I’m sorry! I’m sorry I can’t stop talking about Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. I’m sorry that so many people either love it or hate it or both and shake their fists at the firmament and there is the wailing and the gnashing of the teeth.
I loved episode VII. I was transported to that long time ago and that galaxy far, far away. And yes, it’s not a perfect movie (wow, those star systems are really close together to be able to see the super-duper doomsday weapon in the sky with the naked eye). However, none of the Star Wars movies are perfect. Perfect is not the game here, people. If it was, perfect would so stupidly easy to do.
Remember that scene in Dead Poet’s Society, where the textbook claims you can map the perfect poem on a graph? Well, let me tell you, when it comes to art, throw your graph away and yeah, tear that textbook apart.
From Luke’s whining in episode IV, to C3PO’s constant (and annoying) chatter in episode V, there are a myriad of issues. However, Star Wars works at a gut level. Except for maybe episode II, but I won’t go there. The prequels are…different. They’re not like other boys.
How does this tie into Louisa May Alcott? Or is this just click-bait? Hmm, click-bait. Yum.
What is the devil baby (take it to mean unexpected and diabolically good) in the title of this blog post?
Duende.
Duende (sounds like a gynecological term) is actually a Spanish word for that special power some art is blessed with. If nothing else, the new Star Wars has duende as did episode IV. You can argue about all the others, but why else would people go see it numerous times? My wife, who is not a Star Wars fan, wants to see the new movie over and over. Because it has a passion, a sparkle, something undefinable (and ungraphable).
Can you plan duende? Can you map out the perfect story arc and the perfect character arc? You can try, but I don’t think you can. I think duende happens, sometimes by mistake by a newbie, and sometimes on purpose by a weary rofessional who got lucky.
I’m forty-five years old and I’m reading Little Women for the first time. I’m reading it to my daughters before bed, and we are loving it. However, I see all the flaws. It’s unabashedly preachy and the dialogue/dialogue tags are awkward and repetitive.
For example, here is what LMA loves to do:
“Long bit of dialogue goes here and it goes on and on and it really doesn’t do much except make you fall in love with the characters,” she said, followed by a long description of activity which doesn’t do much except make you fall in love with the story, not that there’s much of a story.
Louisa May Alcott wouldn’t do well in my critique group. We’d demolish her pages because her prose is so easy to pick apart. Like Star Wars is easy to pick apart. When I started Little Women, the book read like one of the stories my daughter wrote in the first grade. It’s four sisters talking and not much is happening and it’s sweet, yes, but um, not the most thrilling first chapter I’ve ever read.
However, Little Women has duende. I am astonished it was originally published in 1868 because it’s so accessible and I can relate so much to the family and the characters. I feel like I’m a part of the world of the March family, maybe like some crazy uncle.
How can that be? How can this old book have so much power? How can it break rule after rule and still work? I don’t know. All I can say is that I feel blessed to be reading Little Women, and I’m glad it survived the whims of time and the cruelty of the publishing industry.
So, as an author, what am I to do? I can try and craft my novels and aim for perfection, but at the heart of the matter, I don’t believe I can imbue my work with duende. I think it either all comes together or it doesn’t.
The only thing I can do is sit down and do the work. Maybe the book will shine, and maybe it won’t.
In the end, I think it’s a matter of courage and vision. Do I have the courage to pursue my unique vision of a story?
I think that’s where duende comes from—when the passion and love of the author shines at the heart of a story. George Lucas wrote a story he clearly loved. I think Louisa May Alcott did as well.
So, write the stories you love! And if you are lucky or blessed (or damned, arguably) that passion will shine and bedazzle billions!
Nice post. LW is one of my mother’s favorite books. I should read it.
I knew this was your blog before I read the byline, Aaron. I, too, read LHOTP to my daughters, both of whom were enchanted and entertained by Laura Ingalls Wilder’s simple but heartfelt stories. Those reading sessions are among my most treasured memories. I Googled it, and Wikipedia states that duende means “having soul.” It’s so true, and a worthy goal for all of us who tell stories.
You made me chuckle, reminded me of one of my favorite childhood stories, and taught me a new word. Lots to love about this RMFW blog post. Thanks Aaron!
I love the word “duende” for this! And yes – I think it’s impossible to plan a phenomenon. Once of the coolest things I’ve ever seen was Oprah interviewing JK Rowling. They talk about success and whether either of them planned or could have predicted the phenomenal reach of what they created. Both agreed they had no idea why what they did worked – and that they couldn’t deliberately recreate it. Fascinating.
Thanks all! Wow, JK Rowling and Oprah. Dang. It’s funny, we just don’t know what is going to happen, but I like to pretend I do. So I can be hateful and afraid.
Great blog, Aaron. I *loved* Episode VII – it gave me goose bumps and I cried and I was totally a kid again reliving the wonder of seeing the first movie in the theater. All of this caught me by surprise because I’m not nearly the Star Wars lover my son and husband are – so yeah, duende is a thing!
It’s wonderful you’re reading Little Women to your girls. I still have my original set of Alcott books given to me by my parents, and just reread Little Women over the holidays. I was also shocked at the preachiness because I didn’t remember that at all – I just remembered how fiercely I loved Jo and wanted to be just like her writing in my attic room.