Monday, March 9, 2015

Fifty Shades of Meh

A year or so ago, I took a one-night writing class at StoryStudio, where the teacher distributed excerpts from the novel Fifty Shades of Grey, in order to show us how not to write. After reading the scene, I agreed with the teacher: the writing was clichéd and terrible.

I'm not really into erotica (though I have read a couple erotic novels, and I was all, "Seriously, ANOTHER sex scene?"), but I'm still curious to find out what all the fuss regarding Fifty Shades of Grey is about. So I still plan to buy the book. As I stated on Twitter, though, I have enough Catholic guilt drilled into me that I may have to go to Confession afterwards, in order to confess the sin of reading someone else's impure thoughts.

Last week I went to a movie for the first time since last June. I had a coupon for a free movie ticket. I decided to watch Fifty Shades of Grey, because as with the novel, I was curious to see what all the fuss was about.

Now that I've seen it, all I can say is this: meh.

Everyone kept fussing over the sex scenes, but they didn't really faze me. My favorite neighborhood in Chicago is Boystown, where a lot of the "adult" stores are located. Some of those stores have S&M window displays that are more shocking than the sex scenes I saw in 50 Shades of Grey. I've always been curious about those stores but have never had the courage to go in, partly because I'm afraid that one of my former students will be in there and they'll say, "Professor! What are you doing here?" And I'll just say, "Umm...you mean this isn't Garrett Popcorn?"

Also, if people played a drinking game and took a shot for every time Jamie Dornan took off his shirt in slow motion or every time Dakota Johnson bit her lip, they'd end up drunk and/or passed out before the movie was half over.

I was impressed by the acting of Dakota and Jamie, though their talent was wasted in a movie with a cliched storyline and even worse dialogue.  There were also several other great actors in that film, like Jennifer Ehle (whom I loved as Elizabeth in the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice) and Marcia Gay Harden (who's brilliant and transforms into a different person with every character she plays, rather than play the same character again and again), and they were totally underused in the film.

But all around me in the theater were other grown women, who kept sighing over the relationship between Anastasia and Christian, or maybe they were sighing over the times where Jamie Dornan took off his shirt in slow motion. I kept rolling my eyes and thinking, Seriously? THIS is what turns a former Twilight fan fiction writer into a best-selling novelist? I could write a better love story than THIS, especially because this story doesn't even seem to be about love at all! It seems more like it's a stalker-with-benefits relationship!

It also made me think that 50 Shades of Grey was a rip-off of the 1740 novel Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded, which was written by Samuel Richardson. The "love interest," Mr. B., pressures (and at one point tries to rape) the virtuous Pamela into becoming his mistress, and he even tries to "educate" her on the terms of their relationship by giving her reading material about what he wants. Mr. B. is also a very wealthy man, especially compared to Pamela, who is a servant. (Sound familiar?)

I hated that novel, because Pamela spends a significant portion of that story terrified of the "intimidating" Mr. B., and then when he finally lets her leave (after holding her captive for a significant period of time), she realizes that she loves him and marries him. Despite her earlier efforts to escape him, as his wife she submits to his control (hello, Stockholm Syndrome!). Mr. B. isn't into S&M, but the relation between him and Pamela was definitely about dominance and submission.

I might never get published, and I definitely don't think I'll ever achieve the kind of mainstream success that E.L. James has achieved. Even she admitted that she didn't think her book would turn into the success that it did, and that's a good attitude to have, because there are far too many aspiring writers who only want to write so they can become rich and famous, which makes it clear that they will not only not last long as writers but also that they know nothing about the writing life.

Once I finally finish my dissertation (and once I get it approved, fingers crossed), I'll revise the novels I've written. I'll keep writing and sending out my stories to literary magazines. I'll still keep trying to improve my writing, so that if and when I do get published someday, a writing teacher won't pass out excerpts of my story and tell the students, "This is how you shouldn't write."

What about you? Have you seen/read Fifty Shades of Grey? If you have, what'd you think of it? How do you feel when you read bad writing or watch it play out on movie/TV screens?

20 comments:

  1. Oh wow, I never ever would have drawn a connection between Pamela and 50 Shades but I totally see it! Although I pretty much refuse to ever read or watch the latter. I will never understand the appeal of a story where the girl falls for the creepy stalker-type guy.

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    1. Hi Sarah,
      I know, right? I think that women are attracted to Christian Grey because he's the alpha male who showers the object of his affection with expensive gifts and helicopter rides. The implication appears to be that underneath his controlling exterior, he's a damaged, sensitive soul and Anastasia "saves" him from himself. That, I think, sends the wrong message to women, which is that they can change their controlling, possessive boyfriends into someone worth loving. And I don't agree with that message at all, especially since it's been proven over and over again in real life that it's not true.

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  2. I have not read the book or seen the film - I'm just not that interested, and not in the least curious.

    It's definitely a surprise that the book became so successful, especially when it is widely agreed to be badly written.

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    1. Hi Annalisa,
      I don't understand its appeal either, especially because I've heard that there are much better erotic novels out there. It always bothers me when bad writing achieves mainstream success, because there are better writers out there who are totally underrated.
      I have a feeling I'll be cringing when I read the book, and I might not even be able to finish it. But I want to read it so I can understand what it is other people like about it, though, as with the movie, I still might not understand after I finish it.

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  3. I loved the books, because at the core it is a love story that really pulled me in. The s&m is a shock to people like me who grew up really conservatively, but by book two the erotic aspect didn't phase me anymore. I agree, the actors did a good job with what they were given. The movie felt rushed and I couldn't quite get into it. But maybe I have to watch it again. All the best with your dissertation.

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    1. Hi Murees,
      Maybe I'll have a different opinion of the story once I read the book; I've heard that E.L. James fought with the director because of how much was cut from the novel, and now she's insisting on writing the screenplay herself for the sequel (which is why I've also heard rumors that the director might not be back for the second movie). One scene I did like in the movie was the one where Anastasia is sharing a meal with her stepfather and mother, and she wistfully observes their loving relationship; that part rang true.

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  4. It will remain a mystery until the end of time what makes a not very well-written, cliched book catch on like wildfire while countless other excellent novels go unnoticed. I've not read the book or seen the movie. I watched the previews for it and said "meh." So no, not interested!

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    1. Hi Karen,
      I don't understand it either; I think a lot of writers have been shaking their heads over the storyline and the dialogue. Like you said, there are so many other underrated stories out there that are much better. It bothers me and makes me feel jealous when writers like that become successful. It also motivates me to write something better.

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  5. I haven't seen it or read it. Before it became a big hit a friend of mine said it was atrociously written, and I lost all curiosity after that.

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    1. Hi Emily,
      I feel like the story had the potential to be a lot better than it was; some of the dialogue in the movie made me cringe, and I couldn't help wondering if the actors cringed inwardly when they said it out loud.

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  6. Not interested for sure!! But I did read an online article of a girl at a magazine asked to take on the "positions" and amount of sex. What her and her boyfriend ended up with was what she called a lot of missionary position that started with something like s mild s&m and being exhausted to the point of saying not this again!! Haha!

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    1. Hi Tammy,
      Haha, that sounds like an interesting article! I read somewhere that E.L. James admitted that the novel was basically her fantasy; maybe that's one of the issues with this book, is that the relationship between Anastasia and Christian is a little too "fantastic" to be believable. Not all stories have to be completely realistic, but once the reader starts questioning certain aspects of the story, that makes it harder for him/her to enjoy it.

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  7. I did read the books because I was curious to see what the fuss was all about, and my sisters basically threw the books at me. Haha. The sex scenes didn't phase me either. I didn't think they were sexy or romantic in the least. I didn't think the writing was atrocious, but there was a lot of cliches. I did like the suspenseful parts in the stories and their growing relationship. I won't be reading the books again, though, and don't think I'll ever see the movie(s) because I'm not interested.

    Thanks for visiting my co-host host on Unicorn Bell! :D

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    1. Hi Chrys,
      You're welcome, and thanks for following my blog! :) I don't blame you for not wanting to watch the movie; I was disappointed because the previews made it look better than it was.
      I think I will go ahead and read the first book at least; the idea of the story being suspenseful sounds interesting. And maybe the characters will be more likeable in the book than they were in the movie.

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  8. I'm really rooting for you to get that dissertation approved.

    I haven't seen the movie. Not my kind of thing. But I think it definitely appeals to people's fantasies.

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    1. Hi Theresa,
      I've shown my advisor countless drafts, and I always try to respond to all of his suggestions and criticism in my revisions. But he just keeps coming up with more criticism and telling me I have to revise it again. My goal is to defend it this summer, as long as the rest of my committee is available; I'll get my PhD later than the other students, but at least I wouldn't have to wait another year. But if he rejects my next revision (which is due pretty soon), I don't know what I'll do. Thank you for your support; I really appreciate it.

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    1. Hi Theresa,
      I read somewhere that the author, E.L. James, wrote the book because it was based on her own fantasy. So maybe she sees herself as an older Anastasia Steele?

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  10. I'm not an erotica fan, so I'll be giving this fad a skip. When I do read a book I don't like, I analyze why so that I know what not to do when I'm writing. :-)

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    1. Hi Misha,
      It can definitely be educational to read a book that you dislike. There are some books that I wasn't even able to finish reading, because the characters or the storyline bothered me so much I knew I couldn't get through it.

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