Sorry but I strongly disagree...
Submitted by J on 2003-03-13 03:53:24, Thursday
In reply to Re: The content is more dangerous submitted by Michael Mejido on 2003-03-13 00:59:28, Thursday
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If I am going to show an abuser with pain and human qualities, i have to show a person that has no human qualities at all. Aside from the fact there is no such thing as a person who has no human qualities at all (and therefore your plot immediately lacks authenticity), it is self-defeating to your overall purpose. Your audience will simply rationalize its stereotype of the monster no matter how compasionately you portray the son, after all, they are introduced to a monster at the beginning. Most people could care less how tragic an abuser's childhood or life has been, they are a monster now and that's all that matters. I know I keep coming back to L.I.E. but it worked so well because there is no monster in it, nor did it require one for contrasting purposes in order to see the humanity in Big John. Empathy for the character rests purely on the fact he is shown to be human with no contrast necessary. J Come away, O human child, to the waters of the wild, with a fairy hand in hand, for the world’s more full of weeping than you can understand. |
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