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| So far I have discussed people as antagonists. However, antagonism isn't limited to individual human beings. Society and nature are two big antagonists that are often outside of the protagonist's control or sphere of influence. What makes them antagonists? How can we writers harness them? Perhaps this newsletter will help answer those questions. |
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Stik, society and nature as antagonists? Are you nuts?
If you've been reading this newsletter for the past three years, you would already know the answer to that question. In all seriousness, antagonism is much richer than we tend to acknowledge. Most of the time, we tend to think of the antagonist as a single person (or being, if you think of many animal antagonists). However, if you remember my conflict types from this dusty old newsletter "Drama Newsletter (December 14, 2005)" , you'll see there are two types of conflicts that focus on non-singular being antagonists: individual versus nature and individual versus society. Sometimes as single members and in the general writing community we tend to forget about these antagonists. True, understanding these antagonistic forces requires more work than focusing on one character. On top of that, in some schools of thought on creative writing they are considered more abstract than a single character. That doesn't mean they're any less fun. It takes a fair amount of attitude adjustment to think of nature and society as antagonists. Here are some cues so you can get started.
 NATURE
For the most part, nature is something completely out of the protagonist's control. There are some exceptions to this, primarily in the sci-fi and speculative fiction genres. You tend not to see too much of nature being manipulated or controlled by a protagonist in drama (and don't get me started on Superstorm. That was just cheestastic!). So most writers might treat more interms of setting. Sticking with that approach will make a writer's life easier, but picturing Mother Nature as an antagonist is still possible even under those circumstances. Your best bet in this area is to look at the protagonist's relationship with nature. Is the protagonist from the city? Does (s)he have allergies to certain plants or even the sun? How challenging is the terrain when it comes to foot travel? When you look at those factors, you can see how nature can weaken an antagonist.
Nature can also apply to the human body. Disease is a great antagonist (and provides shades of an individual vs. self conflict, depending on how you look at it). Sure there are scientific methods of controlling or conquering disease. They just don't always work since each body is different. Likewise, disease can be looked at like another character. It leaves physical and emotional scars on the protagonist, so have fun exploring them! The one caveat that disease-as-an-antagonist has is it can lead to increased thoughts and exposition in the story. This is particularly true if the disease renders the protagonist bedridden. It is very easy to fall into the trap of having the protagonist go into a mental monologue. On the flip side, it's less difficult to avoid these pitfalls than with other types of conflicts.
 SOCIETY
Lots of people enjoy individual vs. society stories, and they tend to stir audience emotions with the greatest strength. They do involve more work on the writer's behalf, though. The question of whether the society in the story is real or made up will usually be answered straight away. From there, it's all about developing the society without going into excessive amounts of exposition. If it's a real society (either present day or the past), dialogue is one common way to approach it. Other ideas include slipping in references to top news stories (which reflect social concerns), people's posture and body language, the manner of dress, the kinds and mix of noises common to the setting(s) and allusions to the politics of the area. If it's a fantastic or futuristic society, your objective is the same. Only your approach will change somewhat. You may find it easier to work without trying to replicate a society people may have already experienced for themselves. However, if you want readers to become engaged in your story, your society should have some things in common with what people already have experienced. If it's a city, for example, allow for a little more anonymity than you would find in a smaller town. Also consider if the population of your society is diverse or if most of the characters are similar in color, creed and mindsets. Consider taking cues from the neighborhood in which you live or even one you've only heard about but happen to live near.
There is an interesting challenge you can encounter in either type of society: isolation. It's a lot easier to to create a sense of distance in a newly constructed society, as it reflects many readers' fears of future isolation of some sort (part of what makes dystopic stories oddly enjoyable for some). WIth a real society, it will depend on the society itself. Creating a sense of isolation in today's world is almost too easy, while creating that atmosphere in a society that existed 50 years earlier requires a tad more work. A character can feel isolated just about anywhere, though, be it in a large crowd of strangers or even his/her home. While it is almost impossible to completely isolate a character from society or even one other individual, it is fun to explore that distance.
So...do you still think I'm crazy for proposing that nature and society can be antagonists? I know the answer is yes.  Even so, they are certainly valid antagonists that can provide new ways for you to look at a story. Try playing around with them. You might find it worth your while.
Until next time,
(sig by Feywriter  ) |
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Time to dig into this week's feedback. Remember, feedback makes us editors happy, inspires ideas among readers and editors and gets you free portfolio exposure.  While I would love to see some more feedback, here's what was sent my way last week.
From An apple a day....  : You are absolutely correct about cookie cutter characters. I would much rather read the stories here than watch most movies made today and TCM is the best channel on tv. Thanks for the informative newsletter. I am eager to use your advice in my next story.
While I've never had TCM on my cable plans, I have heard it's a great channel for quality programming. That said, do you think AMC's original series are worthwhile? Still, I agree that a lot of the popular movies and TV shows today (even those I like) tend to butcher or underdevelop characters. I bet there are many heated discussions over whether the decline in writing quality or the decline in acting quality is to blame. And I agree; there are quite a few stories on the site that are more solid and engaging than what's being professionally marketed. In any case, I'm glad the advice has you thinking!
From StephBee  : Stik, great newsletter! Thanks for sharing. I want to say I've watched a lot of movies with flat antigonists, so thanks for tackling this.
You're welcome, and it really is tackling. I've watched movies with antagonists that have less personality than cardboard boxes, albeit since I've cut back I've noticed it less. I think if the screenwriters spent moretime working on original material we might see less of this flatness. Do I think adaptations are a major cause of this decline in character quality? I think it does play a significant role, both in how these writers handle characters they didn't originally develop and how fans react to it. I think if Hollywood took a short break from adaptations, it would be, at the very least, a nice opportunity for our brains to shake the dust off from inactivity.
When I return in April, I'll be offering up my thoughts and observation on the term mise en scene. When you see/hear that term, what comes to mind? Do you love it or think it's loaded and overused? Any and all opinions are welcome. And I mean it. There's just not enough discussion on this site anymore.
And if you happen to miss or misplace a newsletter, feel free to stop by "The Drama Box" [13+]. |
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Drama: March 18, 2009 Issue [#2948]
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