i've been wondering, why is it that most modern fiction is written in past tense? (that's not to say 'why not start writing in present tense?' but more 'how did past tense become such a must in the first place?') i'm aware that somewhat recently in the past fiction was written as an account of events from one character's viewpoint, to give it the semblance of nonfiction. Wells and his contemporaries did that. can anyone think of some other causes?
and i know everything above pertains to western fiction, but what about other areas? is past tense as common elsewhere today? what about in the past? (Homer's works come to mind as an example to check, but do the translations work that directly? my knowledge of ancient Greek is, well, nonexistant. {sigh})
TTFN & ?
Cosmi
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
Most narrative storytelling evolves from the tradition of telling about events that are supposed to have actually happened, which means that past tense is the usual form. If you think for just a moment, you'll realize that this is how you naturally tell narrative stories yourself, just in conversation about things that have happened to you.
In fact, prior to modern fiction, telling a story in present tense would be almost unheard of, and non-sensical to the audience. The only example I can think of is what a radio commentator on a sports game does (I guess other tele-journalists do it for things other than sports games...but some kind of live transmission is the only context in which it really makes sense).
You can also use the hypothetical tense, I suppose....
Posted by DeviantOperant (Member # 1548) on :
It's pretty hard to make a presently transpiring narrative interesting and intelligent (think of the Crocodile Hunter as a book) and even harder to make a future narrative...for obvious reasons.
Posted by Cosmi (Member # 1252) on :
i dunno. i don't think present tense would necessarily restrict content. (it would, however, likely be an awkward read because of the reader's lack of familiarity with the style. but readability is a separate, and highly subjective, issue.) what led you to that conclusion?
TTFN & lol
Cosmi
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
You know what? Second person stories are often told in present tense (anyone remember [i]Choose Your Own Adventure?).
Just out of curiosity, why are you asking?
Posted by Kolona (Member # 1438) on :
I'm not sure if it's just because it's not a habit or if people naturally tend toward past tense for telling tales, but I find writing in present tense a sort of mental gymnastics. I'm doing a long synopsis in present tense, as I understand they're supposed to be done, and it's a trip.
Posted by Cosmi (Member # 1252) on :
(some brief reminiscing) oh! i remember those stories! i would always read all the possible outcomes before i would actually pick my way through them. i always like to know all the necessary information when faced with a decision. some call it cheating, i say it's being prepared.
but the books raise some interesting questions. is there something about telling the reader about his or her own adventures as opposed to the author's or a third person's that makes the story more conducive to present tense? or is it more to do with the way a particular author incorporates the tense into the tale that determines its success? or maybe it's just a matter of personal taste. i guess we'll never know. (unless, of course, we could somehow prepare an experiment that isolates children at birth from all literature that hasn't been changed into present tense, then expose them to traditional literature and see how they respond.... hmm. no, it would take too much time and i just don't care enough. )
as to why i'm asking, i'm just curious. i'm not planning on writing any present tense novels any time soon. i just can't see changing the tense adding anything to a story. but who knows? maybe some day i'll find a reason.
TTFN & lol
Cosmi
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
Well, the reason that those narratives (like the narrative that a GameMaster gives to RPGers) is in present tense is because the fictional events unfold as the audience makes the choices that direct the narrative.
In other words, because the story is "actually" happening in the present, rather than having happened in the past.
As for the rest, it's just like I said. We mostly accept first and third person stories only as being about events that are in the past. That's because the narrative tradition mostly evolved from stories about the past. Other than the famous War of The Worlds broadcast (and that era of radio narratives) I can't think of too many examples of present tense fiction.
Posted by DeviantOperant (Member # 1548) on :
I figure the present tense would somewhat restrict content because the writer would be constantly truncating text so everything would end up fitting in the present voice.
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
I'm sure I've mentioned this book before, but it's worth mentioning again.
James Tiptree's BRIGHTNESS FALLS FROM THE AIR is written in present tense, and it worked so well for me that I stayed up until 3am reading it, trying to find "a stopping place" so I could put it down.
The story was so gripping to me at that time, that if present tense was a problem, it wasn't a big enough problem.
Anyway, I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to see how present tense can be done in a novel.
Posted by Straws (Member # 1559) on :
You know what I'd like to see? An entire novel written in second person. I've written a few short stories like that, and it's actually not quite so hard as long as you remember that you can't just write a first person story and substitute every I and me for you.
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
Hart's Hope had a second person frame, but that's not too uncommon in some older works (older than Card, I mean). The main narrative was pretty much in third person, though.
Posted by Tanglier (Member # 1313) on :
Tom Robbins, "Half-Asleep in Frog Pajamas," it's the first serious novel I've read in second person. I reccomend it just for the rise.
China Mountain Zhang my Maureen Mchugh(sp) is one of my favorite first person books present tense books. For some reason, I have a disdain for first person past tense books, I keep thinking the narrarator is lying. Maybe it's because I fall prey to the old quote, "it's hard to believe that someone is telling the truth when you would lie in his place."
Posted by Straws (Member # 1559) on :
Awesome, I'll have to check that out. Any idea if it's still in print?
Posted by Cosmi (Member # 1252) on :
i never realized there is that much present tense literature out there. (i know only a few works were mentioned, but it's still far more than i thought ) Tanglier, is the Tom Robbins book you mentioned in present tense? i can't imagine a second person in past tense, though i suppose anything's possible.
TTFN &
Cosmi
Posted by Kolona (Member # 1438) on :
This whole topic is making me tense. Posted by Cosmi (Member # 1252) on :
ba-dum chh
TTFN & lol
Cosmi
Posted by Straws (Member # 1559) on :
Second tense stories are best suited, in my opinion, to comedy. I just recently wrote a form of sequel to my only other second person story, all revolving around the missadventures of a nameless hero, egged on by his own conscience. It would probably be even more usefull as a mechanic in a script, since outer voices are naturally cool.
Posted by chad_parish (Member # 1155) on :
Weren't the ILIAD and ODESSY in past tense? 3000 year old paradigms are hard to bust.
Posted by Cosmi (Member # 1252) on :
chad, that's what i was thinking. how's your ancient Greek?
TTFN & lol
Cosmi
Posted by chad_parish (Member # 1155) on :
I use the letters in equations a lot, but I seldom remember what they're called. (For example, if I see a lower-case "xi," I pronounce it "electron dynamical extinction distance," not "xi.")
In short, my Greek needs work.
Posted by Kolona (Member # 1438) on :
Okay, I'll bite. Is there such a thing as "electron dynamical extinction distance" or did you make it up? It sounds cool.
Posted by Cosmi (Member # 1252) on :
just out of curiousity chad, what do you do for a living?
TTFN & lol
Cosmi
Posted by chad_parish (Member # 1155) on :
It's real. I'm a material engineer.
Extinction distances are important quantities when designing electron-microscope experiments.
Posted by Straws (Member # 1559) on :
Wow, a true scientist! I just pretend I'm one most of the day.
)
) Tanglier, is the Tom Robbins book you mentioned in present tense? i can't imagine a second person in past tense, though i suppose anything's possible.