Nowadays my problems leaned more toward the domestic rather than the demonic. Grocery shopping, budgeting, carpooling, mending, cleaning, cooking, parenting, and a thousand other “-ings.” All the basic stuff that completely holds a family together and is taken entirely for granted by every person on the planet who doesn’t happen to be a wife and stay-at-home mom. (And two points to you if you caught that little bit of vitriol. I’ll admit to having a few issues about the whole topic, but, dammit, I work hard. And believe me, I’m no stranger to hard work. It was never easy, say, cleaning out an entire nest of evil, bloodthirsty preternatural creatures with only a few wooden stakes, some holy water, and a can of Diet Coke. But I always managed. And it was a hell of a lot easier than getting a teenager, a husband, and a toddler up and moving in the morning. Now, that’s a challenge.)
Why talk to the reader/you? Because not only does the device inform Kate’s character (she’s got a bit of snark, that one) but it’s also intended to bring the reader in closer, making the ride even that much more fun because they’re right there with Kate as she’s battling the forces of darkness.
Bottom line, breaking the fourth wall hasn’t exactly been gathering dust in a closet full of abandoned literary devices. But if Fleabag’s success sparks even a few more shows, then I say bring it on.
My favorite shows and books are my favorites because they’re places I keep coming back to. That feel like home—a place we’re a piece of me lives. And when a creator knocks down that fourth wall and invites me in … well, I just love it that much more.
How about you? Do you like it when a show or a book breaks the fourth wall, or would you rather keep your fiction separate from your reality?
If you do love it when that wall comes tumbling down, what are some of your favorite movies, shows or books? Do let me know in the comments! I need to grow my list!
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