Second-person in fiction compels you

You sit down at your computer. You blog, "Research published in the journal Psychological Science suggests that, while frequently annoying, the use of the second person in fiction compels readers to form more vivid identification in literature." You save the blog post.

In these experiments, volunteers read sentences describing everyday actions. The statements were expressed in either first- ("I am..."), second- ("You are...") or third-person ("He is..."). Volunteers then looked at pictures and had to indicate whether the images matched the sentences they had read. The pictures were presented in either an internal (i.e. as though the volunteer was performing the event him/herself) or external (i.e. as though the volunteer was observing the event) perspective. Yours, mine, ours: When you and I share perspectives (via Futurismic)

[#1 posted by noen , February 19, 2009 11:43 PM]

I see what you did there.

[#2 posted by nyam , February 20, 2009 12:09 AM]

I've seen it happen here.

[#3 posted by Boatswain , February 20, 2009 12:42 AM]

Reminds me of Charles Stross's Halting State, which I read recently; for those who haven't, it's written in second-person throughout, with a different narrator for each chapter. The really neat thing about it is how natural it seems; after the first chapter or so I stopped noticing it completely.

[#4 posted by Pantograph , February 20, 2009 12:53 AM]

You are reminded of interactive fiction, and the fear of being eaten by a grue.

Oh wait, that's me. Second person comments are confusing.

[#5 posted by Jack , February 20, 2009 1:14 AM]

I’m being swallowed by a boa constrictor, and you could care less.

[#6 posted by wederas , February 20, 2009 1:18 AM]

With second-person you're being talked to, so the effectiveness will probably depend on the writer's voice (and be more effective in short fiction or works like Halting State where there's a different voice per chapter). If I read a second-person account that's even slightly badly written, I'll probably dump it quicker because my mental response will be, I don't want to listen to you, thanks very much.

[#7 posted by Mazoola , February 20, 2009 1:26 AM]

For an example of someone who does it well, see Carlos Fuentes' Aura. (Caveat: I've read it only in translation; I assume it does something similar in the original.)

[#8 posted by nyam , February 20, 2009 1:37 AM]

You see what you partly identify with written in third-person plural.
You feel alienated.

Wait.

Are "you" singular or plural?

[#9 posted by nanuq , February 20, 2009 1:46 AM]

You find 2nd person effective because it's less common than other forms of writing. Really, it can be annoying as hell in large doses. Best to confine it to relatively short stories or chapters.

[#10 posted by A New Challenger , February 20, 2009 1:47 AM]

Mazoola already mentioned Aura and I'm just going to chime in to say that's pretty much the only literature I've read in second person. Well, besides interactive fiction.

That case for first person is interesting.

[#11 posted by Cowicide , February 20, 2009 2:00 AM]

YOU, Bob Dole.

[#12 posted by Anonymous , February 20, 2009 2:32 AM]

In Soviet Russia, Second-person in fiction compels YOU!

[#13 posted by eAi , February 20, 2009 3:12 AM]

Just reading this blog post and the comments irritates the hell out of me! It's really clunky to read even in fairly small amounts.

It almost suffers in the same way computer games do - it forces a personality on the reader that, unless bland and boring, is likely to be jaring and annoying.

[#14 posted by thekevinmonster , February 20, 2009 3:54 AM]

The only second-person I've really ever read was, erm, porn. Usually really weird, creepy, hardcore porn.

It's really not that bad, until the parts where Your reaction is described. Then it sets off this weird cognitive dissonance. What, I scream? Really? I wouldn't scream there...

[#15 posted by Jeff , February 20, 2009 4:40 AM]

He's only telling us this because he's thinking of writing his next book in the second person. I hope not!

[#16 posted by Charlie Stross , February 20, 2009 6:16 AM]

Thekevinmonster @13: believe it or not, you nailed the trick I had to learn to write HALTING STATE -- namely, when you're writing second person narrative, the one thing you absolutely must avoid doing at all costs is to tell the reader how they react. (You can describe their actions and physiological symptoms, but their internal emotional state is strictly off-limits to you, the author, lest you set them up for cognitive dissonance.)

[#17 posted by zikzak , February 20, 2009 6:42 AM]

If you decide to write a comment agreeing with the study, turn to page 17.
If you decide to write a comment disagreeing, turn to page 4.

[#18 posted by markfrei , February 20, 2009 6:52 AM]

Wasn't "Less than Zero" (Bret Easton Ellis) written in second person? I think I read it in High School so I so cannot remember for sure.

[#19 posted by Schmorgluck , February 20, 2009 6:52 AM]

The only book I've ever read that was entierly written in second person is Keith Robert's Molly Zero. It's been too long for me to remember my exact impressions, but I remember it was quite good.

[#20 posted by Charlie Stross , February 20, 2009 7:11 AM]

Markfrei: You might be thinking of "Bright Lights, Big City".

[#21 posted by Xopher , February 20, 2009 7:27 AM]

I wrote a story in second-person stream-of-consciousness once. Smoothest writing experience I ever had.

The nicest comment I got from my beta readers was "annoying." So I gave it up.

Charlie, that's a good trick. I wonder if that's what made mine so annoying, and if I can fix it...

NO, NO! I must write NEW stories. NEW. No rehashing old ones I've already decided are unpublishable!

[#22 posted by dragonfrog , February 20, 2009 7:42 AM]

Apparently the annoying level differs from reader to reader - Tom Robbins' Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas got on my nerves incredibly badly. I couldn't get past about the second chapter. And yet it's been reprinted at least a couple of times.

[#23 posted by Talia , February 20, 2009 7:45 AM]

Yeah 'Halting State' jumped immediately to my mind as well. I actually found it very hard to get into initially for just that reason, although I got used to it.

Very unusual voice in fiction. More commonly used in short fiction, I think.

[#24 posted by Bob Doles Communist Doppelganger , February 20, 2009 8:02 AM]

Cowicide:

You totally blew my mind there.

[#25 posted by arkizzle , February 20, 2009 9:12 AM]

The ABSOLUTE worst, most common use of second person narration in recent times is shitty lifestyle-type ads..

"You love life and feeling free. You like to get out of town every now and again, and let your hair down. You don't like people telling you how to live. So buy a [insert shitty brand of crap here] and run free.."

I don't know If you've been accosted with them yet in Canada/America, or indeed if you invented them and sent them over here. But I will almost certainly never buy a product sold in this manner. Instead of making me feel connected to the brand, as is it's intent, it feels like the marketing folks have finally admitted that they don't listen to us anyway, and are now telling me exactly who to be.

For me it completely fails in it intent. It's not only creepy, it's repellent and makes whomever is talking to me like this appear somewhat psychotic and deluded. Like they're walking around in a daze and can only see what they want to, projecting their tinpot-brand ideals onto the real, non-brand world.

My first thought on hearing one of these ads (there are many) is, "no, fuck off", even if it might be remotely accurate. Don't tell me who I am, you will be wrong.

It's similar to how jobs are sometimes advertised describing the perfect candidate. "You have a Masters in Everything, you like to work long hours for no pay. You take pleasure in being shafted on overtime and still turn up with a smile tomorrow."

The difference is, the job-ads are actually only looking for one person; the exact person they describe. Whereas product-ads are trying to attract everyone, or at least the biggest section of whatever demographic they are aiming for.

So it comes down to the law of diminishing returns, the more they describe the 'person' who should buy the product, the less generic the person is, and the more exclusive they are making their target audience.

EPIC FAIL

[#26 posted by Jeff , February 20, 2009 9:20 AM]

Halting State was good experimentation. I'll take third person for the most part. Although I do like to write in the first. I found Stoss's book difficult, but in a good way. Like James Joyce is difficult in a good way. Dialect always slows me down until I get used to it.

[#27 posted by Doug Nelson , February 20, 2009 11:12 AM]

You decide to write a story in second-person, but lack confidence concerning its reception. You make a blog post on the subject to test the waters and prime your potential audience.

[#28 posted by IWood , February 20, 2009 11:20 AM]

In addition to being interesting on its own, I'm intrigued that this is a military research project: the primary author is Psychologist Tad T. Brunye from US Army Natick Soldier Research:

U.S. Army Natick Soldier Systems Center — Natick, MA More Than 50 Years of Protecting Those Who Serve

We’re the science behind the Soldier

* Food, Clothing, Protective Equipment, Parachutes, Shelters and Medical

* Everything the Soldier wears, carries and consumes is either designed, developed or integrated here

* From basic research through customer service and repair parts support - our focus is on supporting the Soldier

Our location provides unique access to New England’s world-renowned Universities, Hospitals & Industries We play a crucial role in today’s War on Terrorism and in Homeland Defense

Emphases in original.

Any thoughts on the applicability of this research to the War on Terror...?

[#29 posted by IWood , February 20, 2009 11:21 AM]

Oops, left out some bits. That's the "US Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC)."

[#30 posted by entropyred , February 20, 2009 11:23 AM]

Not to pull a "I was doing it before it was cool" but I've been using it for years and it's usually a struggle to convince people that yes, it works, and no, it's not just a text rpg gimmick. Lovely to know that my field of study backs me up on this one! Thanks for the link Cory.

[#31 posted by dragonfrog , February 20, 2009 11:42 AM]

@ Iwood (iWood ?)

Maybe it's a new weapon in the war on people gradually realizing there is no need to be terrified? A self-directed infrastructure attack, to increase the capacity of the friendly military-industrial complex, rather than decreasing the opposing one, by subtle propaganda waged through the medium of novels and comic books.

Right, I guess I'll just go be depressing and cynical for the rest of the day.

[#32 posted by Fred Bush , February 20, 2009 12:19 PM]

Calvino's If on a Winter's Night a Traveller and the ol' Choose Your Own Adventure books were onto something, eh?

[#33 posted by IWood , February 20, 2009 12:23 PM]

#31 posted by dragonfrog:

There could certainly be propaganda or PsyOps applications.

The other possibility that came to my mind was the writing of field manuals and other instructional material for soldiers. The current military style uses a lot of passive voice ["Normally, the team is transported with their equipment by air to the scene of the disabled aircraft and extracted by air upon completion of the mission"] and is often anonymous ["The rigger(s) will prepare the aircraft for recovery (i.e., tie down rotor blades, attach slings, and attach a stabilizing drogue chute)."]

They might be looking for ways to make written procedures "stick" better in the minds of soldiers.

[#34 posted by IWood , February 20, 2009 12:28 PM]

#31 posted by dragonfrog:

@ Iwood (iWood ?)

Although I am stylishly designed, I have yet to develop a rabid fan base. I'm working on it...

[#35 posted by Roach , February 20, 2009 1:30 PM]

Why aren't you helping the tortoise, Leon?

My favorite example of 2nd-person-perspective fiction is Gene Wolfe's short story "The Island of Dr. Death."

[#36 posted by Teller , February 20, 2009 1:51 PM]

Ad writers do this to you every day.

[#37 posted by Ugly Canuck , February 20, 2009 2:28 PM]

You're going to sit down after dinner to enjoy the game, but you can't, it's that old heartburn sneaking up on you again....BUY TUMS.

[#38 posted by Ugly Canuck , February 20, 2009 2:31 PM]

Nam @ 8: Y'all feel alienated.

[#39 posted by Ugly Canuck , February 20, 2009 2:37 PM]

you are entering a world of second-voice writing...a world where you are oddly compelled to identify with the narrative...where you are unsure of what lies ahead...where you hear all things written as if Rod Serling were reading them...to you...

[#40 posted by Sparrow , February 20, 2009 5:15 PM]

Your name is Orion... and only you can save the world with your 1337 BASIC skillz.

[#41 posted by nyam , February 20, 2009 6:20 PM]

@38 = WIN, Y'all.

[#42 posted by Daemon , February 20, 2009 7:37 PM]

They needed to do research to determine that second person viewpoint leads to increased reader idenfication? Isn't that the only reason anyone has ever used it?

[#43 posted by Felton , February 20, 2009 8:25 PM]

@4 Pantograph and 17 Zikzak: You both just brought back a huge chunk of my childhood.

[#44 posted by Anonymous , February 21, 2009 8:49 PM]

One of the most memorable novels I read in high school was written entirely in the second person. (La Modification by Michel Butor - "Second Thoughts" in English translation, but I read it in French).

[#45 posted by markfrei , February 23, 2009 11:50 AM]

#20

Bingo.