Two Definitions for Pulp Fiction
If you ask the average person on the street what pulp
fiction is, you will collect three answers rather than two. Unfortunately, the
most common response is, “I don’t know.” This answer will come, most often,
from those born after the era of pulp fiction. From those of the older
generations, or those of the younger generation who have looked up the word,
you will receive the other two answers. The first definition describes pulp
fiction as novels or short stories printed on cheap paper that contain sexually
explicit content. This version describes pulp fiction as cheaply written stories that used
sex as part of their allure. The second definition alludes to the same
inexpensive paper but relates the content as “escapism.” In this second
description, the stories contain wild adventures in exotic settings that
allowed the readers to escape their ordinary lives.
What Is the Definition of Pulp Fiction?
Pulp fiction stories were written on cheap, pulpy paper with
ragged edges, but which usually had an exiting full-color cover. Some of the
stories did contain sexually explicit content and, often, the covers showed
scantily clad women in distress. Though such content was part of pulp fiction,
it does not truly define it. Pulp fiction included a vast array of genres, such
as western, romance, science fiction and crime. Therefore it is more
appropriate to describe pulp fiction as exciting and exotic fiction written on
inexpensive paper.
Where Did Pulp Fiction Go?
Pulp fiction was a very popular medium for the average
person in the decades leading up to World War II. Though various articles cite
different reasons for the decline of pulp fiction books, most agree that war
related paper shortages created a rise in paper costs. Despite the decline of
the medium, pulp fiction left a lasting mark on culture in the United States
and worldwide. Some suggest that pulp fiction created the idea of the rough and
tumble American hero. Pulp fiction characters include Conan the Barbarian, The
Shadow, Buck Rogers and Tarzan. Though the era has passed, present day writers
still build from the foundation that the heyday of pulp fiction created.
Links to sites that describe the history of pulp fiction:
No comments:
Post a Comment