody meet

Exaggeration can be a literary tool. But it can also make someone sound silly.

"Everybody was so happy after that game." Well, maybe the team and fans on the winning side were happy, but 'everybody' would include the losing side too. They probably weren't so happy.

"Nobody likes that band." I've heard this quote about music groups that sell seven million records.

When we blurt these things out in conversation, usually our listeners let it pass. They understand we are saying something over-the-top to make a point.

But the written word has a different effect on people. It may have something to do with the permanence of a physical word, whether it is in a book, blog or social media post. Especially if you are a professional writer, generalzations should be used sparingly.

I won't say that a writer should never use generalizations. Some are true.

"All people need oxygen to breathe."

"No wholly mammoths are alive today."

These generalizations are also facts. But today we seem swamped in generalizations that are stereotypes instead. They won't always use the words "all" and "no", but they are implied throughout my FaceBook and Twitter feeds.

"Christians are hypocrites."

"Young adults are irresponsible."

"Democrats hate their country."

"Republicans are racist."

When used in non-fiction works (including social media) these generalizations do nothing but fuel divisions between us and encourage stereotypes.

But there is also a consequence to using generalizations in fiction writing.

In a novel, many characters are going to express opinions that the author does not have. But how those opinions are expressed will affect the reader's view of the characters. If a supporting character is a wise sage, he or she is unlikely to include "All young people are foolish" among his or her teaching. The wise might teach that young people are more likely to be foolish than the old - the reader or writer may not agree, but the character can say that - and still sound like a wise person to the reader.

Conversely, a brash character may use generalizations, even ones that are not close to the truth. This would be okay because it would fit the image the author wants to give to the reader. If the main character of a story is a seventeen-year old who thinks all her teachers are rich and none of them understand what she sees as the real world, that would sound like a believable high school junior to most readers. In fact, if the story is to show her growth and character development, showing these generalizations in her mind early would help show her developing discernment as the story line progresses.

So, in the spirit of being cautious about generalizations, I won't tell any writer to avoid them.

But be careful out there, everybody.

Next week: Blurred details