My character thinks a little bit differently than normal. Is she crazy?

IReidandWrite · Dec 17, 2007

One of my characters notices little things someone wouldn't probably normally notice. For instance, parts of her body armor are made out of a thin but durable plastic, which clacks together whenever she puts her fingers straight/curls them.

She realizes, a little later on, that she needs to be sneaky.

Would it be too weird for her to file the plastic down so it doesn't clack? Just seems like a 16-year-old soldier wouldn't think of something like that, realistically, that is.

Straka · Dec 17, 2007

No that just sounds practical. Soldiers in the field (and people everyday) find little fixes to make things work for them. In war its called battlefield innovation. One historical example is the Culin hedge-cutter they put in front of Sherman tanks when the allies landed in Normandy and needed to push through the brackage some how.

From your description I would say she isn't crazy, and that she's "normal"

IReidandWrite · Dec 17, 2007

Oh, that's just the tip of the iceberg. She kills her aunt by conking her in the head with a fake leg.

Toothpaste · Dec 17, 2007

Okay, once I realised that the weird thinking was her solution to the clacking problem and not the fact that she thought she was wearing body armor, I understood your question a bit better.

As such, I don't see how that would be weird at all. Are you suggesting a sixteen yearold isn't clever enough to come up with a solution like that? I think you'll find that many a sixteen yearold can be and are rather intelligent. If you think a soldier wouldn't think that, same statement.

And let's say that okay sixteen yearold soldiers actually are not that bright, what's to say your character isn't a genius, or a protege, or thinks laterally.

In the end it comes down to your character. If it makes sense considering all you know of her to file the plastic down, then great.

ETA: ditto the fake leg thing

veinglory · Dec 17, 2007

I don't see that thinking as weird at all. Seems rational to me. What is the other option? Sneaking around sounding like a tympany section?

IReidandWrite · Dec 17, 2007

Well, actually, she really has no education and can barely read (she never went to school)....

On second thought I should probably put more substance in the OP.

My ADD is calling...

Straka · Dec 17, 2007

Project nachonaco said:
Oh, that's just the tip of the iceberg. She kills her aunt by conking her in the head with a fake leg.

ah well they say context is everything...

ShebaJones · Dec 17, 2007

Completely sane and conformist characters make for boring stories.

Just sayin'.

geardrops · Dec 17, 2007

Doesn't sound insane at all. Just practical. I'm worried by your fixation on it.

I'm also worried by your statement of her killing her aunt by knocking her on the head with a fake leg. The force required to deliver a killing blow by skull wound is pretty significant, and while I don't know what fake limbs are made of, I'm not certain that they can deliver the impact force required. Unless she repeatedly strikes the aunt. Skulls are pretty tough things. The weapon doesn't mean much out of context.

I've taken off my shoe and thrown it at someone. Does that make me crazy? No, I just wanted to throw something at someone and my shoe was handy.

IReidandWrite · Dec 17, 2007

LOL, I was just being picky, I'm sure.

The leg also happens to be fully metal (like in Fullmetal Alchemist, go fig).

Hehehh.

I like to nitpick myself.

Straka · Dec 17, 2007

I would also point out that doing crazy things, doesn't always make a character crazy. "Average" people in extreme circumstances can do crazy things. When I think of a crazy character, I think of Jack from Fight Club.

L M Ashton · Dec 17, 2007

Project nachonaco said:
Well, actually, she really has no education and can barely read (she never went to school)....

Which has no real bearing on intelligence level. If it suits the character, then it suits the character.

Straka · Dec 17, 2007

Just a suggestion to anyone; Try writing a story from the POV of a character with a mental disability. One WIP I have going the MC has autism. It was hard at first but I did research on it and hung out with my friend's brother who has Mental Retardation. He's high functioning, lives with his parents but has a job and friends.

IReidandWrite · Dec 17, 2007

Straka-

I think this character does have Asperger's Syndrome (I do, and many of my characters have at least one of my traits). Maybe that's why she's able to notice such a small detail like that.

Stormhawk · Dec 17, 2007

It's practical, not crazy.

The killing with the fake leg however...

geardrops · Dec 17, 2007

Project nachonaco said:
I think this character does have Asperger's Syndrome (I do, and many of my characters have at least one of my traits). Maybe that's why she's able to notice such a small detail like that.

I have two questions.

You only think your MC has Asperger's? Shouldn't that be something you know?

The MC has a lot of your traits... are you writing yourself into a story? I only ask because this be dangerous grounds you're treading on.

IReidandWrite · Dec 17, 2007

LOL, NO, it's not me. Not me at all. I'm not 5-foot-7 and I don't kill people with metal body parts. She has Asperger's because I do. Example:

-One of my characters is short. That would be me.

-Another has anger issues. Me. I've actually BRUISED MY TEETH because I got so agitated.

-One of my characters LOVES to read. Me.

Etc.

The reason I say 'I think' is because she USED to be exactly like me, waaay back 6 years ago. We have the same first name, and that's about it. She doesn't even look like me. Now she's radically different.

Straka · Dec 17, 2007

I would say a lot of my characters have a little bit of me in them. Though I'll make that trait more extreme.

You seem fairly comfortable talking about your condition. If so one thing you might want to do with your story is make the Asperger's a bigger part of it. If the MC is a female soldier with Asperger's that's a very big theme to tackle. Female soldiers are controversial in of themselves, but one with Asperger's even more so.

To give an example of MC’s condition being a driving part of the book, in my WIP the character's condition is such that he is obsessed with objects and creates very elaborate games with them. Because of this he sees the world extremely different than those around him. He also is no aware of dangers like most people are. Therefore he can do this that others have inhibitions about. I can't really go into more detail without giving anyway all the goods but my point is his condition is one of the major driving forces of the work.

Again just a suggestion, as I don’t know what your book is about. But a female soldier with asperger’s sounds interesting.

HopelessDreamer · Dec 17, 2007

The armor thing doesn't make her crazy. The fake leg thing on the other hand...

Quite honestly, I wouldn't worry about it. Even if she does end up being a little crazy, it'll probably add to her character more than anything else. I think it would be intriguing.

My character thinks a little bit differently than normal. Is she crazy?

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