- Joined
- Nov 19, 2010
- Messages
- 1,514
- Reaction score
- 133
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- USA... sometimes.
- Website
- www.racheludin.com
India (Circa first century), though in this case it doesn't really matter, I think. You'll see after I lay it out for you.
Problem goes like this:
The low-ranking princess involved has to look like she's cursed. So I figure 3 times in a short period of time would make the offers go down the hole.
I made the first possible husband have food poisoning. ^^;; Some potty jokes were in there. It wasn't pretty.
The second suitor's family was overbearing... and insulted the MC's mother. The suitor also never showed up for the meeting...
The third suitor... I originally lined up like this:
He comes upon a sick elephant in the road (a valid Indian superstition) and then turns back because he doesn't want his riches diminished.
I'm not satisfied with this version. Because it kind of buckles to the western notion of Indians with elephants. Blech. Bordering on stereotype and it also creates a giant plot hole which I had to go and fill. Though the character grows from it, still, I have to do extra well to pull that section off and put it in. (Plus, I can do the same thing without having to use the elephant...) i.e. I don't want to hit on 100% TM of what the West thinks of India and make it seem exotic. I want it accessible...
I want it to escalate too... the misfortune. (Without using death. Ya know, save death for the shock value later. Like killing slaves and their children in a horrible plague.)
So I thought it doesn't have to be Indian, per se. It could be a host of other reasons that suitors give up the chase. Only my knowledge of history isn't so nuanced. I can't think of a single case where this is true. I can only think of where kings managed to succeed or they simply fizzled after they married (Henry VIII, for example).
Help? What do I type into the Google search?
Problem goes like this:
The low-ranking princess involved has to look like she's cursed. So I figure 3 times in a short period of time would make the offers go down the hole.
I made the first possible husband have food poisoning. ^^;; Some potty jokes were in there. It wasn't pretty.
The second suitor's family was overbearing... and insulted the MC's mother. The suitor also never showed up for the meeting...
The third suitor... I originally lined up like this:
He comes upon a sick elephant in the road (a valid Indian superstition) and then turns back because he doesn't want his riches diminished.
I'm not satisfied with this version. Because it kind of buckles to the western notion of Indians with elephants. Blech. Bordering on stereotype and it also creates a giant plot hole which I had to go and fill. Though the character grows from it, still, I have to do extra well to pull that section off and put it in. (Plus, I can do the same thing without having to use the elephant...) i.e. I don't want to hit on 100% TM of what the West thinks of India and make it seem exotic. I want it accessible...
I want it to escalate too... the misfortune. (Without using death. Ya know, save death for the shock value later. Like killing slaves and their children in a horrible plague.)
So I thought it doesn't have to be Indian, per se. It could be a host of other reasons that suitors give up the chase. Only my knowledge of history isn't so nuanced. I can't think of a single case where this is true. I can only think of where kings managed to succeed or they simply fizzled after they married (Henry VIII, for example).
Help? What do I type into the Google search?