Penny lives and runs a small farm in a small town with her single mom. They have no other family. Penny has an opportunity to attend a prestigious college in another part of the country instead of attending the local college. She is conflicted at leaving her mom and her town but is going because her mom is encouraging her to go to take advantage of this opportunity. But inside, her mom really wants her to stay. I can show mom outwardly encouraging Penny to leave but how do I show that inside, she really wants Penny to stay? Any ideas greatly appreciated. Or any movies that showed this type of conflict come to mind?
How to show inner conflict?
- Thread starter abwriter10
- Start date
Visual medium. Some brainstorming of things that might work:
Perhaps Mom says go but does things to make Penny nostalgic? Or Mom says go to Penny but mutters to herself about the difficulties she will need to overcome while Penny is away. Mom's words say go, but her expression says something else.
Perhaps Mom says go but does things to make Penny nostalgic? Or Mom says go to Penny but mutters to herself about the difficulties she will need to overcome while Penny is away. Mom's words say go, but her expression says something else.
I'm a single mum of teenagers - oldest kid is approaching adulthood - and would suggest that Penny's mum would most likely do everything she could to hide how she was feeling to Penny, not wanting her to miss such an important opportunity. (but of course she is your character and not everyone will do this)
In her mum's shoes I would:
1. let my child know that I will miss them, and encourage them to visit and call/text often, and keep me updated with what's going on in their life - I'd frame this as "I'm still your mum and always going to care about what you're doing and that you're happy and want to hear about your achievements" and not "please stay" (to be honest I'd put aside any gut instincts of wanting my kid to stay as I'd want them to be a happy, independent adult more)
2. probably still cry when my kid leaves, and try to hide it, like you try to hide your tears on their first day of school so as not to freak them out. Not much different really... just the kid is that much bigger and they're going away for a bit longer
3. make sure my kid knows they'll always have a place to stay at my home, no matter what else happens. (albeit I'd charge them keep unless there was some kind of emergency going on where they weren't able to work for the time being)
I also think that Penny's mum should start planning to do non child related things and expand her social circle so she doesn't feel quite so lonely with Penny gone. But of course she's your character, not me.
Things I wouldn't do but Penny's mum might, if she really doesn't want Penny to go away:
1. Try to convince Penny that the local college courses, teachers, opportunities etc are just as good as where Penny's going
2. Keep talking about how lonely she'll be when Penny's not there
3. Suggest career options that would keep her living at home
4. Suggest how after going to college (if she really can't stop Penny going) she could come back to this town and live with her mum again and pursue her career after college while living with her mum
5. Point out how expensive rents and mortgage costs are, and how she'll be able to save lots of money by living at home. Maybe she's the kind of mum that wouldn't charge her kid keep as a way to encourage her kid to not leave
6. Worry out loud about things that Penny might have to face living on her own - dangers, difficulties with cost of living, day to day chores, doing everything by herself - she could give off a vibe of not believing that Penny would be able to cope with those things without her mum around to help her. In a sense, infantilising her. It can be hard as parents to cope with how fast kids grow up and even when they're legally adults, they still at some level feel like your little babies. It can take an active effort to let them go and do age appropriate things on their own. I was raised to be independent from a young age and I've raised my kids the same, but not all parents have that mentality and that can make it even harder to let your little babies go and to grown up things all by themselves.
It's not clear if Penny's mum's actively going to try to manipulate Penny into staying, or if you just want to show Penny's mum's true feelings while she's encouraging Penny to follow her heart and life goals. Some of the things I've suggested might be too manipulative for what you're aiming for. But hopefully it can give you some ideas or somewhere to start.
In her mum's shoes I would:
1. let my child know that I will miss them, and encourage them to visit and call/text often, and keep me updated with what's going on in their life - I'd frame this as "I'm still your mum and always going to care about what you're doing and that you're happy and want to hear about your achievements" and not "please stay" (to be honest I'd put aside any gut instincts of wanting my kid to stay as I'd want them to be a happy, independent adult more)
2. probably still cry when my kid leaves, and try to hide it, like you try to hide your tears on their first day of school so as not to freak them out. Not much different really... just the kid is that much bigger and they're going away for a bit longer
3. make sure my kid knows they'll always have a place to stay at my home, no matter what else happens. (albeit I'd charge them keep unless there was some kind of emergency going on where they weren't able to work for the time being)
I also think that Penny's mum should start planning to do non child related things and expand her social circle so she doesn't feel quite so lonely with Penny gone. But of course she's your character, not me.
Things I wouldn't do but Penny's mum might, if she really doesn't want Penny to go away:
1. Try to convince Penny that the local college courses, teachers, opportunities etc are just as good as where Penny's going
2. Keep talking about how lonely she'll be when Penny's not there
3. Suggest career options that would keep her living at home
4. Suggest how after going to college (if she really can't stop Penny going) she could come back to this town and live with her mum again and pursue her career after college while living with her mum
5. Point out how expensive rents and mortgage costs are, and how she'll be able to save lots of money by living at home. Maybe she's the kind of mum that wouldn't charge her kid keep as a way to encourage her kid to not leave
6. Worry out loud about things that Penny might have to face living on her own - dangers, difficulties with cost of living, day to day chores, doing everything by herself - she could give off a vibe of not believing that Penny would be able to cope with those things without her mum around to help her. In a sense, infantilising her. It can be hard as parents to cope with how fast kids grow up and even when they're legally adults, they still at some level feel like your little babies. It can take an active effort to let them go and do age appropriate things on their own. I was raised to be independent from a young age and I've raised my kids the same, but not all parents have that mentality and that can make it even harder to let your little babies go and to grown up things all by themselves.
It's not clear if Penny's mum's actively going to try to manipulate Penny into staying, or if you just want to show Penny's mum's true feelings while she's encouraging Penny to follow her heart and life goals. Some of the things I've suggested might be too manipulative for what you're aiming for. But hopefully it can give you some ideas or somewhere to start.
I believe the mom needs a concrete and external story goal as well. Penny's leaving will make mom's goal tougher to reach. This creates greater stakes for Penny.
Thanks guys, esp. nean...
This, "... want to show Penny's mum's true feelings while she's encouraging Penny to follow her heart and life goals." She's not a bad mom at all, honest she's not.
All your responses are helping my creative juices start again so much appreciated.
This, "... want to show Penny's mum's true feelings while she's encouraging Penny to follow her heart and life goals." She's not a bad mom at all, honest she's not.
All your responses are helping my creative juices start again so much appreciated.
The strange thing about film and plays that is very different from solo written work is that, as the writer, you are only one of many different creative minds attempting to tell this story.
Ultimately, it is up to the actor who plays the mother character to convey this inner conflict with her performance. There are a few things you can do to help the actor understand that this inner conflict exists;
Whenever the topic of Penny leaving is brought up in a scene with the mother in it, have an action direction saying that the mother reacts to it. For example:
------------------------------
DAD
Penny, are you planning to take some dishes with you? We can probably spare some
MOM looks away, trying to make sure PENNY doesn't see.
PENNY
Oh, yes actually. I was hoping to take a few plates at least. Is that okay, Mom?
MOM
Of course dear! We have so many. Take what you need.
------------------------------
You can also have her hesitate slightly, giving the actor a moment in the pacing to portray some subtle emotion. Eg:
------------------------------
PENNY
I'm a little nervous about the area I'm moving to. I hope everyone there is nice
MOM
(beat)
Oh Penny, I'm sure everyone will be wonderful. You'll love it there. Try not to worry
------------------------------
Again, everything you do as a script writer is ultimately a suggestion to the director and actor as to how the characters behave. If for whatever reason they interpret in your script that the mother is 100% on board with Penny leaving then that's what they will do. Your job is to make it as clear as you can (without telling them outright how to do their jobs), how you intend the characters to feel.
*Edit: Apologies, I just realized you said she's a single mom so no Dad in the picture but the example was really just to show the concept more concretely. Dad could be replaced by a friend or something. Obviously, use the concept as it fits with your characters' situations
Ultimately, it is up to the actor who plays the mother character to convey this inner conflict with her performance. There are a few things you can do to help the actor understand that this inner conflict exists;
Whenever the topic of Penny leaving is brought up in a scene with the mother in it, have an action direction saying that the mother reacts to it. For example:
------------------------------
DAD
Penny, are you planning to take some dishes with you? We can probably spare some
MOM looks away, trying to make sure PENNY doesn't see.
PENNY
Oh, yes actually. I was hoping to take a few plates at least. Is that okay, Mom?
MOM
Of course dear! We have so many. Take what you need.
------------------------------
You can also have her hesitate slightly, giving the actor a moment in the pacing to portray some subtle emotion. Eg:
------------------------------
PENNY
I'm a little nervous about the area I'm moving to. I hope everyone there is nice
MOM
(beat)
Oh Penny, I'm sure everyone will be wonderful. You'll love it there. Try not to worry
------------------------------
Again, everything you do as a script writer is ultimately a suggestion to the director and actor as to how the characters behave. If for whatever reason they interpret in your script that the mother is 100% on board with Penny leaving then that's what they will do. Your job is to make it as clear as you can (without telling them outright how to do their jobs), how you intend the characters to feel.
*Edit: Apologies, I just realized you said she's a single mom so no Dad in the picture but the example was really just to show the concept more concretely. Dad could be replaced by a friend or something. Obviously, use the concept as it fits with your characters' situations
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2007
- Messages
- 2,551
- Reaction score
- 229
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2017
- Messages
- 4,196
- Reaction score
- 5,161
I’m reminded of the narrative style one finds in (among many other literary traditions) Scandinavian sagas. In Njall’s saga, one character delivers a message to another. The reader can infer somewhat of the recipient’s response to the message, and his character, from the fact that, after considering the matter, he says nothing, but does not slay the messenger on the spot.
It’s been many years, so I don’t recall names or how this incident fit into the wider, complicated arc of the saga, but it stands out in my memory as an example of how, in a literary tradition that eschews anything resembling stream-of-consciousness or depiction of a character’s mental processes, a skilled Shaper could unwrap the riddle of what another person is thinking without spelling it out.
Perhaps others with a deeper grounding in this or similar narrative traditions could offer a better informed account?
It’s been many years, so I don’t recall names or how this incident fit into the wider, complicated arc of the saga, but it stands out in my memory as an example of how, in a literary tradition that eschews anything resembling stream-of-consciousness or depiction of a character’s mental processes, a skilled Shaper could unwrap the riddle of what another person is thinking without spelling it out.
Perhaps others with a deeper grounding in this or similar narrative traditions could offer a better informed account?
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2023
- Messages
- 130
- Reaction score
- 61
When it comes to farewells, I generally find ways to show a character reminiscing, perhaps more than usual.