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SO, I have two side character (or three) that I need to develop a bit more.
(This is for the story I was asking about the death of a character, if anyone remembers that… the WIP acronymed FP,WS.)
So, the MC has two students he’s teaching.
The theme is about changing the world and how you change the world in a meaningful way.
I already know how the MC shows the theme, and how the Antagonist shows the theme, but I do not know how (yet) to have the students show the theme.
(And for that matter, how the MC’s best friend (who’s not super important to the story) displays the theme, except that it’s pretty similar to the MC, but on a smaller scale.)
One of the students in a boy, and the other is a girl. I’d like them to show different things, or different versions of the same thing. But I’m not sure how compatible this is with the fact that, by the end of the story, they are only just reaching the end of their structured learning phase and haven’t really started really applying things, yet.
(Think Will, from Ranger’s Apprentice, when he’s a graduated ranger, but still new to it all and figuring most things out.)
Any suggestions for how I can not have the students develop too quickly in their relation to the theme, but still reflect the theme in a way that seems complete (enough) for the story to be more meaningful? (They are crucial to the story, apart from the theme, but I know it would be even better if they could reflect the theme in some way, too.)
and now to tag… @kathleenramm @annabethkatherinewingfeather @devastate-lasting @godlyfantasy12 @gracie-j @annabelle @trahia-the-minstrel @hallie-jean @faith-q @power @keilah-h @koshka @joy-caroline @augustinaii @anyone else who wants to join!
"[Write] today like there's no tomorrow!"
Hmmmm…. I like this topic, first off, because I also have some underdeveloped side characters, so I can relate.
Because of that, however, I may not be the most helpful, but I will try to offer some advice. I also think I remember you referring to this story about the mentor. But I don’t know much more that that so just keep that in mind! It’s a very cool story, though!
First, what are their personalities like? Perhaps one of your students is more mature or learns faster. Perhaps they even assist the other when they see they need help??
Perhaps one of them are a bit reluctant to change the world? Maybe they like their life and don’t see how others around them are suffering or the unfairness in society? Maybe they need a little taste of what it’s like in someone else’s shoes.
Maybe one student has a personal issue that’s being publicly addressed at the time, and they feel driven to do something about it.
Perhaps one of them is set on changing the world, but either doesn’t know where to start, or is a little too impulsive and has to learn that there is a lot more effort and planning that goes on if you really want to make a change.
Maybe one struggles with secret doubts that they will never be good enough to make a stand. Maybe they are to embarrassed or shy to stand up for what they believe.
Perhaps they unknowingly are making a change, whether they intend to or not. Maybe it’s not the world-changing, mind-blowing thing they were going for, but it still counted even if it was small. Like the boy on the side walk they said hi to every morning becomes a revolutionary leader because they gave him the motivation from that single-hand wave everyday?
Something like this could make for an interesting plot twist????
I think it would be fun to experiment and write several different scene where one character makes a change–big or small. I’m not if any of this helped or not, but I hope you eventually find what you want!
Proverbs 16:2
This is the one about the mentor MC, yes.
I should probably explain a little further.
MC struggled with self-doubt. As a double gifted (and the only one ever), he believes that he has a responsibility to make big changes to the world. But, he doesn’t know how he is supposed to do that, especially since there is nothing really big that he sees needs changing. (Each country has something, not sure what yet, but there is nothing common to all the countries (like world peace) that needs changing.) He does not like making big shows and memorials about himself and stuff, because of his humility, so he struggles to do huge memorable things. Also, he has hidden his double gifted status until the beginning of the story, where he decides to risk people finding out so he can train the two students as best as possible as they deserve. By the end of the story, MC comes to realize that he has changed the world in small ways and started changing the world as a whole through the people he has helped and taught and met and all that.
The antagonist, while nobody particularly special besides being a self-trained gifted, puts on huge shows and does huge things in big cities and has built up his fame and reputation. He appears to be affecting the world, perhaps changing it, but by the end of the story, I want to show that he actually isn’t changing the world with his self centered displays; he will be forgotten, especially after killing the MC.
Then, one side character, and the MC’s best friend, will be a presentation of a similar solution that MC comes to by the end, except she is already there, sort of. She lives in a small-ish town, is famous (she is the child of two opposite gifted, the only opposites to every marry), is skilled, and helps anyone who comes to her. She changes her town by her actions, without really trying to change it, and I want her to be like a mini mirror of where MC is at the end, but all throughout (though she doesn’t show up a whole lot). I imagine her as a very balanced reflection of the theme: doing small things that change the world around her, but also doing bigger things that change the rest of the world too, but mostly changing the world by her example and actions.
So, I’m a little stuck as to what the students can be, with all those above things taken. What can they reflect about the theme that isn’t already being shown, or what different aspect can they explore? And I do what each student reflecting something different.
One final detail: the students are oppositely gifted twins, something that hasn’t happened, but isn’t super important, more of just unusual. It is sort of a big deal, but not like MC’s double gifting is.
MC’s double gifting is like a hard core attempt at answering the question of: can the opposite gifts balance each other/get along without clashing/work together perfectly? The twins are more like: can the opposite gifts work together well, or is there inherently a division between the two groups that will always exist?
ANYWAY, I’m just not sure how the two students (the twins) can reflect the theme, in different ways. I will definitely be exploring how their personalities might be struggling with any doubts similar to MC’s or not and how this affects their view of MC and his struggle and how they help him and whether they actually know while helping him or not and whether they learn while helping him or not. 😁
There is a lot, but I appreciate all the advice anyone ever has. 🙂
"[Write] today like there's no tomorrow!"
Wow! That’s such a cool idea!
I wish I could help more but I just don’t know how! I feel like I would need to know more about the twins and how the actual magic system works with the whole “opposites and double gifted” thing.
I’m still trying to figure out how to display the themes in my book, but one of the best pieces of advice I’ve heard is to show the theme through the plot points of your story. So like the events that occur should either reflect your theme or go against it, causing a striking contrast and now your characters have to deal with it in a way that shows off your point.
Perhaps then you need to have the students play more of an important part in the plot and story as a whole. They can still be side charries, but maybe if you include them a bit more, or make them do something when the mentor slips up (which he will or should because no one is perfect), they can act along with the theme and bring it to the readers attention???
Idk, XD just trying to help! Like I said, we are kind of in the same boat…
Proverbs 16:2
I think it’s great that you have a character that displays what the end of the MC’s character arc will be, so maybe for your students it could be the opposite of that. They could be the resistance to the MC’s character arc.
They would demonstrate different world views on the theme of “changing the world for the better”, Which would develop your theme and characters, while also developing your MC’s character arc by adding conflict and opposing views.
Maybe one student’s view on the theme is that it’s impossible. That a single person can’t change the world meaningfully and that’s just a made-up fantasy shown in superhero movies. The only way the world can meaningfully change is if the systems change, which takes many people over many years.
And the other student could believe something a bit more nihilistic, such as that changing the world doesn’t matter anyway. Bad things are always going to be in the world, and trying to change them is just a waste of time and energy. So just worry about yourself, and stop trying to be some useless hero to feel good about yourself.
The first student could think that the MC is just blissfully ignorant of the way the world works, and the second student could be a bit more annoyed with the MC because he sees him as some goody-two-shoes who thinks he’s superior to others because he “does the right thing”.
Maybe as the MC proceeds in his character arc the side characters get inspired by the MC and change their worldview, or maybe the change in the MC creates conflict with the side characters and they split ways.
Those are just some of my ideas! But yeah, that’s how I usually develop the theme through characters. Usually, each character has a slightly different worldview on the theme which is demonstrated through their personality, life, and actions. It’s an effective way of developing the theme while simultaneously developing the characters.
Well, I hope you find her love here, too, then. 🙂
That is wonderful advice, thank you!! I will definitely use something like what you mentioned, now that you bring it to my attention!
I think sometimes I struggle with finding a different view because I have been relatively unexposed to different views myself, so it is always so helpful to hear from someone older and more experienced.
And, again, thank you so much! What you said is definitely helpful!
"[Write] today like there's no tomorrow!"
Awesome!
Well, yeah, I tend to be around quite a few people with opposing worldviews. Though it usually ends up with far more conflict and split paths than heroic character arcs that inspire the people around them, haha.
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