Explaining The Obvious

"Stay and Wait merely means that the Captain wants her to stay in her assigned location." Sometimes an author feels compelled to explain a situation when it's perfectly obvious to anyone who has been reading the story carefully. Worse, sometimes authors feel compelled to over-explain things the layman already understands quite completely. For example, a certain Chakat story involves a boy who finds KKK paraphernalia in his father's closet, and we are given a whole paragraph explaining what they are and what they do (rather than describing specific events with names and locations, which would have been more interesting). At other times, the author beats the reader over the head with explanations of simple principles of gravity or condensation, or the significance of the Alamo. Or what the Macarena is. Yes, they're aliens in the far future. No, the reader really doesn't need a refresher course.

In The Colony: Taurger by the Tale, we have several passages about how to use one's nose. You'd think that certain things wouldn't need to be said, but in this story, the guy is given advice on how to use his nose, as if it's necessary to discuss verbally. Even if it's weird to go from no sense of smell to super smell power, you wouldn't have a conversation like this:

''"Try breathing through your nose for a while," Katherine said, almost as if shi could read his thoughts. "Stop if you have to, but keep trying. When you can breathe normally again then try smelling a few things. In my experience if an animal has a strong sense, it's because they need it, and that means you're going to be crippled if you don't learn to use your nose." ''

and this:

''You see, I don't know anything about cats, and you're a vet. And. . . well. . . when I was human I got this book, sort of an 'owner's manual' for the human body." Katherine nodded so Taurger forged on. "So I guess I'd like something like that now." He held up a hand to keep the Doc from objecting and continued. "I know you don't have anything like that -- yet -- and I'm willing to be kind of a Guinea pig to help you figure it out, but I'm really stuck here. Anything you can tell me would help."  "Like what." "Like maybe. . . how do I keep myself clean?" '' (www.furry.org.au/chakat/Stories/Taurger.htm)