That's a good example, Nicole. You have to make it meaningful in some way, even if it's meaning*less*ness makes *another* character take action later.
Oh, God. Oh, God. My hair. My hair! The government gave me bad hair!
Cordelia ,'The Cautionary Tale of Numero Cinco'
The Great Write Way, Chapter Two: Twice upon a time...
A place for Buffistas to discuss, beta and otherwise deal and dish on their non-fan fiction projects.
Amy - Jul 25, 2007 6:56:29 pm PDT #9149 of 10001
Because books.
Susan W. - Jul 25, 2007 7:06:29 pm PDT #9150 of 10001
Good Trouble and Righteous Fights
Hm. Early in the story, he's traumatized by being in an ambush where he and my protagonist are the only survivors. He's guilty because he hid instead of fought, unlike his friends and family, who fought and died, or the protagonist, who fought well before deciding to attempt a strategic retreat to live and fight another day. But in my next action scene, he freezes up again and even fakes an injury to explain why unlike the protagonist he doesn't go charging off toward the sound of gunfire. So he sees himself as a coward. I was thinking I'd allow him to fight in the final battle, maybe do a heroic deed of some sort, saving the life of the protagonist or another important secondary character (no love interest whose life would be at risk at this point) or doing something critical to his side's victory, but dying in the process. So he dies, but at peace and having overcome his besetting demon.
Beverly - Jul 25, 2007 7:31:13 pm PDT #9151 of 10001
Days shrink and grow cold, sunlight through leaves is my song. Winter is long.
"I've seen a young boy pull a spear from his own body to defend a dying horse."
He doesn't have to die defending someone more heroic. In fact, it can be more poignant if he dies protecting a bully, a half-wit boot boy, someone inconsequential.
Zenkitty - Jul 26, 2007 10:40:59 am PDT #9152 of 10001
Every now and then, I think I might actually be a little odd.
He could die protecting a cowardly character who's as cowardly as he is/was. Sort of showing that even though he was a coward, he was worth protecting.
Toddson - Jul 26, 2007 11:22:39 am PDT #9153 of 10001
Friends don't let friends read "Atlas Shrugged"
Or die protecting someone who felt compelled by the sacrifice to do something with their life.
Ginger - Jul 26, 2007 11:29:38 am PDT #9154 of 10001
"It didn't taste good. It tasted soooo horrible. It tasted like....a vodka martini." - Matilda
Fighting instead of hiding is heroism in itself.
Miracleman - Jul 26, 2007 12:27:46 pm PDT #9155 of 10001
No, I don't think I will - me, quoting Captain Steve Rogers, to all of 2020
Spontaneous Human Combustion.
I know it's not really helpful. I just always wanted a character in a story to spontaneously combust for no good reason whatsoever and have it be completely unexplained. Just so the other characters could go, variously, "Huh." "Whoa." and "WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!"
amych - Jul 26, 2007 12:34:37 pm PDT #9156 of 10001
Now let us crush something soft and watch it fountain blood. That is a girlish thing to want to do, yes?
Bleak House. Although IIRC they didn't phrase it exactly like that.
Toddson - Jul 26, 2007 12:50:27 pm PDT #9157 of 10001
Friends don't let friends read "Atlas Shrugged"
It's Dickens - LOTS more words, many more syllables.
amych - Jul 26, 2007 12:53:36 pm PDT #9158 of 10001
Now let us crush something soft and watch it fountain blood. That is a girlish thing to want to do, yes?
Exactly. And wonderful words they are.