A Little Buddhist Inspiration
Guess what? Any great work of fiction needs characters who experience the following.
"Gloriousness and wretchedness need each other. One inspires us, the other softens us."~Pema Chodron
Well, damn. There's nothing more for me to add, is there???
Do you make sure these elements are part of your characters' lives?
Peace,
E
12 comments:
I do try to make them part of my characters' lives. And I grieve because my own life is so much that way too.
Your comment also made me think of the evil people in the world and what we write. It may be that one of the roots of their evil and, even more to the point, of the evil in me sometimes, comes when I can't integrate those two things as your teacher says I should.
I try to do that as well - but I think I always want the wretchedness to think it's going to overtake the gloriousness, but the characters won't allow it...at least not for long.
I was thinking about characters today (like I ever stop?) and have tried to remind myself of their intricacies, what drives them, those little things no one knows about but them and me.
Hi Joe:
I know life has been utterly WRETCHED for me lately. And I have faith that will make me appreciate gloriousness when it returns. But in fiction, I very often keep my characters in calamity until the end so that happy ending is even more satisfying.
E
Amy:
Love that idea . . . the little things no one else knows.
E
Thank you Erica, I love the quote... I've never quite thought of it that way, but yes, I aim to have both.
The gloriousness though, for mine, can sometimes be muted... it's not fame or fortune or some mind blowing happy ending... it's in these little victories, usually moral victories (my favorites are ones that only the character and reader are privvy to).
merry:
I also agree that "glory" can be in the quiet beauty, or small victories. Sometimes, I think, a thriller, for example, or a mystery, the "glory" may simply be being able to return to a peaceful life again.
It took me a very long time to learn this. Or suck it up and make my characters suffer.It's part of the story and how they grow. It's also why I only had short stories. I now enjoy makig their world crappy. It makes the ending so much sweeter.
Melissa:
I share often that I have a hard time with conflict. I just don't like, say, bickering between characters. External conflict I am OK with though. But that's largely why I don't read a lot of the romances out there because it's so much about the male and female character hating each other at first sight.
E
Hi Erica,
I suppose using this would help prevent characters from central casting. Hmmmm. I once had a psych prof who basically said, for as low as you go, you'll go high.
Nancy
Nancy:
Definitely. It's that whole concept of going deeper.
E
I do try to weave them both into my characters. If you look hard enough, you can find glory in just about anything - wretchedness is a little easier to spot. (at least with my characters)
But that's largely why I don't read a lot of the romances out there because it's so much about the male and female character hating each other at first sight.
Oh, you would hate my romances. My school of thought is the hero and heroine don't like each other because there is something in that person they don't like about themselves. I.E. their worse fear. I also like the play of misconceptions. Bad first impressions and how love can make you a better person.
Plus, I'm shallow. It makes for really good sex scenes. Though I have to agree bickering is a turn-off no matter what. Then again I just may confuse battle of wills when it's really just bickering.
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