Crafting a Multi-Genre Script for Edification
When one launches oneself into writing a piece meant to educate and thus edify a community or society two things to be observed are factual correctness (accuracy) and popular appeal (populist success). The word play here is no fancy. One word used in the place of another with little defect of meaning does not mean they are absolute synonyms. Edification is education with the difference that it does not slip away in future. A homily on environmental protection that warns against littering in the community is an “edict” to be honoured. The edict becomes most effective by universalising it. This means that it must appeal to popular sentiment, for which art proves the best vehicle. Art being more persuasive than reason popular art has an edge here.
Thus one can have an expository or descriptive-analytical part tailed by two diverse creative pieces, three genres in all. Three genres for one time don’t mean overall heterogeneity or a round peg in a square peg-hole. Thematic continuity and purpose takes care of the unity.
The Process of Drafting
When a solemn factual work relapses into a creative celebration one need not fear blunders of contradiction. All that is needed is a simple caution to check that within one genre there are no irregular or atypical effects. In this particular case fact and fancy may be kept separate and fancy suspended till its moment arrives. In ancient Greece it was usual to have some comic relief after intense tragedy; this is only to show possible generic succession and not to draw parallels. Wishful effects had rather be postponed till the duties of learning the subject are done.
Care should be taken to guard against admixture during writing itself. One can employ the practice of writing and editing at the same time till one examines the whole with a bird’s eye view. Factual paragraphs should strictly conform to the logic given by the topic sentences. Words should be examined for overly reflective expressions as rigid statements of fact do not allow room for reflection. The use of linkers and cohesive patterns like “unfortunately” and “hopefully” may dilute the factual content.
Picking of Creative Genres
In the postmodern scenario genre is very seldom a restriction. Nor is there a paucity of genres given the many hybrid genres and improvising modes. Still some genres do command certain time-proved effects. The popular troupes like the Beatles and Boney M had captivated world audiences ever since they rose to fame and still do so. Their songs serve as prototypes and also as models for improvisation for those who wish to have quick and unique effects. In our multi-genre creation we have borrowed the lines of the Beatles song “Nowhere Man” with its inherent popular tune to convey a universal message. And the more because it is their first song for a purpose other than romance. This song written by John Lennon in 1965 has the opening lines,
He’s a real Nowhere Man Sitting in his nowhere land Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.
Every improvisation is effective with the first lines showcasing the tweaking. Thus we have our first lines using the phrases “Nowhere Man,” “nowhere land,” “nowhere plans .” The only thing superadded is “no time” in the place of “nobody.” Then the last lines with the words “worry” and “ hurry” have been slightly altered to “tarry,” “tearing hurry,” and “sorry,” in keeping with the original rhyme scheme. In being of the first and last stanzas the foregrounding is very visible.
The second genre, an illustrative story, is modelled on the traditional fable where birds or animals teach the human lessons, and is seen to work well with children, the posterity.
The Factual Content
The choice of these genres being explained, the connection with the factual part is no riddle. News stories inform but seldom inspire. To take the message to the subconscious minds of social individuals art is the best medium. Yet factual accuracy needs to be observed. The very fact the Ohio State University employed a research team to ameliorate the community situation and landscaping of Linden Village was due to reports of crime and misuse of public space leading to overall vandalism. This must have followed from reports of investigating officials engaged in law and order. Besides, the report shows the federal government’s intervention to check untrammelled growth of population and delinquencies of particular communal sects. But there is nothing like art to root out public malaise.
Conclusion
Fact and fiction are not disparate. They are different ends of the same thread. To an adult fiction is an extension of fact. The child on the other hand begins at the end of fiction. Genres are not immiscible by themselves. It is the social purpose they endorse that makes them mean something.
Works Cited
Lennon, John. “Nowhere Man.” Rubber Soul, 22 Oct. 1965. British version.
“Linden: A Sustainable Future,” Ohio State University Research Report. Accessed 7 July. 2016 at https://www.facweb.knowlton.ohio-state.edu/jlara
