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, 08:27:55 UTC 8 years ago
Hubby and I have remarked often that all the really good TV and movies is violent--too violent for children to watch--and it gets worse every year.
We don't know of any current family shows that are on par with the ones like they used to make in the 50's-70's which everyone in the family could watch and enjoy.
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