Introduction

Subtext is one of, if not the most important, cornerstones of writing. The following chapter will discuss what subtext is, how it is commonly used in stories, and how it can be used effectively.

While many different terms will be used throughout this chapter to summarize what subtext is, the best word to describe it would be significance. When trying to create or discern the subtext of a particular piece of writing, one can ask the question "What is the significance of this?" or "Why was this included?" In essence, that is what subtext is. The significance behind the text.

The term "text" refers to the actual words used in a manuscript. In a broader sense, it is the literal aspect of a story, the information that is being conveyed directly on the surface level. The subtext on the other hand, is the abstract component of the manuscript, the information that has to be gathered intuitively. Many individuals refer to subtext with an iceberg in water analogy referring to the text as the top of the iceberg seen on the surface, with the subtext being the portion of the iceberg that is hidden below the water.

A good way to explain subtext and text is with the terms intuition and sensing. In psychology, the terms intuition and sensing refer to the two types of information that the brain can process. In short, sensory is concrete reality whereas intuition is the abstract imagination. Intuition's purpose is to create more information in situations where the sensory is limited. Take the following example below.

The D_G chased the cat.

In this example, the text/sensory is limited. There are not enough letters to know what the word is, so in order to solve the problem you have to use your intuition to imagine that the word was completed, in other words you have to artificially create your own information. Using the rest of the words in the sentence you could probably discern that the word was "DOG". In this example, the subtext was the imaginary "O" letter that you were able to insert into the sentence. The "O" was never visible in the text but it was still able to be detected regardless.

Subtext is more or less the same concept as intuition. One could argue that all writing in general is a form of intuition, an exercise of the imagination and furthermore that the entertainment factor is derived primarily from this exercise in the imagination.

The major appealing aspect of subtext in writing is its efficiency, in that it has the ability to convey large amounts of information using less text. For instance, in the DOG example we were able to convey the information of the sentence without using all of the letters. In most other cases, subtext works in a similar manner on a much larger scale. In essence, subtext can be described as highly concentrated text.

Instances of Subtext

Metaphors

The simplest use of subtext is through metaphors. Metaphors function in the manner described above. They are able to convey information in an efficient way, but they are also useful for describing things that are difficult to convey literally. Take the following example.

"Her eyes were a storm."

The following metaphor is used to describe a person's eye color. Because colors are indescribable, (in the sense that you can't use a more basic adjective to describe them) the only way to convey a specific shade would be to compare it to something else of similar quality to it, in this case, a storm cloud. Moreover, the subtext of the metaphor also conveys information about the nature of the woman's gaze. If we wanted to vividly describe the woman's gaze we would have to use more words such as, "Her look was cold, vicious, and piercing." but instead we can use the metaphor to compress these descriptors into a few words. This is why Shakespeare and works of poetry have an abundance of deeper meaning within their text, because metaphors are utilized in nearly every line to convey large amounts of information quickly.

Subtext metaphors can also be used in more interesting ways as well. I went to the store once and noticed a new Coca-Cola flavor called Dreamworld. Normally, I would have looked at the product in confusion. What does a dream taste like? However, I've encountered several other products with this type of abstract branding in the past and you probably have as well (it's not the first Coke product to do this either). "Shooting Star'' scented candles, "Autumn" flavored coffee, "Captain" body wash, "Lemon" themed USB flash drives (yes, this exists). Coke was using subtext in its label to market their product. This is used particularly often with products that involve smell or taste because certain combinations of ingredients yield specific flavors that can't be categorized normally. In addition, by using an abstract product label, companies can advertise an imaginative experience as well by associating it with the flavor of the ingredients. This is especially the case with scent-based products due to the sense of smell having the closest connection to the abstract when compared to the other four human senses.

Symbolism

Symbolism is another common medium of subtext and is used similarly to metaphors. Symbols are physical things that are used to represent something else, most often in an abstract manner, such as a ring which can represent connection, longevity, or committment and as such is used in marriage. Or a scar for example, which can be a physical representation of a traumatic (or maybe even pleasant) event. Symbols are essentially just visual metaphors and like metaphors, they have their applications in marketing as well, particularly commercial advertisements. This ties closely into creative writing because several advertisements for products incorporate fictional elements into them. Subtext is particularly appealing for commercials because they have to convey as much information as possible in a short period of time. Take the following example.

Old Spice released a series of commercials advertising different deodorants. The one we'll be looking at in particular is called "Winner". If you'd like, you can look up the commercial and view it for yourself, otherwise you can follow my summary here.

The commercial begins with three men sitting on couches in an apartment, eating potato chips while playing video games, a racing game to be specific. A few moments later one of the three men sets his gaming controller down and looks around in his environment and at the other two men in disappointment. He then takes a sniff of his Old Spice Dynasty deodorant and lets out a wistful sigh. The man then begins to feel strange. He looks down as the skin on his hand begins to crack and shed, almost as if to hatch, while the overhead narration begins.

"The lasting cologne scent of Old Spice Dynasty, helps get you off your couch..."

The face fully peels off, falling to the floor to reveal the same man only fully clothed in an Old Spice-themed helmet and racecar uniform.

"...and into the driver's seat."

The recliner along with the end table of the apartment, then proceeds to hatch into an Old Spice racecar. The man says he'll never forget his friends then drives away, breaking through the wall of the apartment in the process.

When it comes to marketing, it is usually more effective to appeal to what a consumer values rather than to display the effectiveness of the product itself. Because Old Spice sells personal hygiene products to a male demographic, in order to appeal to what the consumer values, the commercial needs to convey themes and ideas that are suitable for their audience to get them interested in their product. Through its use of symbolism, the Old Spice commercial manages to compress a plethora of ideas into just over forty seconds of time. By taking a closer look we can see all of the details that were placed in the advertisement. The commercial establishes the somewhat degenerate lifestyle of three men in mere seconds through the imagery of the apartment, the potato chips, and the video games. Furthermore the commercial establishes characterization through the man's body language and mannerisms indicating that he is dissatisfied with his predicament and yearns for more. The commercial then shows the man transforming into a professional racecar driver. The cracking animation is meant to resemble that of a hatching egg, a visual symbol of transformation. Normally, it would require a biography of some sort to show a man going through the process of transforming his life by way of becoming a racecar driver, but the entire process is condensed through the use of visual metaphor since this cannot be shown in real time. Finally, we see the man presumably go on to pursue a life of distinguished wealth and status. All of this being conveyed by the imagery of the Old Spice Dynasty and the dialogue stating that the man will not forget his friends, implying that he will not forget them despite his newfound success. The entire advertisement uses symbolism to tell a rags to riches story that not only appeals to the male demographic but also relays an experience that the male audience may already share.

Implication

Implication is another method of using subtext. This is likely the type that most would associate with subtext. Essentially it is the information that is suggested by the text instead of what is actually said. The following are some examples of implication subtext.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Standard Implication

The following is a quote from the movie Devil, by M.Night Shyamalan.

"What makes me good at selling mattresses is I can look at a person's clothes and know exactly how much they can afford to spend. And you lady, you're no super-sleeper."

The man is implying that the woman is of low-class, judging from her appearance.

Sarcasm

"If it's one thing I love, it's standing in line at the BMV."

This one is pretty self explanatory. The tone is used to show a contradiction between the text and subtext. The text stating that the person loves standing in line, while the subtext implies the opposite.

Euphemism/Mincing words

"Jamie gets a lot of...visitors, you could say."

The text uses weaker language to convey something inapproproate in a more palatable way, in this case, the dialogue is implying that the person named Jamie is sexually active.

Innuendo

"That performer is quite the sword-swallower."

Enough said.

Emotions

"Would you possibly, um, maybe perhaps. How should I put this, um would you like to go on a date with me?"

The person is showing unconscious feelings of uncertainty through broken dialogue.

Characterization

"I apologize sir, but our policy states that you cannot return this item."

"I want to see the manager." Colin stated.

"But the manager is-"

"Right now!" Colin exclaimed.

The text shows Colin's personality by establishing that he is likely a very demanding individual who is quick to anger.

Implication subtext can be found outside of dialogue as well.

Body Language and Mannerisms

With hurried breaths, the man's fingers drummed incessantly against the table.

The body language indicates that the man is feeling impatient or on edge.

Physical Environment

The words written in red sprawled across the walls produced a distinctly putrid odor. The rest of the apartment reeked of death as well, with dirty dishes, clothes, and trash littered all around the living room.

The objects in the scenery reflect the actions of the person who lives there as well as their state of mind. It also features the disturbing implication that the words on the wall might be written in blood. Implications from Physical Environment go hand in hand with Symbolism with the difference being that Physical Environment primarily implies literal information whereas Symbolism usually implies abstract.

Theme

Subtext used to construct themes is the largest and most complex use of subtext, as it normally encompasses the other mediums within it and often perpetuates throughout the entirety of the text. In essence, a theme is simply a piece of recurring subtext. It is the underlying concept throughout the text. This type of subtext is usually the main selling point of any piece of writing. The theme is what can be marketed towards a specific audience or demographic as seen with the themes of masculinity and status that are presented in the Old Spice commercial. The theme represents what is significant about the text as a whole and is what sets it apart from other pieces of writing. A piece of media without any compelling themes leaves little for the audience to take away from it once they're finished with it and as a result have no incentive to return to or ponder it. Conversely, pieces of media featuring a stronger sense of theme are more substantial and leave a longer lasting impression on the audience.

While there are several different mediums for subtext, I like to categorize its usage under two major forms. Conveyance and Obscurance. Conveyance is when the subtext is implied in a relatively direct and straightforward manner that can be easily understood by the audience. In contrast, Obscurance is when the meaning of the subtext is hidden and difficult or impossible to discern without additional clarification. Technically speaking, all subtext is obscured in some way and is never entirely clear, however there are several instances in which the subtext has considerably less room for interpretation, nearly to the point of having no ambiguity at all, as is the case with the D_G example where the surrounding context heavily suggests that the missing letter is "O" to form DOG. Furthermore, it isn't uncommon for subtext to be somewhere on a spectrum between obscured and conveyed, most of the time it is.

The following are different ways of using Conveyance and Obscurance.

Obscurance

Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing is the most common form of obscuring subtext as it is used with the most subtlety. Foreshadowing is the implication that certain elements will be significant later on in the story. It is often used in the narrative device known as Chekov's Gun, where an object of attention that was introduced earlier in the story becomes important later on, typically in the form of a plot twist, however Checkov's gun is not the only type of foreshadowing. For instance, foreshadowing is used in the movie Star Wars: The Force Awakens in which the protagonist Rey experiences a vision containing a plethora of focal imagery, all of which is used throughout the entire trilogy. In essence, foreshadowing can be described as saving the significance/subtext of certain elements within a story for later before revealing it in order to generate a larger narrative payoff.

Ambiguity

Ambiguity is obscured subtext in its purest form. Ambiguity is the act of leaving the subtext behind certain events or elements in a story open-ended. Typically this is done to allow the audience to interpret and speculate certain things in their own way, or simply to preserve the mystery of certain things. It can also be used in tandem with foreshadowing in order to create bigger payoffs by keeping things unclear in the beginning and then revealing their true nature later in the story when it is more impactful.

Dissonance

Cognitive Dissonance is another psychological term used to describe when an individual experiences a feeling of disconnection from their environment. In short, it's when an individual feels confused by something they've just witnessed. In writing it is usually used to create tension via inexplicable actions or events that cause the audience to question what they saw; this then creates a feeling of satisfaction when the story releases the tension later on with an explanation for the particular event that caused the dissonance in the first place. Dissonance is often used as a part of foreshadowing, just like with ambiguity.

Conveyance

Conveyance mostly utilizes the types of subtext that were already discussed in earlier sections of the manual in addition to the following types below.

Reincorporation

Reincorporation is a type of subtext conveyance that is similar to the subtext used in theme. It is subtext which is repeated or deepened in the story. However, there is one major difference. While reincorporation is the act of recycling previous subtext, the subtext doesn't have to be conceptual like that of thematic subtext and thus can be used on a smaller scale (in motifs for instance). One could say that all thematic subtext is reincorporation, but not all reincorporation is thematic. For example, a knife in a story can be established as reliable and useful during an early scene and then be given even more significance later in the story when its usefulness is proven again in the climax. While the reincorporation of the knife's reliability does give it further significance in the story, it doesn't necessarily mean that the knife's reliability is a theme of the story.

Bursts

A burst is simply a moment of intense, highly concentrated subtext. Because a burst doesn't encompass a specific method of subtextual conveyance on its own, there are a few different ways in which it can be achieved.

The simplest way of using a burst is to simply construct an individual moment that carries intense meaning such as a scene in the climax of a story or the inciting incident that triggers the beginning of a protagonist's adventure.

Sometimes a burst can be achieved by slowing down the pacing of the narrative, allowing the audience to absorb all of the subtext of a particular scene by limiting the amount of new text that is introduced at once.

A burst can be achieved through revealing the meaning behind important obscured subtext, for instance, the identity of a killer in a mystery.

A burst can be achieved through consolidating several prior moments of subtext in the story via reincorporation. Like the first type of burst, a common way to do this is towards the end of a story in either the climax or resolution/falling action. Where this differs is that the first type is a moment that is seperate from the other moments of subtext whereas this one incorporates prior established subtext into it.

Using Subtext Organically

In writing there is often an emphasis that is placed on subtext. The typical advice that is given to several writers is to use subtext as the primary medium in which to drive the story by progressing dialogue and advancing the plot. In other words: show, don't tell. Given that creative writing is a subtextual medium, this isn't inherently bad advice to give. A lack of subtext often lends itself to overly slow pacing and relatively dry dialogue that lacks any intrigue or nuisance to it, however there is another side to this coin.

An undoubtedly present issue in modern writing is the prevalence of contrived narratives, with a lot of the problem owing to how subtext is handled in a story. In dialogue for instance, the writer will often have the characters voice all of their thoughts, emotions, and information subtextually. While this is useful for conveying information quickly and often in a nuanced way, intentionally communicating through subtext feels forced because the writer's intentions become obvious, with characters only saying certain things because the writer needed them to in order to progress the plot or to get something across to the audience. The same issue is especially prevalent in the video gaming industry with role-playing games, where the dialogue often feels manufactured due to characters only saying specific things in order to initiate quest lines or to provide tutorial information. For the same reason that intentionally subtextual dialogue feels forced, theme-based subtext feels contrived as well because writers will often tailor every aspect of a story towards plot developments that service the theme.

When everything in the story is in service of the subtext it feels superficial. The solution to this is in utilizing the text to greater degrees. Subtext is usually better when it's allowed to occur organically and when there isn't so much attention intentionally placed on it. It's often at its best when a viewer feels like they're the only one who notices it. Overall it should be something that enriches the story, rather than being the main focus of it. There should be enough going on in the text itself to make what's happening on the surface level of the narrative engaging so that the subtext can work subtly in the background.

Recap

To review, subtext is the significance behind the text in a manuscript. It can be utilized through figurative metaphors, tangible symbolism, implication via dialogue and scenery, and continuously with theme. Subtext can either be obscured with foreshadowing, ambiguity, and dissonance, or it can be conveyed with bursts, reincorporation, or any of the aforementioned methods. Finally, subtext can be used naturally by not overly relying on it to drive the narrative and instead allowing it to supplement the text from behind the scenes.