Logical explanations for characters in stories

[thehefner]

Now, I think I've created two of the most complex characters I've ever come up with in this play I'm doing for Playwrighting I class, one of whom being the aformentioned serial killer character. So far, the imput from the class has been rather interested and favorable, and today I turned in my first attempt at the final scenes of the play. And a question that seems to come up from at least one person each class is, "Why? Why does so-and-so do this?"

And the most honest answer I can give is, "I don't know." I mean, that's the thing, I write these characters and these scenes, and I know somewhere that what's happening is what I want to happen, and that these characters would react in such a certain way. Yet, if I were to try to explain logically why someone did this or didn't do that, more often than not I'll be at a loss for words. This is kind of frustrating, because I don't feel like I have to explain everything, or even most things. But if several people each class start asking those questions, I have to wonder if maybe I should reconsider.

Anything I write, I write with the ending in mind. For me, the ending is everything. A crap ending can ruin a brilliant story (House of Sand and Fog, I'm looking at you here!). But the teacher did not seem to find the ending satisfactory, and he gave me a few ideas of what "should" have to happen to build up to it, but gave no suggestions what could be done or what better ending there might be. Grrr. Accursed vague drama professors. I have no idea what could be done to "improve" the ending, since this is the way I wanted it to end, the best of the few possibilities I had.

If I can't find an LJ community to post this play up for review, I may just throw it on here in instalments and see who bites. Meantime, exams week is nearly upon me. Whup-ee.

Comments

[yancentric.livejournal.com]

send it my way for a perusal, if you want:

cosmo@cs.umd.edu

[jcsbimp.livejournal.com]

Maybe what they're asking is really "What would possibly motivate the character to behave in this way?" Perhaps they're trying to determine whether the desired end of the play is driving the characters' actions, or are they instead proceeding in a fashion you see as natural, and maybe they even are flummoxed as to why you'd think it as natural. Dunno. Lotsa uninformed maybes here.

[cavenessity.livejournal.com]

It really is all about the ending. And the title. If something has a crap title, I won't watch it/read it ;)

If you want another pair of eyes to look over it, let me know.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Hey, much appreciated! If/when I get it written up in an order I feel ready for public consumption, I'll be happy to take you up on that offer. Thanks! (As for title, I was thinking "The Twilight Man" or "Devil Song," the latter taken from a Beth Orton song that influenced the direction of the play)

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Hey, thanks for the offer! It's not yet totally completed, or rather, the full first draft anyway, but when I do get it up and going I'll send it your way. Much appreciated!