I discovered one reason I don't currently have a boyfriend. And, yes, this has to do with writing, I promise. In every story, I create such a perfect combination of the brave, noble, handsome, witty hero. I give him fabulous talents and exceptional skills. He is absolutely unrivaled in every area. And, I think, I have fallen in love with the 'prince charming' of my imagination. No mortal man can ever quite measure up to him.
And, therein lies the problem I face. Humans are not and never will be 100% perfect, and I want to make each and every one of my characters more human. Yes, even Prince Charming. I believe that giving a character human flaws and characteristics makes them more likeable. Readers can relate to them.
For example, I have a deep love and appreciation for Peter Parker (Spiderman) far more than for Clark Kent (Superman). In fact, I even find Clark a little dull. I see some of myself in Peter's humanness, whereas Clark is...well, Superman. Need I elaborate?
I recently saw the movie, Prince of Persia. I disliked the main character because he lacked flaws. It sounds insane. But, I hated him for his perfection. I wanted to know what made him real, what made him human, what made him...like me, I guess.
I'm afraid Prince Jak (my story's prince charming) is too perfect. Yet, I love him just the way he is... What to do??
Novel Update: 2 chapters and 17 days until my second draft is complete! 170 pages, and 117 days total remaining.
1 comments:
Are you intending to use a given character or characters to establish a moral or teach a principle? If you are, it seems logical in order to avoid a plasticity (stiff and cold) in the attribution of said character one needs to build in and demonstrate a certain vulnerability which precludes super-human traits and abilities. Rather than attributing superior physical strength, the ability to overpower the villain, one can attribute the hero of the story with attributes that reflect the human nature of Christ. Jesus Christ is the perfect example of the human hero. All of the qualities and attributes one could desire to invest in a character can be found in his story. In point of fact, any of the people in the biblical stories can serve as a template for character development.
Of course, characters which populate a fantasy need not concern the author as to plausibility since the whole story is sheer fabrication in the first place. Vis-a-vis Batman, Spiderman, Green Hornet and so forth. Think about it.
Post a Comment