MC question

txgrl · Jul 7, 2008

How clueless can the MC be about her surroundings before you think the story is stupid?

So lets say her older brother took her to a new city, and only did what he said, like "Do this now," or "Don't ever do this," basically she's his puppet and never really leaves his side. Would that get tedious?

Or I think a better example is Eragon. How him and the dragon are kinda a package deal, but in my case one is overpowering the other.

Danger Jane · Jul 7, 2008

Does she not even notice/question things internally, or is she just his tool?

Cassidy · Jul 7, 2008

I'd want to understand-- eventually if not at first-- why she is so clueless and why she is so compliant with her brother's demands. Are you planning this to be something that changes over the course of the novel? I think for it to work it has to be believable... and to make it believable, you need to know why she is this way and use that to develop the character.

If you could explain your question a bit more, it'd help. I'm not quite sure if I have interpreted your dilemma correctly...

alleycat · Jul 7, 2008

It's going to be very hard to tell without actually seeing what you've written.

In general it would get tedious fast if she's total pliant and doesn't show any backbone at all. Now, if she does what her older brother says to do (because he's usually right), but is still her "own girl', so to speak, then it wouldn't matter as much. If she occasionally calls her brother a dork, or argues, or does the other typical things a sibling would do, it would show she's not a complete puppet.

txgrl · Jul 7, 2008

She questions him aloud, but all she gets is a "just do it," or a "why all the questions," or a very witty remark I haven't come up with yet.
I don't think she's completely his tool, because it was her choice to follow him there. . . but I could be wrong.
I think that she gets more control once she gets the general idea of whats going on and starts making her own decisions, because I want her to go against one of his 'demands' to stay hidden in the climax.

Did that help at all?
If anything else would help just ask, your helping me after all. . .

Danger Jane · Jul 7, 2008

I think as long as her character arc is along the lines of "puppet -> questioning puppet -> rebellious puppet -> autonomous non-puppet" you're good. Most people don't want to sympathize with a static character at all, let alone a totally submissive static character.

Shady Lane · Jul 7, 2008

I question what makes this girl the MC, and not her brother.

txgrl · Jul 7, 2008

^
That's a really good question. . .
It's her point of view?
I'm not all that sure. . .

Shady Lane · Jul 7, 2008

EHHHHH

that is the wrong answer noise.

My POV characters are almost never my MCs.

txgrl · Jul 7, 2008

Huh, Well, I'm seriously lost now.

Shady Lane · Jul 7, 2008

Haha, have you read Great Gatsby?

If it helps, it doesn't really matter if you know who your MC is. Just tell the story and you'll probably figure it out.

Danger Jane · Jul 7, 2008

MC does not equal POV character, is what Shady's saying. Your POV char might be more of an observer or filter or mirror that makes the MC just that little bit more elusive and fascinating to the reader.

txgrl · Jul 7, 2008

OH! Kay! So I guess my question should be would your POV character need to be completely knowing of why she's doing her actions?

mirrorkisses · Jul 8, 2008

Can you tell us the plot of this story? I can't really give input, because I don't feel I have enough info.

Cassidy · Jul 8, 2008

Shady Lane said:
I question what makes this girl the MC, and not her brother.

great question, hannah.

i've written two first drafts (my first two books, actually) in which my MC was too passive and less interesting than a secondary character. i decided that the MC (who was also the POV character) really was the MC because she was the character who changed most significantly over the course of the story. i did consider rewriting one of the stories with a different MC but in the end rewrote with major changes to ensure that the MC was strong and the story not hijacked by the other character (best friend in both cases!)

the MC and POV character are most often the same, but not always. how would your story change if you wrote it from the brother's POV? Or had the brother be the MC but the story told through the sister's eyes? what would be most effective for your story?

~grace~ · Jul 8, 2008

Shady Lane said:
Haha, have you read Great Gatsby?

or anymystery? there's a reason they all have Boswells. er, Watsons. (Boswell is the original sidekick/storyteller--biographer of Samuel Johnson)

Danger Jane said:
MC does not equal POV character, is what Shady's saying. Your POV char might be more of an observer or filter or mirror that makes the MC just that little bit more elusive and fascinating to the reader.

YES!

exactly

I have written WIPs from the POV of my "MC" and then realized partway through that this sidekick character is much more interesting, so I HEARTLESSLY KILL my MC and the sidekick takes over.

none of which helps answer your original question...but I think Dangerous Jane pretty much answered it with her awesome little graphy/flowcharty thing.

txgrl · Jul 8, 2008

Okay thank you guys so much for the help!!
I'll probably be back asking more stupid questions once I figure out who my MC acctually is. . .

alleycat · Jul 8, 2008

You may or maybe not have the right MC. But, just because your current MC is somewhat under the thumb of someone else doesn't necessarily eliminate her from being the MC. Lots and lots of main characters have started off, or been put in, just such a position. Think of some of Dickens' characters.

Mainly, you want the MC to still be the main actor in her own life. You need for her to "do", not just to be "done to". Sometimes that can be very subtle, such as trying to figure out her own feelings in a diary, or making one close friend, or doing some little something she's been told not to do because she has a burning desire for whatever it is. She should want something, and be willing to struggle to get it.

Angela_785 · Jul 8, 2008

And to add to what Alley's saying, you can get away with the MC being submissive to her brother, as long as you show her motivation for it. Has he stuffed her head full of stories of kidnappings and groping street people and back alley stabbings to the point where she's looking for danger in every crack and crevice and leaps to obey her 'knowledgable' brother? Or is stealth/not standing out/etc important to the plot where she knows she needs to listen to him in order to reach their goal?

If she's just a non-city girl and he either is citified or is pretending to be, he might tell her to do this, not do that because he's trying to cover up his own lack of knowledge or to protect her. If either of these are the case, how does your MC react? Does she fall in line completely, or stand up to him when she sees something that captures her interest and she can't fathom it being harmful?

Bottom line, create a strong MOTIVATION. With it, the reader will probably suspend belief--without it, they won't.

txgrl · Jul 8, 2008

Angela_785 said:
Has he stuffed her head full of stories of kidnappings and groping street people and back alley stabbings to the point where she's looking for danger in every crack and crevice and leaps to obey her 'knowledgeable' brother? Or is stealth/not standing out/etc important to the plot where she knows she needs to listen to him in order to reach their goal?

If either of these are the case, how does your MC react? Does she fall in line completely, or stand up to him when she sees something that captures her interest and she can't fathom it being harmful?

Bottom line, create a strong MOTIVATION. With it, the reader will probably suspend belief--without it, they won't.

It's more both, to answer your first question. She disagrees with him on some things, but does it anyways, until the climax that is.

That's really good advise thank you!

Danger Jane · Jul 8, 2008

txgrl said:
It's more both, to answer your first question. She disagrees with him on some things, but does it anyways, until the climax that is.

That's really good advise thank you!

Sounds like you got yourself a character arc there

VoltShadow · Jul 8, 2008

I'm still not fully understanding. Is she just a little naive like Fina (Skies of Arcadia) or dense like Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece). If she's just young and naive, as the story continues and she develops, the issue should probably resolve itself. If she's just really dense, then you might have a problem.

txgrl · Jul 8, 2008

^ Umm, both? She wants to help and do whatever she can, but she's not really sure of what's going on. . . if that makes sense.

I was trying to make it a mystery, but that didn't really work, so I'm stuck with kinda confusing elements now, I guess, maybe it's just really confusing. . .

MC question

txgrl

Danger Jane

Cassidy

writing for kids and teens

alleycat

Still around

txgrl

Danger Jane

Shady Lane

my name is hannah

txgrl

Shady Lane

my name is hannah

txgrl

Shady Lane

my name is hannah

Danger Jane

txgrl

mirrorkisses

Cassidy

writing for kids and teens

~grace~

the good old days

txgrl

alleycat

Still around

Angela_785

txgrl

Danger Jane

VoltShadow

Internet Ninja of 1337

txgrl