Are You Writing Serious Fantasy? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Nar · 08-24-2002, 09:07 PM

Elsewhere, I was thinking about getting characters in jeopardy. I was saying, sure the hobbits in the movie are stupid, fire on weathertop and all, but no one gets in trouble by being egregiously stupid in the book ... except for Pippin ... but then I started thinking about Gandalf's leaving his letter with Barliaman, who he KNOWS to have no memory, and the hobbits resting on the Barrowdowns (home! *sniff*) when they feel its dangerousness and have been told not to tarry on the way. I can tolerate it, though, because the characters seem to wise up later, and acts of unmotivated stupidity become vanishingly rare. I think.

So, here's the question: how do you get your characters into interesting trouble? How do you put them in jeopardy?

There's something to be said for character's making mistakes that put them in danger. If the mistakes are typical of the character, then he/she is more strongly defined as a character, and it supports those faults that keep a character from becoming too perfect. (though I think quirks also work well for that) Trouble, danger, it's most compelling if it feels like it has to happen, if it comes from deep in the set up, characters, or world.

Random bad luck has no resonance, it isn't rooted in the story. On the other hand, egregious stupidity for purposes of the plot is very annoying! So do your characters come into danger more from bad luck, more from their own faults that they just can't resist living out, or from a mixture? How do you strike a balance?

[ August 24, 2002: Message edited by: Nar ]

08-24-2002, 09:07 PM	#11
Nar Wight Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 228	Elsewhere, I was thinking about getting characters in jeopardy. I was saying, sure the hobbits in the movie are stupid, fire on weathertop and all, but no one gets in trouble by being egregiously stupid in the book ... except for Pippin ... but then I started thinking about Gandalf's leaving his letter with Barliaman, who he KNOWS to have no memory, and the hobbits resting on the Barrowdowns (home! sniff) when they feel its dangerousness and have been told not to tarry on the way. I can tolerate it, though, because the characters seem to wise up later, and acts of unmotivated stupidity become vanishingly rare. I think. So, here's the question: how do you get your characters into interesting trouble? How do you put them in jeopardy? There's something to be said for character's making mistakes that put them in danger. If the mistakes are typical of the character, then he/she is more strongly defined as a character, and it supports those faults that keep a character from becoming too perfect. (though I think quirks also work well for that) Trouble, danger, it's most compelling if it feels like it has to happen, if it comes from deep in the set up, characters, or world. Random bad luck has no resonance, it isn't rooted in the story. On the other hand, egregious stupidity for purposes of the plot is very annoying! So do your characters come into danger more from bad luck, more from their own faults that they just can't resist living out, or from a mixture? How do you strike a balance? [ August 24, 2002: Message edited by: Nar ]