False Cause (Post Hoc) in Literature

False Cause (Post Hoc) in Literature: Introduction

False Cause (Post Hoc) in literature often manifests in literature when authors depict causal relationships between events solely based on their temporal sequence. This fallacy can mislead readers by attributing outcomes to specific actions without establishing a genuine cause-and-effect connection. Literary works may use this fallacy intentionally or inadvertently, influencing how readers perceive character motivations and plot developments. Recognizing instances of False Cause in literature is essential for a nuanced understanding of narrative structure and character motivations.

False Cause (Post Hoc) in Literature: Shakespearean

1. Macbeth’s Ambition:
   • Example: In Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” Macbeth’s rise to power is often attributed to his encounter with the witches and their prophecy.
   • Explanation: While the prophecy influences Macbeth, the fallacy lies in assuming that the prophecy directly causes his ambitious actions and eventual downfall. The play’s complexity involves various factors contributing to Macbeth’s tragic fate.
2. Othello’s Jealousy:
   • Example: In “Othello,” Iago’s manipulation leads Othello to believe falsely that his wife, Desdemona, has been unfaithful.
   • Explanation: Othello’s misplaced trust in Iago and subsequent actions demonstrate a post hoc fallacy, as the perceived infidelity is not the cause but a manipulated result leading to tragedy.
3. Romeo and Juliet’s Haste:
   • Example: The hasty marriage and tragic end of Romeo and Juliet are often linked to their impulsive decisions.
   • Explanation: While their impulsive actions contribute to the tragic outcome, assuming their haste directly causes their deaths oversimplifies the complex interplay of societal, familial, and personal factors in Shakespeare’s portrayal of love and tragedy.
4. Hamlet’s Delay:
   • Example: In “Hamlet,” the protagonist’s delay in avenging his father’s murder is sometimes attributed solely to his contemplative nature.
   • Explanation: The fallacy lies in assuming that Hamlet’s introspection is the exclusive cause of his delay, overlooking political complexities, internal conflicts, and the consequences of hasty actions.

Shakespeare’s works often explore the intricacies of human behavior, and while characters’ actions may correlate with certain events, identifying and understanding the nuanced causes beyond mere temporal connections is crucial for a comprehensive analysis.

False Cause (Post Hoc) in Literature: Examples

1. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón:
   • False Cause: Daniel believes that uncovering the mystery behind Julián Carax’s life will solve his own problems and bring him happiness.
   • Example: I was convinced that the answer to my life lay hidden in the riddles of Julián Carax’s life.
2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson:
   • False Cause: Mikael Blomkvist initially believes that solving the disappearance of Harriet Vanger will alleviate his professional and personal setbacks.
   • Example: Finding Harriet would be the key to unlocking the success I desperately needed.
3. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami:
   • False Cause: Kafka believes that running away from home will help him escape a dark prophecy, linking his fate to his physical location.
   • Example: If I change my surroundings, I can change my destiny. I must leave this place to be free.
4. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho:
   • False Cause: Santiago, the shepherd, initially thinks that finding a hidden treasure is the sole purpose of his journey and the key to fulfillment.
   • Example: If I find that treasure, everything in my life will make sense, and I will be content.
5. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami:
   • False Cause: Toru Watanabe believes that being with Naoko will fill the void left by his friend’s death, assuming a direct connection between the two events.
   • Example: If I am with Naoko, the pain of losing Kizuki will finally fade away.

In these examples, characters from modern and foreign novels commit the False Cause fallacy by mistakenly linking their current situations, happiness, or fulfillment to specific events without sound reasoning or evidence.

False Cause (Post Hoc) in Literature: Relevance in Literary Theories

Literary Theory	Relevance to False Cause in Literature	Example
New Criticism/Formalism	Focus on the text itself; False Cause may be revealed through illogical connections between events within the narrative.	In analyzing a poem, identifying how a character’s actions are falsely attributed to a past event without proper textual support.
Reader-Response Theory	Reader’s interpretation may be influenced by False Cause, impacting the reader’s understanding of character motivations.	A reader sympathizing with a character due to a perceived causal relationship, even if the text doesn’t explicitly support it.
Psychoanalytic Criticism	Characters’ psychological motivations may be influenced by False Cause, revealing subconscious desires or fears.	Exploring a character’s neurosis and how they attribute present emotions or actions to past events without a genuine connection.
Feminist Criticism	False Cause may reinforce gender stereotypes or unjust attributions, impacting the portrayal of female characters.	Analyzing how a female character’s choices or struggles are falsely connected to stereotypical gender roles without proper justification.
Postcolonial Criticism	Examining how False Cause may be employed to justify colonial actions or perpetuate cultural misunderstandings.	Exploring how the colonizers’ assumptions about the consequences of their actions on the colonized people are based on false connections.
Marxist Criticism	False Cause may be used to justify societal structures or economic systems, influencing character behaviors and beliefs.	Examining how a character’s success or failure is attributed to their socio-economic status without considering other factors.

In literature, the False Cause fallacy can be a powerful tool for exploring characters’ motivations, societal structures, and cultural dynamics, providing insight into how authors construct narratives and shape meaning within their works.

False Cause (Post Hoc) in Literature: Relevant Terms

Term	Definition
Post Hoc Fallacy	Assuming that because one event follows another, it must be the cause of the other.
Cum Hoc Fallacy	Incorrectly associating two events that occur simultaneously as cause and effect.
Correlation does not imply causation	Stating that just because two variables are correlated, one doesn’t necessarily cause the other.
Regression Fallacy	Assuming a return to normal conditions after an event is caused by the event itself.
Coincidental Correlation	Falsely attributing cause and effect to events that happen to coincide.
Temporal Fallacy	Incorrectly assuming a temporal relationship between events implies a causal connection.
Misleading Vividness	Relying on vivid anecdotes to establish a causal link between events.
Regression to the Mean	Assuming that after an unusual event, subsequent events will naturally return to average.
Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy	Cherry-picking data to suit a hypothesis after observing the data.
Spurious Correlation	Incorrectly assuming a causal relationship between two unrelated variables.

False Cause (Post Hoc) in Literature: Suggested Readings

1. Booth, Wayne C. The Craft of Research. University of Chicago Press, 2008.
2. Booth, Wayne C. The Rhetoric of Fiction. University of Chicago Press, 1983.
3. Graff, Gerald. Beyond the Culture Wars: How Teaching the Conflicts Can Revitalize American Education. W.W. Norton & Company, 1992.
4. Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstein. They Say/I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. W.W. Norton & Company, 2014.
5. Lamott, Anne. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. Anchor, 1995.
6. Lunsford, Andrea A., and John J. Ruszkiewicz. Everything’s an Argument. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2019.
7. Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. Writing Arguments: A Rhetoric with Readings. Pearson, 2017.
8. Strunk, William, and E.B. White. The Elements of Style. Pearson, 2017.
9. Toulmin, Stephen. The Uses of Argument. Cambridge University Press, 2003.
10. Williams, Joseph M., and Joseph Bizup. Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace. Pearson, 2017.