My dear boy,
“Misery loves company.” Let’s put that statement in a box. Now, certain ideologies, complex or simple, are mind-boggling. A few of them are, “The way out is through,” “the way up is down,” “The one who looks outside, dreams; the one who looks inside, awakens.”
When I transferred to the Arts and Humanities class, I began writing stories. Mr. Uche was clear about his thoughts on these stories. They will not make me rich. However, he paid attention to the grammatical structure and gave me the grace of correction. My stories were happy until he said, “Tragedy sells.” I would then begin to imagine the worst scenarios possible. Earlier, I reflected on the influence teachers have over young minds in Who Is Raising Your Child? It was obvious that, to move ahead in the world, certain things were necessary to facilitate it, even though they may be contrary to our choice. Yet he didn’t think my new sad stories had enough depth to outlive the first two months of the term.
In Writing, I established the need to know how stupid you are. It wasn’t enough that the stories were sad; the incidents that culminated in that held preeminence in literary appreciation. Mr. Uche would explain why tragedy was a bestseller. These theories explain why audiences are strongly drawn to tragic stories.
The oldest explanation is culled from Aristotle’s Poetics. Catharsis Theory submits that tragedy allows audiences to experience pity and fear in a safe environment and then release those emotions. This emotional release is called catharsis. Hence, we can deduce that tragedy sells because people seek stories that help them process powerful emotions, find psychological relief, and experience deep emotional engagement. As such, tragic narratives often feel more powerful and memorable than purely happy ones.
In the same vein, Modern Psychology identifies something called Negativity Bias. The human brain pays more attention to negative events than positive ones. This is not entirely bad, because this bias evolved for survival. Detecting danger quickly helped humans avoid threats. Research shows that negative news spreads faster, tragic stories receive more engagement, and people remember negative events longer. Unsurprisingly, tragic news headlines often attract more readers.
More so, tragic stories create strong emotional experiences. High emotional intensity increases attention, memory retention, and discussion among audiences. Tyler Perry’s Acrimony arguably takes the cake in recent times. Emotional Intensity Theory boasts that stories with suffering, loss, or moral conflict trigger deep empathy, keeping audiences invested.
It is noteworthy that tragedy often forces audiences to confront difficult moral questions. Examples include themes such as justice, fate, betrayal, sacrifice, and human weakness. Classic tragic works like Things Fall Apart, The Gods Are Not to Blame, Oedipus Rex, or Hamlet endure because they explore profound ethical dilemmas. Moral Reflection Theory, therefore, posits that audiences are drawn to stories that help them reflect on life and morality.
Ever wondered why a sad romantic movie is a great choice for a first date? Or a scary roller coaster ride? I didn’t do that with your mom, though. Tragic stories activate empathy. When audiences witness suffering in a story, they connect emotionally with the characters. Research in psychology suggests that shared emotional experience can strengthen social bonds. Ergo, Empathy and Social Bonding Theory presents the above in its argument as to why tragic films or novels often generate strong discussions and shared reactions.
Speaking about first dates, I gave your mom the date she would never forget. It was a picnic. I made macaroni and chicken sauce. At the time, I still drank wine. I bought one of my then-favorites, Four Cousins. There was light music. Son, I had one of the best romance playlists! Teeks’ First Time had her hooked. She would later divulge that my chicken sauce sealed the deal. Quite ironic for a man who doesn’t cook.
Although we had a swell time, I had no transport fare back home. She paid for us to go home. One can argue that it was the no-transport-fare-back-home that gave that story the much-needed twist, ingraining it in our memories. Frankly speaking, I do not remember most of the other dates. Mind you, this is not a Denzel-Pauletta first date story. We laughed the day we heard theirs.
I digress. Good storytelling depends on stakes. Tragedy raises the stakes dramatically because the consequences are severe. Stories involving death, betrayal, sacrifice, and irreversible loss create higher tension than low-risk narratives. The Stakes Theory supposes that higher stakes increase suspense and audience investment.
It therefore follows that tragedy helps people confront the hardest realities of life, such as suffering, injustice, and mortality. Accordingly, through stories, audiences seek meaning in suffering. Meaning-making Theory offers an explanation for why tragic works often feel philosophically richer than purely comedic narratives.
Moreover, Media Economics shows that tragedy generates engagement. In the journalism and entertainment industries, tragic content often generates higher viewership, more shares, and longer engagement. In consequence, this economic incentive reinforces the production of tragic narratives. The common newsroom phrase, “If it bleeds, it leads,” reflects this dynamic.
Beyond fanning the flame of teachers’ influence, I seek to establish that tragedy is not to be feared. I know a man who has courted tragedy. My son, tragedy managed, is revenue guaranteed. All stories are worth telling, but their sales are in how they are told. Remember, all stories are judged within their contexts. To do otherwise is to be a disingenuous and unworthy critic.
Lastly, understand these theories and apply them. In time, you shall use them in boardrooms. For now, try using them in your school’s class presidency campaign. I Have a Dream lives on because it is an emotional roller coaster of a speech. The themes explored therein are tragedy’s heartthrobs. Be at ease, my boy, it is not manipulation, but the way of the world. To become, we must first become: a disillusionment you must be greeted with early. In the end, we remember why we do it. It is time you met the purest man in American history.
Love,
Dad.
