Jul
21
Telling True Stories
How can social justice artists make their work true, both to specific injustices portrayed but also to a larger truth?
Forum Theatre, developed by Augusto Boal, is most effective when an experience drawn from the spect-actors is reproduced and played. To work, it must be real. It does not, however, have to adhere exclusively to the facts.
I am currently reading What is the What, by David Eggers. Though the book is marketed as a novel, it is more aptly described as a reconstructed personal history, dictated by and told from the perspective of Valentino Achak Deng, one of southern Sudan’s “Lost Boys.” It is beautiful, and the first 150 pages are enough to recommend it.
My copy of the book was a gift from a very informed, very justice-minded friend (the kind of person who went to law school to help women affected by global diaspora). The story so deeply captured her that she gave it to me for my birthday to ensure I had no excuse to not read it. She had heard of the “Lost Boys” but knew little, confused the wars of southern Sudan with the conflicts in Darfur, and found herself generally under-informed about eastern Africa. Of course, I cannot blame her for this; I have worked with the southern Sudanese community in Des Moines and didn’t know much either.
As my friend delved further into the book, she felt not only compassion for Valentino Deng, but also compelled to learn more about Sudan. She thought about Africa as she fell asleep at night, and bought a history of eastern Africa to understand the political background.
This is why we use art to talk about social justice. Art is compelling, and when used as a tool for talking about injustice and iniquity, can capture participants in strong and unusual ways. Good art inspires response, which is precisely the goal of highlighting injustices in the first place.
What is the What is particularly powerful because it is true. It may not be utterly, word-for-word factual, but the truth it contains runs deeply. Indeed, the idea of truth-telling is an ongoing theme of the book – Valentino Deng is careful to reassure his readers that the conversations told are reconstructed, but that the reality presented is not enhanced or changed to suit the perceived desires of the readers. The result is a story that inspires response, and that demands justice: for Deng, for his people, for Sudan, for children, for all of those chased and accosted…
As social justice artists, in whatever forms we practice, we are find ways to tell stories that are true, for the purpose of illuminating, informing and inspiring through our craft. Of course, on some level, everyone is a story teller. We are all the tellers of tales, recounters of funny moments and sweet afternoons, we tell stories that are true and imaginary, stories of ourselves and others. On a very basic level, we all create and respond to story. However, when using art as a tactic to tell stories of injustice, our obligation is to truth before style. Thankfully for the art, it is also the truth (however the facts may play out) that makes these stories compelling.
Any thoughts on tactics for telling stories that are true?
On What is the What: http://nymag.com/arts/books/reviews/23147/
On the Lost Boys: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Boys_of_Sudan
