CHOICE
I have been
discussing this concept with my 8 year old. What brought on this question?
Star Wars—
Specifically
because of this dude. Darth Vader!
Cute little Annie. My son questioned if he was the chosen one. So we talked about how he COULD have been the chosen one.
Cute little Annie. My son questioned if he was the chosen one. So we talked about how he COULD have been the chosen one.
BUT he had a choice to make. Stay with the Jedi Order and continue on the path to being the chosen one, or choose to embrace the dark side and become this a SITH LORD.
But then he (my
son) got all bent out of shape because if this is the case, why did Qui-Gon
Jinn train him to be a Jedi. Didn’t he know he would turn to the dark side? So
we asked him what would have happened if they hadn’t trained him? Would Darth
Sidious have found him and trained him to be a Sith instead? What would that have meant to the Jedi's and their future? Would Luke have been able to find ANY good in Darth at the end if he was just a Sith and never a Jedi.
Speaking of Luke. If Anakin went all
Sith and never learned about being a Jedi would the twins have been born? Were
they the chosen one’s by default because of the their father? My son was
totally cool with the fact that they chose to save the world and so that’s what
happened.
Why am I talking
about any of this? Oh yes, CHOICE. The characters we create are faced with
choices in every chapter of our book. Or at least most of those chapters. For
the book to feel real they need to make the choices based on the beliefs,
experiences, and morals we’ve created in them. Those choices can take our book
in a completely different direction than we originally planned. And sometimes
when the characters do something SO opposite than we expected it’s awesome!
Which can still be true to their character.
Giving our
characters choices is essential. Also allowing them to breathe and make those
choices can be just as hard as it is for me to allow my 8 year old to make
choices. But the only way anyone learns it to make a choice.
What hard choices have you thrown at your
characters? Have they ever made a choice you were totally not prepared for?
I am at FFF today. It's the end of A to Z. We're talking Dr. Suess people. ;0)
I am at FFF today. It's the end of A to Z. We're talking Dr. Suess people. ;0)
Choices can be so tough, but my characters normally tell me which choice they're going to make. I should probably get in control of them, but they seem to know what they're doing! :D
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to let your characters make bad choices and live with the consequences. The MC in my last work had done something very bad before the story even opened, and spent the whole book trying to redeem himself. But that's not as hard as writing the bad choice right into the story and dealing with the decision to make it, the doing of it, and the immediate consequences. (It might even be the chicken way out of dealing with bad choices ...)
ReplyDeleteHere's hoping that my current MC screws up royally right in the middle of the book and we have to watch him face it while it happens ...
sometimes what you'd like to choose isnt an option. i hate those times! writing is more fun cause we can predict their future & go back in time and change it again =) suffering now for good later is awesome for a good book! and similar to the writing process!
ReplyDeleteChoices are hard. And it's really hard to let your characters make the bad choices that lead to great stories, but I love watching great characters get served with an evil choice set.
ReplyDeleteAnakin was the chosen one and brought balance to The Force in the end. Again, another choice that was made to save his son. But I won't go all out nerd in this post for you.
ReplyDeleteYou know my mc's entire plotline is about the choices she makes. And ya, a lot of times I want her to make the right ones, but most of the time, she doesn't. :)
This post made me LOL because it sounded like half the pre-bedtime conversations I have with my son. I find myself exceptionally versed in all the ins and outs of Star Wars lately. Sorry, I didn't answer your choice question. Too focused on the Star Wars angle ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat post :-D
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah... SO true.
it's especially hard when our characters make BAD choices...
Bad choices... hmm, I don't know that I have my characters make bad choices, as much as I have bad things happening to them.... now you've got me thinking... making bad choices is part of life and a HUGE learning experience for teens... note to self- make MC do stupid things. LOL
ReplyDeleteI guess the choices good or bad depend on the story or the character - a bad choice can be bad while a good choice can be good for the story, vice versa.
ReplyDeleteThis post made me lol because I talk about Star Wars with my students all the time. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm a Star Wars geek, but not really a mega-fan.
ReplyDeleteBut I believe Anakin was the CHOSEN ONE because he instigated The Great Purge. Remember how Yoda said the Jedi have become reckless and drunk with power?
He did bring balance back, and purged the galaxy of the Jedi, only to be reborn and brought to its purer roots with Luke.
I love when kids start thinking and all these awesome questions pop up. And I am laughing so hard over that "I am your Father" pic! LOL! You're awesome! And so is your son! :)
ReplyDeleteI love brainstorming with my kids. They can get so deep and ask such mind-boggling questions. Great post.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post Jen!
ReplyDeleteWell, in the first chapter of this awesome contemp book I'm collabing with this awesome writer on, my MC has to make a choice. To go or not to go.
Things would have turned out VERY different if she chose differently ;)
I LOVE the concept of choice and will and agency. That's why I like the Green Lantern and adore the Matched Trilogy. Anything that involves agency hooks me. It's such an important concept to teach children. Choices have consequences, ALL choices. You're a good mommy to teach your son this, especially by using Star Wars as an example. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat an excellent discussion. Choice is such a defining quality of human life. What better way to talk about it than through Star Wars? :)
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Choice is essential to a character's growth. And the closer the choices are to each other -- how the character can see themselves doing either one -- the better.
ReplyDeleteInteresting question. Liked the example and reasons you gave.
ReplyDeleteJenny, you look so different in that hat.
ReplyDeleteI was going to nerd out about how Anakin was the Chosen One in the end, because he made the choice to sacrifice and redeem himself, but I see that Cassie has covered that base already. ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
J.W.
Yes. I stand corrected everyone!! Haha. Anakin was the chosen one. BUT when I was discussing it with my 8 year old I wanted him to understand that Anakin had many choices that could have led him down the path of the Chosen one that did not include slaughtering all the Jedi. And that thru his children was really the way that he was able to fulfill his role as the chosen one.
ReplyDeleteI love nerd fans. They are the best.