Zombie Cliche Lookout: Strong, Silent Types
This trope is by no means isolated to the zombie genre. In fact, it’s probably much more at home in action movies, and definitely in westerns. I’m speaking, of course, of heroes who don’t talk anymore than they absolutely have to. Less Bruce Willis, more Clint Eastwood. Taciturn heroes are great for a variety of reasons. First, their quiet demeanors suggest a high level of competency, and this is often born out in their actions. Quiet heroes don’t have to talk much; they just get shit done. Writers often drive this point home by juxtaposing the competent, quiet hero against a brash and largely useless sidekick. My favorite instance of this is Big Trouble in Little China.
It’s also great shorthand for character development. When someone doesn’t talk much in real life, it’s usually because they’re shy, reserved, need to poop, uncomfortable, having a bad day, feeling under the weather, distracted, socially awkward… you get the idea.There are a thousand and one reasons for a person to be quiet. In fiction, on the other hand, people are usually quiet for one reason: their history is painful and they’re don’t want to let people in.
About this Episode:
It kind of looks like Sam is agreeing to put an end to the conversation, but he honestly would have helped anyway. He’s just a little salty about the whole losing his wife and unborn child thing. Totally understandable.
Discussion Question: Quiet People
Reality, as we have often seen, usually bears little resemblance to the movies. While we could probably trust a strong, silent survivor in fiction, their silence might cause some trust issues in reality. But then, I might just be projecting my own feelings here. Would a person’s quietness be something that would concern you when evaluating them as a potential companion?
*their history
Ugh, that’s a bad one. Fixed.
Fear the quiet ones….there is a tv trope to explain why…
In all honesty, I would imagine that surving an event like Zombie Invasions to leave every one emotionally and mentally scarred so I would be cautious around anyone, chatty or quiet…
But at the very least you know the quiet survivors wont attract zombies with their chatty demenour :3
Oh god, you’re going to send me to TV Tropes and I’m not going to get anything done today.
Meh…I think George Carlin said it best…
Remind me of Carlin’s words, if you’d be so kind.
Typo alert: juxtapose–>juxtaposing 😀
“they’re history is painful” they’re–>their 😉
“help to put and end to” and–>an 😀
That sentence the typo is in could be more directly reworded as the following:
“It kind of looks like Sam is agreeing to help to put and end to the conversation, but he honestly would have helped anyway.”
“It looks as if Sam’s agreeing, and putting an end to the topic being discussed (That being what happened to his wife and family.), but wants to help anyway.” I don’t see how he would have helped when he hasn’t yet helped.” 😉
Fixed all. I was multi-tasking while doing this write up, and it shows. Good lord.
Silence can be oppressing and embarrassing when someone is in need of speaking to one that absolutely doesn’t want to talk. Some might feel relieved by sharing their pain/hope/whatever, while others would want to bury all this pain/hope/whatever deep in their heart.
As I don’t see that as a major trust problem between the two kinds of people, I hardly imagine 2 survivors feeling great about this kind of awkward situation in the long run. I let paranoia do the rest… (hiding secrets, what is this person capable of,…)
“Silence can be oppressing and embarrassing when someone is in need of speaking to one that absolutely doesn’t want to talk.”
Nicely said. That’s another great juxtaposition.
In fiction people need to talk or the story goes nowhere. In reality personality and culture have a lot to do with how much people talk and more importantly what they talk about. I have listened to people speak for an hour and realized they haven’t said anything or just the same thing over and over.
Excellent point. Every writing class I’ve ever had taught me to write dialog so that it wasn’t realistic, but authentic. Make it sound decent, but not exactly how people talk ,because people pepper their speech with bullshit.
“Would a person’s quietness be something that would concern you when evaluating them as a potential companion?”
I’d be the opposite, people who talk too much put me off. Especially when it seems due to nerves.
But then I’m normally pretty quiet.
I’m the same way. Loudness makes me nervous, actually. It’s overwhelming.
Typo alert in the comic itself: “for you loss” you–>your 😀
Also, I don’t know how I missed that for so long 0 but I did! 😀 I’m amazed Dave didn’t spot and correct it himself! 😀
Man, I don’t know how I missed it. I’ll have to fix it tonight when I have access to the PSD.
Okay, this is fixed now.
Behold! A tv tropes link! Bwhahahahahahaa!
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BewareTheQuietOnes
You’re productivity is doomed Dave, DOOOOOMED!
Bwhahahahahahaha!
Hah, I had already looked it up, but luckily limited myself to only a few minutes of browsing.
Generally I don’t trust either extreme. If you talk to much you just plain annoying and if you don’t talk at all your just plain creepy. I have noticed in my own life that you get a lot further by shutting up and listening then you do by talking and that people take you a lot more seriously when you keep you statements short, relevant, and to the point.
Ive often wondered if the whole “strong, silent type” trope actually dates back to the ancient Spartans who taught their young to use words sparingly. We all know the famous “molon labe” statement from the Persian wars, but my favorite is when Philip II of Macedonia (Alexander the Greats father) sent a message to the Spartans
“You are advised to submit without further delay, for if I bring my army into your land, I will destroy your farms, slay your people, and raze your city.”
The Spartans’ reply was one word:
“If”
Philip II and Alexander both chose to leave Sparta alone.
Major baddassery right there
“I have noticed in my own life that you get a lot further by shutting up and listening then you do by talking and that people take you a lot more seriously when you keep you statements short, relevant, and to the point. ” Well said; I wish more people would recognize this.
And, yes, that is some major league badassery right there.
This trope turns quickly into the saying “put up or shut up” – talk is cheap, but are you willing to follow through and accept the inevitable consequences of doing so? 😉
Good call!