Blogger: Mary Keeley
Location: Books & Such Midwest office, Illinois
One of Rachel’s great posts last week was on the benefit and importance of watching trends and being alert to hot topics. These days there seems to be an abundance of hot topics: big news items (earthquakes, persecution of Christians, spirituality, economic troubles, threat of terrorism, revolutions in the Middle East), technology, social justice issues, the Church, fulfillment of Bible prophesy, issues affecting family, and so on.
The various age groups will respond differently to these external factors. Many of you who responded to Wendy’s informative “What’s Broken” series said your lifetime goal as a writer is to further Christ’s kingdom. If you write fiction, your novels, your characters need to be authentic to the general characteristics of their age group. Developing at least one of your characters this way for each age group represented in your book will help readers readily connect with them and potentially also with their redemptive outcome. If you write nonfiction, knowing how each age group approaches life’s problems, is elemental to influencing your readers.
This week I’m going to focus on a particular age group each day and list some general traits. I was going to start with the youngest age group because it seems more “current.” But since the previous generation highly influences the next generation, starting with the oldest group lends itself to greater understanding. I hope it elicits some great discussion. And in the process, we might find it easier to pinpoint some of each group’s hot topics!
So today’s group is:
The Silent Generation (anyone born before 1946, or over 65). They are also known as the GI Generation. They grew up in what we refer to as the Modern era. Brandon O’Brien, reviews editor of Leadership Journal and author of The Strategically Small Church: Intimate, Nimble, Authentic, and Effective, describes “Modernity” as “essentially the age of science. People date modernity to between about 1780 to about 1940. For moderns, the world is a closed system that operates according to universal laws. A reasonable explanation exists for everything. Things are presented in terms of black and white–things are true or false, good or bad, right or wrong. Science, mathematics, and medicine can pretty much explain and/or fix any human problem. There is a high premium on proof.
One way you see this instinct at work among Christians is in the need to “prove” things. Apologetics as we know them (think Evidence that Demands a Verdict) is a modern discipline. The assumption is that I can prove the truth of Christianity scientifically, historically, and beyond a reasonable doubt. Objections to Christianity are primarily intellectual–people reject faith because it doesn’t make sense. So we spend a lot of energy trying to make faith sound and seem reasonable.
This description offers some clues (generally speaking, of course) to how those 65-and-over think. Situations that are reasonable and explainable are comfortable. But put a character (or envision the reader of your nonfiction book) in a situation where there is no easy black and white, good or bad solution, and that opens the door to show how he will respond–and possibilities for him to see in a new way.
Talk to your grandparents, parents, relatives, friends or neighbors in this age group. What are they particularly concerned about these days? Those are their hot topics and can range from big-picture issues: upheaval in the world, Social Security, and “America just isn’t the way it used to be” (which was better in their view). Or they can be more personal: a grandchild who doesn’t seem interested in the God of the Bible, questions about how their health-care benefits may change with new legislation, or making their remaining years useful.
How would a Silent Generation character relate to the other characters in your novel?
If you’re writing historical fiction, how can you accurately reflect this thinking yet connect with younger readers?
How can your nonfiction speak to (or about) this age group?
Does this information raise more questions or clear the fog somewhat?
Did anything here surprise you?
Mixing two age groups is a perfect formula for conflict: they both view the world differently and want different things.
For me, I put myself in the head of each character, whether or not they’re the POV character. For accuracy in dealing with older characters, I draw on my experiences with parents, grandparents, and elderly friends. I know–and understand–how they would respond to different situations and filter their dialogue and actions through that understanding.
I believe we connect with younger readers in accurately portraying their age group and allowing the conflict from their interaction with older characters to surface naturally.
The trick is to treat both groups sincerely, showing the motivation behind their worldviews. Easier said than done.
I’m like Lance. I try to place myself in each of my characters’ heads and think as they would. I have many influencers to draw from: the youth and “older generation” of our church, aging parents, and two children with a 10 yr. age difference.
I definitely agree, Mary, that what drives and motivates each generation is so varied. The more “seasoned” seniors of our church are concerned with the moral decline of our great nation. My parents remain focused on the Lord’s return and on winning souls for Christ. The youth of our church seem to be concentrating their efforts on mission work and raising awareness on how to live a life for Him. Our oldest child is completing his college education and is concerned about the job market, while our youngest is in the throes of puberty and all that that entails! And my husband and I believe that all of the above-mentioned concerns are valid and merit much thought and prayer.
I think as writers where we get into trouble sometimes is not considering ALL viewpoints when creating a specific character. We have to make our characters unique, but in order to do that we have to know what motivates them and why.
I cast a 50-something couple as mentors to the heroine in one story. Her uncle struggles with deep disappointments and fears that he is becoming useless. Her aunt, while equally devastated, views the changes more philosophically as trials that can strengthen her. I found great conflict by having one turn to himself and despair while the other turns to God and finds new strength.
Taking the time to understand a generation certainly helps in personal relationships and I can see how, as Lance put it, getting “in the head of each character,” for a story makes an individual more believable.
My youngest (not yet 30 years) daughter is reading and passing on some very intriguing books…ones I never would have chosen for myself. One such book, “The Book Thief” deals with historical World War Two Germany, but is presented in an unusual format with an atypical POV. I loved the book, but my mother, an avid reader in her 80’s said, “Well, it was different.”
I’m not sure we can be all things to all generations. We’ll have to know and appreciate our “target audience.”
This discussion has helped me re-visit my thoughts for a new writing project. Thanks!
I just happened to cast a “silent generation” character opposite his granddaughter in my first novel. I drew heavily upon my own grandfather for attitude and perspective. His no-nonsense, black and white, “just grin and bear it” philosophy slams into the younger generation’s “I deserve everything I want” philosophy. Throw in end of life issues, which young people cannot fathom and we have instant angst.
Intergenerational relationships and communication are vital to our lives, and they are lacking on many fronts today. I’m looking forward to the rest of this week’s posts, because there is much to learn in life and stories from other generations. If I can slip some of it into my writing, my readers will be the richer for it.
Great topic. When I worked in Corporate America, I attended a workshop that centered on helping different generations interact better with each other by helping us understand who each group is, what motivates them, and what is important to them. When you work in a building with 4,000 other people, there is definitely going to be some conflict between generations.
I wish I found it easier to hop inside my characters’ heads. I think I do well with young girls, but when I’m writing a villian for a mystery, I can’t get into his head at all. I also find it hard to get into an older person’s head. My mother-in-law has the patience of a saint. I have none. I don’t relate to many things about her, though I love her dearly.
In my current WIP–a middle grade novel–my MC is living with her spinster aunt. Most of the impressions of this aunt come from the MC’s POV, so I’m afraid that the reader might be losing something, even though there are hints that there is more to the aunt than meets the eye.
Thanks for getting the wheels turning this Monday.
What an interesting series you’ve set up for us today, Mary!
These points of yours caught even more of my attention: “Situations that are reasonable and explainable are comfortable. But put a character (or envision the reader of your nonfiction book) in a situation where there is no easy black and white, good or bad solution, and that opens the door to show how he will respond–and possibilities for him to see in a new way.”
It’s interesting and revealing that we should strive to place readers in this group into a slightly uncomfortable “thinking zone” as they read our writing. Our ways of thinking should regularly be stretched to make room for growth, and your example shows that.
I find that I often write to prove or answer or discuss good vs. bad. I imagine I’m quite influenced by the “modern era” and this generation’s way of thinking, though I’m not in this age group.
In my writing, I do think about a few things gearing towards the audience: How will these words affect readers? Will these words influence them to grow and deepen their faith? Do these words spread God’s truth, love, and redemption to readers?
Your series this week looks like it will deepen and broaden the reach of these questions. I look forward to reading more!
For my non-fiction book I had not thought about how this generation might respond as the book is aimed more at families with children. But reading your post made me realize that grandparents are raising some children and that I can point my readers toward this generation and benefit both parties 🙂
Great comments, everyone! It really does help to share our thoughts as our wheels are turning. Greater understanding will foster better insight to a realistic redemptive outcome.
This is going to be a fun series, Mary. As an aging Baby Boomer (on the front end), I recognize the black and white mentality you described. And, having worked with Generation X’ers and Millenials, I can see where the built-in tension between generations can add punch to our stories. Looking forward to the coming week!
“But since the previous generation highly influences the next generation, starting with the oldest group lends itself to greater understanding.”
I agree. However, it seems that many writers do not tackle this theme to its fullest, even though it is capable of providing much insight into the dynamics of their characters relationships. While there tends to be the usual “the old folks just don’t get my music” type of scenario in fiction, few writers I can think of concretely delve into the pain and loss one can feel when they realize there is a true divide between one person who is anchored in the past, while the other looks towards the future.
And the characters who fill those roles don’t always have to be the obvious ones…
However, this also points towards something that hasn’t been mentioned yet; with World Wars, a Great Depression, and the promises of science to unshackle Man from sin revealing instead what seems to be the horror of only propagating misery and chaos greater than ever before, the Silent Generation character may prefer to keep quiet, if only to conceal the pain that would come through if they were to speak.