Violence in writing

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  • #5831
    Jackson Graham
    @warrioroftherealm
      • Rank: Loyal Sidekick
      • Total Posts: 115

      Hello everybody! I am working on writing a piece of writing for a contest, and I am going to illustrate the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection in a fantasy setting. However…
      My main character murdered a man he hated, which he regrets deeply (representing the guilt of sin in us). Also, the execution of my “Jesus” character might end up being somewhat bloody. I don’t want to make my writing super graphic, but I want my reader to really get a sense of the gravity of Jesus’ sacrifice (which, in real life, was EXTREMELY graphic). Does anybody have any helpful input???

      #5832
      Daeus
      @daeus
        • Rank: Chosen One
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        Depends on a couple things. 1, who is judging the contest. 2, who is your target audience outside the judge panel. 3, how you approach the gore. You’re not gonna want to make it appear all fluffy for sure, but too much can get a little sick. I’d suggest giving lots of general descriptions and few detailed descriptions. It is also important to focus not only on the physical details of the torment of the cross, but also the mental details, what people were going through.

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        #5834
        Kate Flournoy
        @kate-flournoy
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          Also remember, Jackson, that the Biblical account of the crucifixion was not graphic in the least. Now, a lot of that may have to do with the familiarity people of those times had with the gruesome punishment of the cross, and so they could appreciate it without context. But even if you are trying to remind your audience of something they are not familiar with, and impress them with the gravity of it, you still shouldn’t go into great detail. As Daeus said, lots of general description, a few specific descriptions, and that should be good.
          Also a good way to ‘show’ the agony and blood without actually mentioning it is to say as much as the Bible said— ‘and when he had scourged Him…’— and then witness the scene through a different character’s eyes. Show the reader what the character is experiencing— the horror, the shame, the sickening guilt. Show us the grown men weeping, the children panicking, the women fainting, maybe even a tax collector turning pale with the awful agony of it all.

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