The five things that most people can’t handle

Hmmm. I don't think G&A is the right place for this. I'm going to swing it over to the AW Round Table, since it deals with possible character development using human motives as a yardstick.

It should get some nice action over there.

Okay, I'll bite.

With Kite...... wow. Actually, he doesn't have a particular weakness in any of these. Maybe it's because he doesn't really participate in society? He really, really likes sex, but not in an out-of-control way. He's taken RISKS in the name of it before... what else do you call seducing a werewolf?.. but he's got really weird tastes that don't generally interfere with his life because those opportunities don't come around much. He's actually repelled by what most people consider arousing. On the other fronts, he has almost no personal pride except what he takes in his work - he'll happily slog through sewage or sell his body if it'll get him what he wants. He doesn't want, need, or like money, and prefers to live as spartan a lifestyle as possible. He doesn't drink, and while he believes in the gods, and is interested in the anthropological reasons behind their actions, he's not particularly invested in any kind of 'faith'.

Yinn, though, he's easy - Ego is his downfall and Pride is his sin. He's way too invested in what he thinks he ought to be, and how he thinks he ought to look, and it gives him the appearence of perpetually having a stick up his ass. He's not terribly interested in money, gods, or alcohol. He IS making his relationship with Kite very rocky on the subject of sex, but that's principally because Kite wants to have it and Yinn doesn't.

Just for kicks, the MCs of my hiatus WIP:

Kollis' weakness would definately be ideology. Religions are fairly tolerant of each other in Kageshima, but Kollis is a priest of the Dark Mother, a religion focused around death and necromancy, which is seen as weird at best and diabolic at worst in areas where the worship of the Triad is not prevalent. He's not likely to fight with other people over his beliefs, but he will defend his faith and his Goddess, and it's probably the thing he cares about most in the world. As he gets older, it will only get stronger.

Lirin is a hedonist, so I suppose sex would be his weakness. He's much more likely to break hearts than to have his broken, but in the past he has let it interfere with his schoolwork and will often pursue a tempting prospect rather than concentrate on things he SHOULD be doing. Thankfully, this is a symptom of youth and will quiet down as he gains age, experience, and wisdom.

I think you've named five of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Where are the other two?

dpaterso said:

Right here, baby!

...Oh come on, someone had to say it.

-Derek

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Brat!

One of my characters always needs money to fund his ideology. So far he hasn't been tempted by liquor or sex, though I suspect that's because he's perenially broke and can't afford either.

The study of sin is called hamartiology. The root word "hamartia" is from the Greek military practice of archery --the word means "missing the mark."

I think anyone who wants to write heavy-handed drama needs to do a thorough study of sin --all kinds of sin. The very best stories involve hard choices over deep moral conflicts, especially inner-conflicts.

Hmmm, the impetus behind my mystery does involve sex, alcoholism, ego, and money.


AND it's middle-grade fiction. (psst--it's all in how you address it).

Gluttony, sloth, lust, pride, greed, envy, wrath.


Medea's mainly guilty of pride and wrath. That leads her to some pretty atrocious deeds. Lysander and Thais fall to lust. The only normal character is Kallianessa, who loses anyway. Too bad for her!

DWSTXS said:

Sex. How many people do you know who just can't handle their privates?

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Uh, everyone I know has had a go at it at least once...


As to everything bad happening being attributable to one of these items, hmmmm. I would substitute greed for money and compulsion for liquor/drugs. Greed can encompass a wider field than just money and compulsions or addictions can mean more than drugs or liquor (gambling or the need for adrenalin highs, for instance.)

It's an interesting distillation you have presented. But it might be too simple - many actions are motivated by a very complex set of circumstances, preferences, compulsions and habits.

DWSTXS said:

Better yet. Assign one each of these to each of your characters. Which of these 5 controls each of your character's lives?

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I don't know... let's see!

DWSTXS said:

Drugs. - Drug use, and alcoholism is shredding lives nationwide, regardless of economic status.

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My character turns to alcohol whenever she's stressed. Check.

DWSTXS said:

Sex. How many people do you know who just can't handle their privates?

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My character has a fling in the very first chapter. A secondary character in the same story is basically a manwhore. Check.

DWSTXS said:

Ego. How many companies ruined, lives destroyed because of CEO"s egos that are out of control? How many people in this country are near bankruptcy, financially people their Ego demands that they drive a car or live in a house they can't afford? How many people do you know who's egos are 'out of control?'

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Ego. My character's ex and one werewolf in particular are guilty of this. They carry it in spades. Check.

DWSTXS said:

Money. How many of us are drowning in debt? We live on borrowed money, and promise to pay back. We are living our lives on the installment plan.

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If you count student loans...

DWSTXS said:

Ideology - Both political and spiritual. How many lives in this country are ruined due to out of control religious or political ideology? We are at war, due to one, or both of these.

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O boi. My werewolves are guilty as charged. Check.

DWSTXS said:

LOOK behind everything bad that happens, and you'll find one of these five lurking in the background.

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Just one?