We can learn a lot about the art of storytelling from the ‘greatest novel never read’, writes Dr Erin O’Dwyer
Over the holidays, on a few long car trips, my children and I listened to an audio adaptation of Moby Dick.
Ok let’s be honest. I’ve tried to read Herman Melville’s Moby Dick several times. So, probably, have you. It has a reputation as the greatest novel never read. It explores contemporary themes that at the time it was written, in 1851, would have been subversive – homoeroticism, slavery, racism, animal cruelty. But it’s a long hard read, especially with today’s attention spans.
But – get this: The audio adaptation, featuring the English actor David Morrisey as a brilliant Captain Ahab, is wonderful. It’s a radio play rather than a reading, and it kept my kids and I glued to the car audio system for the entire seven hours.
Enough raving.
I have a PhD in literature so I can analyse the themes of Moby Dick til the cows come home. But what I want to draw your attention to in Moby Dick is the magic.
Magic in storytelling refers to an element that transcends every day life
Subversive storytelling, through magic
Magic in storytelling refers to an element that transcends every day life, captivating the audience with a sense of wonder or awe. This can be an exceptional moment or situation, or an ‘other worldly’ or spiritual connection, or a feeling of the sublime.
All great storytelling has it. Some stories even have it in their title. Think of Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree. Or her Famous Five series. The magic in the Famous Fivebooks is not the adventures Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog go on but the remarkable bond these five friends have, which endures in story after story.
In Moby Dick, the whale is the magic element. It is huge, white and terrifying. It takes grown men as its prey. It has enraptured and enraged Captain Ahab, such that it has pushed him to the brink of insanity and beyond. Why? Because it is much more than a mere animal. It symbolises the vastness and mystery of nature and the divine. In turn, it is a metaphor for humanity’s struggle to understand God, ourselves, the universe.
Transform your writing, no matter the genre
Few are us are going to pen a novel as extraordinary or colossal as Moby Dick.
But magic is something you can introduce to your writing, to transform it from good to great.
And that’s true whether you are addressing a boardroom or townhall at work, crafting an opening address in the courtroom, lecturing a group of bored teens, or writing the next great Australian novel.
Here’s a few tips to get you started:
1. Where is the magic in this story?
The magic in your story lies in the elements that evoke wonder, awe, or a deeper sense of connection – whether it’s an extraordinary event, a brilliant character, or a thing of sublime beauty.
2. What do I need to do to draw out the magic in this story?
Focus on what makes that creature, person or event magical. Double down on and underscore its sense of otherworldliness.
3. How will my audience relate to, and be inspired by, this magic?
Your audience will connect with the magic if it touches on universal themes or something close to (but not the same as) their own experience of life.
By weaving magical elements into your narrative, you can guarantee your audience’s attention and inspire their imagination.
