Reading Between the Lines

        What is truth? What determines reality? How do we decipher fact from fiction? What makes some things real and others not? In her song, "Telling Stories," Tracy Chapman delves into the gray areas of reality.

        As a small child, my truth was based on the words of my parents and teachers. They shaped what I knew to be real by what they told me and by what they chose not to tell me. Did I therefore live in a fictional world because I was not presented with all of the facts of life? In the case of a child, many would say no. In "Telling Stories," Chapman challenges the idea of absolute truth, suggesting rather, that we all live an existence of partial truth. This illustration is represented by her comparison of memories to the lines of a story. The line "There is fiction in the space between/ The lines on your page of memories" exemplifies that our memories are influenced by our own perceptions of what is real and not real.

        In high school, my truth was based largely on what was told to me by teachers, and was greatly influenced by the media. Radio, television, and newspapers helped to create the boundaries of what I considered to be fact. In the line "...write it down but it doesn't mean/ You're not just telling stories," Chapman asserts that in being of the hand of man, the written word is also fallible and subject to interpretation. Even what we read in newspapers or heard on the television or radio has a bias. Take the example of history text books dealing with World War II. Reading a history book written by an American would differ drastically to one written by a German. The two texts would be written reflecting the values and social upbringing of the author. A German might address the holocaust with great reverence and precaution, knowing the effect it had on his very person as well as his country. An American might address the same issue with a sense of pride or righteousness. Both texts would deal with the same general topic area, but with very different goals in mind as well as different end effects.

        The song also delves into how we separate ourselves with our own interpretations of truth. This is strongly illustrated in the separation of the line "You and me" from the rest of the verse. The physical separation jumps out at someone reading over the lyrics. It provides a personal sense of separation. This tactic is used again in the next verse on the line "You and reality." The separation signifies that we create illusions not only in our relationships but also in our reality. We allow ourselves to be swept up in our own illusions of truth. In not specifying who 'you' is, Chapman allows the song to target a specific person as well as society at large. In doing this, she makes everyone accountable.

        "You would do and say anything/ To make your everyday life/ Seem less mundane" is a strong charge. It calls attention to the little white lies told by a large majority of the population. These lies can come in different forms. One form is when speaking of one's self. We, often times, tell slightly exaggerated tales about our jobs, salaries, weight, etc. These untruths generally do not harm anyone. We tell them to make ourselves sound more credible, more important, or just more interesting. We tell these little lies when speaking of others, as well. When telling a story, a person may embellish on it to make it more entertaining or believable to his audience. What is lacking in our lives is done away with by improvisation of the 'author.'

        Sometimes, the stories told are gross misrepresentations, verging more on science fiction than fact. Up until the third stanza, Chapman refers to the fiction between herself and the ambiguous 'you' being addressed throughout the song. In the third stanza, she changes the wording slightly to "There's a science fiction in the space between/ You and me." In saying science fiction as opposed to fiction, the implication of the statement is strengthened. It is no longer a minor untruth being told. It is a flat out lie. It moves beyond partial reality to total fantasy.

        The fantasy is expanded on in the line "A fabrication a grand scheme/ Where I am a scary monster." This verse is an example of how we vilify that which makes our lives difficult. In telling a story of an event, we depict those who have challenged us as evil or bad people. "I eat the city and as I leave the scene/ In my spaceship I am laughing." We build our history around that which makes us sound most desirable. The stories in our minds are full of glowing victories where we defeat the bad guys and ride off into the sunset, as illustrated in the line "In your remembrance of your bad dream/ There's no one but you standing."

        Another reason for the fiction used in our everyday lives is to evoke certain feelings from others. The statement that "You write the words to get respect and compassion/ And for posterity" points an accusing finger at 'you,' bringing out the selfish motivations behind our personal interpretations of truth. Pity and blame are for those who do not speak, whereas respect, compassion, and posterity are earned by those who tell stories, be they of merit or not. Regardless the outcome or the target, we tell lies to benefit ourselves. Saying "You write the words and make believe/ There is truth in the space between" expands on the idea that we deceive others as well as ourselves. The line "There is fiction in the space between/ You and everybody" implies that our perceptions effect our relationship with everyone. The lies effect how others view us. They effect our individual view of ourselves.

        The motivation behind such tales can also be as simple as the need to please people. In telling a lie, the narrator may give them exactly what is needed: "one more sad sordid story." Chapman closes "Telling Stories" with the statement that "sometimes a lie is the best thing." Sometimes we need to believe that we are heroes in order to get through our daily lives. Sometimes a fabrication can make up for the incredible emptiness that is such a central part of so many people's lives. Sometimes all that will help is hearing what we want to hear.

        As an adult, I realize there is no one person who can say what is true and not true. The way I choose to represent myself determines society's perception of who I am. I may choose to deceive myself by my own interpretation of what has happened. Truth is a relative term; it is what we make of it.

Chapman, Tracy. Telling Stories. Tracy Chapman. Purple Rabbit Music, 2000.