Writing Subtext. Linda Seger

      … How was your lamb?

      BOND

      Skewered. One sympathizes.

      She did get the better of him, and he knows it. Of course, as the film continues, Bond will fall deeply in love with her and won’t treat her as a disposable pleasure but rather will see her as a meaningful pursuit.

      LOOK FOR THE SUBTEXT AT CRISIS POINTS

      Subtext is most apt to come through during crisis or at transition points in our lives – when a death occurs, a new job is taken, at the start of a new relationship or the break-up of an old one – when the stakes are high and everything might rest on our saying and doing the right thing – even though we’re not sure what the “right thing” is. In such cases, characters cover up the real meanings.

      In any kind of suffering, a myriad of emotions often leaves one speechless, so the subtext may be expressed visually, rather than verbally. Most people have difficulty facing pain, or knowing what to do when confronted with the unfamiliar. They might become stoic, denying their feelings and discomfort. They don’t want others to know how vulnerable they are.

      When people are ashamed, they can’t speak about it. They want respect but may fear that they’ll lose it if others know the truth. What do they talk about instead? Perhaps nothing at all; or, perhaps they become overly polite in their relationships with colleagues; or, perhaps they turn to discussions about the weather, information about their job, or polite inquiries about their colleague’s family. Even when writing this dialogue, words can be carefully chosen to imply what is really being said: “I want your respect. I’m going to gain it by politeness to make you think I’m a kind person, or by the knowledge I share to make you think I’m a smart person.”

      When a friend or parent lays dying, knowing how direct one can be (so the subject of death might be skirted) can be difficult. Every subject is discussed except death. The son might go on and on about who won the football game, but is really talking about whether the father will be able to win the battle between life and death. The daughter might be trying to make the father comfortable or might be smoothing the blanket on his bed, even though he’s taking his last breath and such neatness really doesn’t matter anymore. The sister might feel helpless and uncomfortable, wanting to get out of there, and so quickly volunteers to go get the nurse. Immediately, the brother simply says, “Well, that’s that!” And it is. But even those words imply vulnerability, discomfort, and perhaps a desire to get back to life. Enough of this death stuff!

      In the script of Remains of the Day (1993, by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala), when he is dying, Stevens Sr. says to his son, Stevens:

      FATHER

      I hope I’ve been a good father to you.

      And Stevens, who is always dignified and unemotional, changes the subject:

      STEVENS

      I’m glad you’re feeling better. I have to go down now. A lot to see to.

      The father tries again.

      FATHER

      I’m proud of you. I hope I’ve been a good father to you.

      Stevens ignores the subject again.

      STEVENS

      I have so much to do, Father, but we’ll talk again in the morning.

      Then the father decides to tell him another truth – about the mother.

      FATHER

      I fell out of love with your mother. Your mother was a bitch. I loved her once but love went out of me when I found out what a bitch she was. Your mother was a bitch.

      Once more, Stevens ignores the emotional truth.

      STEVENS

      I’m glad you’re feeling better.

      Even when Miss Kenton informs Mr. Stevens that his father passed away, all Stevens can say is: “Oh, I see.”

      CULTURAL SUBTEXT

      Those of us who travel to other countries often notice that sometimes we simply don’t know what’s going on. This confusion might not be because we don’t know the language, but because we don’t know cultural meanings that are hidden to someone of another culture. Physical proximity changes from one culture to another. We might not know how to interpret the person standing very near to us – attraction? Is the person a pickpocket? A sex pervert? Or, is this nearness part of a culture that is simply used to people standing close to each other?

      Some cultures don’t like to say “no.” After I had been invited to give a seminar in Japan, I didn’t hear from my host for many weeks. Believing this lack of response might be cultural, and that he might not be able to do the seminar, I read a book about Americans doing business with Japan and discovered that the Japanese don’t like to say “no,” so they often find other ways to say “no” without ever saying it, such as by not responding. After reading the book, I was even more confused, because I had no idea whether my host was trying to say “no,” or whether something else was wrong. Was there subtext, or not? Since there had been no reply to my emails, I finally faxed him. I received a fax back saying he had changed his email address and still wanted me to come.

      A friend who just returned from Taiwan said he had to learn not to complain, even when he was served “old” tea that tasted terrible. He learned that complaining was not appropriate in that culture because it was taken as an insult.

      Some cultures have subtext around gift-giving, or around hospitality. In Ecuador, it’s considered polite to have a drink with whomever you’re meeting, even if you just stopped to ask directions to the nearest village or volcano. Typically the drink is locally brewed alcohol so you have to watch it, lest you won’t be able to wobble down the street and actually make it to your destination. The subtext seems to be about accepting people and their hospitality; to refuse would be a social snub and a personal slight.

      In the Philippines, you have to be careful about saying you admire something. Typically your host or friends will simply give it to you or buy it for you. That idea can work very nicely when you’re on the receiving end, but it works both ways. There can be a tendency to ask you for favors and things you might not be comfortable doing, parting with, or buying. If you don’t understand the subtext, you won’t understand what you’re supposed to do in return.

      Cultures vary in terms of what is acceptable with nudity. Some tourists go to beaches in foreign countries and their eyes pop out, as they notice naked men and women on the beach. No big deal! In other cultures, exposing the neck, ankles, arms, or knees is not acceptable. The subtext comes through the reactions of others. Wearing a sleeveless blouse in some Middle Eastern cultures that frown on such exposure might seem fine because it’s warm, but the looks and frowns from others may soon alert you that it’s time to go back to the hotel and change. This tradition can also hold in Muslim countries, such as some parts of Indonesia and Malaysia, where spare sarongs at the entrance to temples indicate that any females in shorts or slacks should use one to cover up while in the temple. They can also be used as a shawl to cover bare shoulders. It’s similar to the up-scale restaurant that supplies suit jackets and ties for men who don’t seem to know how to dress appropriately.

      In The Old West, asking a man where he came from was not appropriate. The past was private. You didn’t ask personal questions. In the film Shane (1953), we never know where Shane comes from, or where he is going to, but the audience knows that something is hidden and secret in his past. Nothing needs to be said – it’s clear.

      Hollywood has its own cultural context. If someone says to you, “Don’t call us, we’ll call you!” and you wait by the phone for weeks, you clearly didn’t understand the subtext, which was, in most cases, “Not interested.” If a producer says, “Love the script, babe. Do you want to stop over at my house tonight to discuss it?” chances are, it’s not the script he’s interested in.

      If someone in Hollywood tells you “the check is in the mail,” don’t start paying your bills, expecting to