From fiction to fact, Joan Didion contributed greatly to the world of words. As the rightful queen of the New Journalism movement, Didion helped create a place where journalists could be seen as individuals, all while expanding the field to include the voices of women.
Through her distinctive style and wide range of achievements, Didion has become an inimitable figure among her generation and Gen-Z. In light of her passing in December of 2021 and in honour of Women’s History Month, it is only fitting now to appreciate Didion’s impact on journalism.
An inspiration to writers and liberal arts students alike, Didion’s work is a portal into the ‘60s and ‘70s. By the use of narrative tone and the portrayal of personality, the New Journalism genre has managed to combine fiction techniques and non-fiction writing into a powerful and captivating form of the written word. Journalism has simply not been the same since.
Born in Sacramento, Calif. in 1934, Didion spent her childhood in and out of school due to her father’s many job relocations. In her early adolescence, she taught herself the art of sentence structures by typing out Ernest Hemingway’s works, which may be what caused her later to embrace the style now associated with her work.
She published her first collection of essays, Slouching Towards Bethlehem, in 1968. It depicts the Haight-Ashbury hippies during the LSD craze. At the time the work was published, it was considered a non-traditional take on journalism.
Not only were the essays written in prose and with the use of literary techniques such as imagery, but the people she wrote about were like characters in a novel in the way that they were described. Moreover, the way they are portrayed is affected by Didion’s opinions and views on humanity.
According to Tom Wolfe, another adherent of New Journalism, the change in the ethical attitude of the world is what is so fascinating about the ‘60s, rather than any political events. Journalism took a similar turn, as the traditional institutional voice of journalists was replaced with a more creative and personalized form of writing.
While some worried that New Journalism would undermine objectivity in reporting, others have argued that this is precisely what needs to continue changing in the journalism industry today.
Award-winning journalist Pacinthe Mattar argues in her article “Objectivity Is a Privilege Afforded to White Journalists” that maintaining objectivity in certain areas of journalism stunts social growth. Certain biases exist that are helpful rather than harmful. This is especially true in cases surrounding marginalized communities.
Not only has Didion inspired many women and other marginalized writers to pursue journalism through her unforgettable work, but she has also paved the way for those seeking to tell stories whose voices were never heard.
Furthermore, New Journalism and the departure from objectivity allowed journalists to cultivate their own voices in their work—enabling readers to look up to the writers they most identified with. This broke the barrier between the journalist and the celebrity, which gave writers the opportunity to receive the appreciation they have always deserved.
Though she is not the creator of New Journalism, Didion’s contributions to the invention of the genre have been extremely influential, especially to journalists who do not identify as cisgender, heterosexual white men. Without Joan Didion, we would not have as many unique journalists to inspire us today.
Featured graphic by Sara Mizannojehdehi.
