Trauma narratives dominate memoirs and literary fiction. Pain, trauma and suffering tend to be the prevalent elements in almost all bestsellers. There is this belief that such elements of tragedy are what make the piece moving and provide it with emotional depth. People tend to find comfort in pain and hence narratives revolving around tragedy make them emotionally involved, making them feel at home. This makes Publishers view stories of suffering as potential for growth. Hence, hardship and pain has become a commodity in the ‘literary marketplace’.
Why Does Pain Sell?
People tend to be compelled by what they find relatable. They associate suffering with comfort, and as humans, we all have a natural inclination towards narratives of suffering due to the empathy most of us inherently possess.
Stories of pain are frequently perceived as more meaningful than stories lacking the element of grief. Life isn’t always golden and suffering is inevitable. A narrative lacking the essence of pain and tragedy doesn’t feel authentic and looks rather mechanical. This makes the authors use pain as a tool to construct narratives that don’t look surface level and plain. The narratives, in turn formed, offer trauma leading to catharsis, making the readers experience pity and fear which in turn turns to empathy and a sense of connection which add to the effect of emotional depth to the piece.
Personal Tragedy into a Commodity
Publishing pain takes away from it the essence of it being personal, transforming personal tragedy into a product for consumption. But what sells is what is valued by publishers. This may make writers feel the pressure to foreground their trauma to gain reach. This raises questions about exploitation, and the commercialisation of pain that happens once it is published as a piece to be consumed by the public.
Is Trauma All That Literature Should Possess
There are many more elements, apart from trauma, there are many other elements that create emotional depth and authenticity bringing the essence to writing that makes it be a reflection of human experiences. Trauma narratives are considered to have a greater relatability and hence they may overshadow stories of joy, community, love, creativity, and resilience, which are equally essential to add emotional depth, encapsulating human experience to its fullest.
Although, an absence of pain truly is unrealistic while portraying real life, the problem arises when it ends up being the sole focus. Literature should portray the full spectrum of human experience, not only its suffering. Unless all these aspects of life are equally considered, authenticity turns into a far-fetched notion and literature becomes a marketable asset and pain becomes a commodity to be consumed.