Literature needs interest. Not all literature necessarily has a plot, and not all plots have conflict. However, there is usually some kind of tension. In kishotenketsu, the interest is created by suspense and surprise, when the divergence appears and then resolves itself. It basically works the way a riddle works. I think the four-part format would make a terrific poetic form, although it's different enough from what I usually write that I'm having difficulty thinking of ideas for that format. I'll just let this simmer in my brain for a while.
There are some other examples of low-conflict or no-conflict literature.
"Gentle fiction" has no violence, sex, or vulgar language. Some people just don't enjoy those things and want something else. These stories may feature characters dealing with everyday challenges, which can be large or small. But they can also be purely positive stories -- for instance, about the development of a friendship or a personal project.
The vignette or "slice of life" story is a kind of short-short fiction that also frequently deals with everyday matters. We have a lot of this in Torn World, for instance. Think of it as a quick vacation to another world, where you can see how different people deal with ordinary things in ways that are probably different from your own. A terrific example is the batch of stories gathered under "Oromaal's Death." An old woman dies of advanced age. It's not a conflict, just a sad thing that's a natural part of life. The stories explore how other villagers cope with the loss.
Can you think of other literary formats that have little or no conflict? How do they generate interest?
July 3 2012, 00:11:59 UTC 8 years ago
A eulogy doesn't have to have conflict. In fact, I bet one could write a novel-length eulogy. The problem is, how does one maintain interest? By providing stories illustrating the nature of the person or thing being eulogized. While conflict is interesting, it doesn't have to be the focus of any of those stories.
Poetry on the occurrence of an event doesn't have to describe that event in terms of conflict; the event's process and the poet's observations thereon are enough. Poetry on the seasons is a pretty good example, as many such poems avoid conflictual language and metaphors.
I'm not entirely sure if this qualifies as kishotenketsu, but perhaps:
I read for hours in my room.
Feeling hungry, I head to the kitchen.
Behold, a cake!
"Surprise!"
Thoughts
July 3 2012, 01:02:08 UTC 8 years ago
Some of my fiction and poetry leans in this direction too. The historic fantasy poems lends themselves especially well to explorations of local color. I like having some installments that are restful and happy.
>>Poetry on the occurrence of an event doesn't have to describe that event in terms of conflict; the event's process and the poet's observations thereon are enough. Poetry on the seasons is a pretty good example, as many such poems avoid conflictual language and metaphors.<<
True. This also brings up what is sometimes called "creative nonfiction." It can be about description and experience rather than events and conflicts.
I remember one charming example that described the author walking with her dog, and what she noticed -- contrasted against the much richer scent-based information that her dog could be picking up. The 'surprise' aspect there is that most people think like human beings and not like dogs, so that canine perspective was new and interesting to them. Me, I walk through the world like a half-noseblind wolf. I may not be able to detect the range that a healthy canine could, but I pay attention to scents in ways that most primates just don't.