“It is neither incongruous nor especially significant, precisely because it is dully typical. There are plenty of houses that still have such barometers, and those barometers indeed tell us something about the kinds of houses they are in: middle class rather than upper class; a certain kind of conventionality; a musty devotion, perhaps, to second-rate heirlooms; and the barometer is never right, is it? What does this tell us? In Britain, of course, they are especially comical tools, since the weather is always the same: gray, a bit of rain. You would never need a barometer. In fact, barometers, you might say, are very good barometers of a certain middling status: barometers are very good barometers of themselves! (That’s how they work, then.)” (James Wood, How Fiction Works)
Writing Exercise: The Character Beneath the Object
Techniques Illustrated by the Quotation:
1. Symbolism Through Mundane Objects: Wood shows how an ordinary object (a barometer) can symbolize deeper truths about character, setting, or societal status.
2. Class and Status Through Detail: The description connects the barometer to middle-class sensibilities, illustrating how small, specific details reveal broader sociocultural dynamics.
3. Tone and Irony: The slightly mocking tone infuses the description with humor and subtle critique, encouraging writers to imbue narrative voice with personality.
Writing Prompt:
Write a 500-word scene that uses a single, seemingly mundane object (e.g., a cracked mug, a mismatched sock, or a tacky wall clock) to reveal key aspects of a character’s personality, social standing, or emotional state. The object should appear ordinary on the surface but become a lens for exploring deeper truths about the character.
Your constraints:
• The scene should include a setting where the object naturally belongs.
• Avoid explicit exposition. The object’s significance should emerge through subtext, voice, and context.
• Incorporate a tonal layer—whether ironic, humorous, or poignant—to mirror Wood’s style.
Example Setup:
A character cleaning out their late aunt’s home finds a drawer full of unused scented candles labeled with oddly specific names (“Laundry Day by the Lake”). How do they react? What does their response suggest about their relationship with the aunt or their own life?
Evaluation Criteria:
Strong Responses:
• Rich Specificity: The object feels fully integrated into the world, with vivid sensory details and subtle implications about its history or role in the character’s life.
• Subtextual Revelation: The object acts as a prism for understanding the character without heavy-handed explanation.
• Voice and Tone: The narrative tone (ironic, affectionate, melancholic, etc.) enhances the scene, providing emotional or intellectual depth.
Weak Responses:
• Generic Descriptions: The object remains unremarkable or feels tacked on, failing to connect meaningfully to the character or setting.
• Over-Exposition: The significance of the object is told explicitly rather than shown through action, thought, or dialogue.
• Flat Tone: The writing lacks personality, making the scene feel dry or unengaging.
Follow-Up Questions for Workshop/Revision:
1. Does the object feel specific and integral to the story, or could it be replaced with something else without changing much?
2. What does the character’s interaction with the object reveal about their emotional or psychological state? Could this be deepened?
3. How effectively does the tone support the scene’s themes? Are there moments where it could be sharpened or adjusted?
4. Does the setting amplify the object’s resonance, or is it underutilized?
Recommended Reading:
• “A Small, Good Thing” by Raymond Carver (from Cathedral): Explores how mundane details (a birthday cake) become charged with emotional weight.
• “The Dead” by James Joyce (from Dubliners): Masterfully weaves class and status into the setting and objects, including Gabriel’s coat and the dinner setting.
• “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien: A vivid exploration of how physical objects reflect the inner lives of characters.
This exercise challenges writers to mine the mundane for depth, sharpening their observational skills and ability to balance subtlety with impact.
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