The Power of Dirty Realism in Fiction

As you may or may not know, I have just finished work on my second novel titled Deafening Silence. When working on this novel, I strove to create a story that would ‘tell it like it is’, that showed the devasting nature of PTSD. Just like my first novel This is Not a Lie (an autoethnographic novel about a gay, drug addicted musician that I started working on many years before I knew about Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody movie), Deafening Silence is, in essence, dirty realism.

WHAT IS DIRTY REALISM?

The term “dirty realism” was coined in 1983 (or 1984, depending on who you read) by Bill Buford of Granta magazine to describe a new wave of fiction emerging from the United States. This type of fiction is known for its unflinching portrayal of the mundane and often bleak aspects of everyday life. It rejects the traditional conventions of storytelling and instead focuses on the gritty details of everyday modern life. Dirty realism often includes characters who are struggling with poverty, addiction, and other issues that are rarely discussed in polite society.

Unflinching in its depictions of the ugliness of life, dirty realism gained something of a cult following and is often seen as a reaction to the idealised fiction of the 1950s and 1960s. Writers of this genre typically focus on the small details of everyday life and the mundane struggles of their characters. By doing so, they are able to create a vivid and realistic portrayal of the world that is often far removed from the idealised images of the past.

Dirty realism is characterised by its rejection of the traditional conventions of storytelling. Instead of relying on melodrama and escapism, the focus of dirty realism is on the everyday struggles of its characters. Writers often focus on the small details of life, such as the tedium and repetition of working a dead-end job or the harshness of living in poverty. This type of fiction is also known for its frank depictions of addiction, mental illness, and other sensitive topics. By rejecting the conventions of traditional storytelling, dirty realism is able to create a vivid and realistic portrayal of the world.

THE ROOTS OF DIRTY REALISM

Dirty realism has its roots in the “New Journalism” movement of the 1960s and 1970s, which sought to create a new type of non-fiction writing that focused on the mundane details of everyday life. Writers such as Tom Wolfe, Hunter S. Thompson, and Joan Didion were some of the earliest practitioners of this style of writing.

In the 1980s, this style of writing began to be applied to fiction, resulting in the emergence of dirty realism. Writers such as Raymond Carver, Richard Ford, and Denis Johnson were some of the earliest practitioners of this genre.

The emergence of dirty realism was part of a larger movement in literature known as “minimalism”. This movement sought to create a new type of fiction that focused on the mundane details of life and rejected the traditional conventions of storytelling. Writers such as Raymond Carver, Richard Ford, and Denis Johnson were some of the earliest practitioners of this style of writing, and their works have since become classics of the genre. Dirty realism has since become a popular genre of fiction, with many modern writers seeking to emulate its style.

RAYMOND CARVER

Raymond Carver’s What We Talk About When We Talk About Love is a quintessential example of dirty realism in fiction. The story follows two couples as they discuss love and relationships over a bottle of gin. The story is written in a plain, straightforward style that focuses on the mundane details of everyday life. Carver avoids the traditional conventions of storytelling and instead focuses on the small moments of the characters’ lives. He avoids sentimentality and instead creates a vivid and realistic portrait of the characters and their conversations.

Carver’s story is an excellent example of the themes of dirty realism. The characters are all flawed individuals who are struggling with their own personal issues. They are not idealised versions of people, but rather complex and realistic characters. Carver also focuses on the small details of everyday life, such as the clinking of ice cubes in a glass or the sound of a lawn mower outside. By focusing on these small details, he creates a vivid and realistic portrait of the characters and their conversations.

The story also avoids sentimentality and instead presents a bleak and honest look at the characters’ lives. Carver does not sugarcoat their struggles, but instead presents a realistic and often uncomfortable look at their relationships. The story is also notable for its lack of sentimentality or a resolution. It ends with the characters still talking about love, but with no real answers or conclusions. This lack of resolution reflects the uncertainty and confusion of the characters’ lives.

Click the link to read the story:

Raymond Carver – What We Talk About When We Talk About Love | Genius

AUSTRALIAN DIRTY REALIST AUTHORS

Australia has a compelling array of writers who have explored the gritty realism that defines dirty realist fiction. One of the most notable is Andrew McGahan, whose novel Praise stands as a cornerstone of Australian dirty realism. This work delves into the unembellished life of its protagonist, capturing the harsh realities of poverty, addiction, and disillusionment in Brisbane. McGahan's raw, often bleak style won him the Vogel Literary Award and established his reputation as a leading voice in this genre.

Christos Tsiolkas is another prominent figure associated with Australian dirty realism. His novel Loaded explores Melbourne's underbelly through the story of Ari, a young gay man navigating identity, sexuality, and discontent in the city. Tsiolkas’ work brings an unfiltered lens to urban Australian life, touching on themes of family tension and cultural identity, while later works like The Slap retain a gritty social realism that questions contemporary morality and human failings.

The genre also finds expression in the work of Peter Goldsworthy, particularly in Maestro, which combines coming-of-age elements with a raw depiction of relationships and existential disillusionment. His narrative style focuses on the nuanced struggles of his characters, often highlighting moments of discomfort and complexity in ways that resonate with dirty realist principles.

Additionally, Helen Garner has incorporated elements of dirty realism in her acclaimed novel Monkey Grip, which portrays a raw and candid view of inner-city bohemian life in Melbourne. Her characters confront addiction, love, and the chaos of relationships, all rendered in a vivid, unvarnished style that aligns closely with the genre’s ethos.

Dorothy Porter adds another dimension to Australian dirty realism, particularly in her verse novel The Monkey’s Mask. Though primarily known as a poet, Porter’s narrative features a gritty, unflinching exploration of desire, mystery, and the darker sides of human nature, fusing poetic imagery with the visceral tones of dirty realism.

These Australian authors have each contributed to the genre’s ethos by depicting characters and scenarios grounded in the raw details of urban life, social struggles, and the unpolished aspects of everyday existence. Their works serve as essential reads for anyone interested in the Australian adaptation of dirty realism, revealing universal yet distinctly local insights into human resilience and vulnerability.

SO, WHAT HAPPENED TO DIRTY REALISM?

In the early 2000s, the popularity of dirty realism began to wane. As a result, some authors began experimenting with different narrative techniques, such as magical realism and postmodernism, while others began to focus more on the psychological aspects of their characters and stories. In the contemporary literary landscape, dirty realism is no longer the dominant style, but it still remains an important influence on many writers.

I love reading dirty fiction and absolutely loved Andrew McGahan’s Praise. For whatever reason, be it spiritual, mystical, or psychological, I am drawn to writing it. There’s something about its rawness, honestly, and authenticity that appeals to me. If only I could find a publisher who appreciates it as much as I do…

If you’re curious to learn more about dirty realism, check out these great posts:

Dirty realism: Authenticity in the 20th century

Dirty Realism’s Other Face | Sydney Review of Books

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