Journal: Strawmen

THE POINT OF A STRAWMAN

by

Paul Adams

            So, I’m sure you’re aware of the trope known as the Strawman, a flat two-dimensional character designed only to push or discredit a certain political viewpoint. Whether they be an arrogant money-grubbing billionaire to represent Conservatives or a wild and selfish teenager who cares only about themselves to represent Liberals, a womanizing, wife-beating pig to push Feminism or a shrill screaming harpy to discredit Feminism, a foolish Bible-thumping prude or a drunk faithless washout to push religious perspectives, the Strawman is probably one of the most aggravating tropes in fiction.

            However, on a recent viewing of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, I became interested in the character of Denethor, played by John Noble. Denethor in many ways is very much a Strawman, representing a ruler whose concern is centered entirely on himself and his throne while having little to no concern for his subjects. When Gandalf and Pippin arrive in his court, urging him to call for help against his enemies, he refuses simply on the grounds of keeping his throne. He sends his son Faramir and their entire army to their deaths, enjoying a personal feast as they do so. And when Faramir is brought back wounded, he goes out of his way to portray himself as a martyr, refusing treatment for his son, and attempting to have them both burned on a pyre.

            Through all of this, I noticed that Denethor, unlike many Strawman similar to him, never became egregious. You never felt like you were being bashed over the head with some director’s personal political agenda. I stopped to consider why that was, and in doing so, I asked myself what is a Strawman? My answer was that a Strawman represents the extreme of any political viewpoint, a representation of what happens when that political viewpoint is taken too far or set out of balance.

            So, where does this fit into the process of storytelling. Naturally, the Strawman is a trope that should be used to show the dangers of going too far with the particular viewpoint they represent. A Strawman works best when the focus is kept on that. Where a number of Strawmen fail, I’ve noticed, is when they are presented as the only example of that political viewpoint. In reality, yes, there are a number of individuals who fulfill the “Strawman” persona and feed the stereotype, but there are normally far more with a much more balanced version of that viewpoint or have some very solid human reasons for acting the way they do. When a work of fiction portrays a strawman as the only version of that viewpoint, that’s when it becomes egregious and aggravating. If a strawman is to function, they must be shown as a more-or-less special case instead of the norm.

            The second way in which a strawman fails is that the director fails to demonstrate to the audience why this way of thinking can be dangerous, and instead simply uses them as a personal punching bag. In Lord of the Rings, Denethor’s selfishness has a massive impact on the plot, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of soldiers, the emotional devastation of his son, and nearly the loss of his kingdom itself. When his karma eventually catches up to him, the audience feels as if he has earned every bit of it, and the results of such a selfish ruler are clear to the viewers.

            Far too often, we do not see the impact of these Strawmen. They simply walk into the plot, say and do the things connected to the extremes of the viewpoint represented, provide a nuisance every once in a while, and then get punished. It is very much the director or writers taking out their own political feelings against an opponent who can’t fight back.

            So, I guess that’s my conclusion. Where a Strawman fits into the world of fiction and storytelling is not as a representation of the whole or simply as a punching bag for the writer. That Strawman should stand as a special case, representing the worst of that particular leaning, and the results of their actions should be felt by the audience. In essence, a Strawman should be a teaching tool, a warning against going to political extremes. If used correctly, they can be a powerful tool in the hands of a skilled writer. If used poorly, well, the writer tends to make themselves look as foolish and closed-minded as the caricature they are trying to portray.

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