In Which I Answer Mail
Question: I like your books but can you have one with evil that wins and the hero of the story helps the villain?
Ah, the anti-hero story. I'm a big fan of it, when it's done well. (Breaking Bad, anyone?) Without giving spoilers, I can say that Ennara's third book will be difficult for her, and as such I can say yes, I will be writing a story with... complications.
But, I have a huge caveat. When writing stories, karma, and to a greater extent the Greek concept of Dikē, must be present. With Dikē, the hero must have a strength or quality before the story begins that proves he deserves the journey in which he overcomes his faults and becomes the hero. It's the reason why the Gods (that is, Gods in the Greek sense) help him, how he finds his destiny, and gives the basis of the Greek definition of a comedy, a story with a happy ending. Of course, there's always the possibility of tragedy, where according to Dikē (think karma) the hero makes the wrong choices and is abandoned by the Gods, and left to his fate (sad ending).
We (in the most universal sense--humanity) have evolved for literally thousands of years with story. As such, we have instincts as readers and audiences, and when a story doesn't follow its unspoken rules (which probably have been spoken by someone, at one time or another) we react strongly. If the anti-hero wins and gets a happy ending, there's a problem. If the hero follows the Gods' direction, overcomes his faults, and transforms as every hero should, but meets a tragic ending with no silver lining, it leaves a bitter taste in our mouths. What was a potentially good tale becomes trash to us.
A good story must follow our innate instincts for storytelling, concepts put forward thousands of years ago. Ones that show us the universe has a balance, and as such, the tale can lead us through the forest of life and help us find greater meaning. So yes, a story can have a hero that becomes an anti-hero. But as long as the anti-hero continues to make wrong decisions--create bad karma, and live against Dikē, she will be destined to tell a tragic story.
Ah, the anti-hero story. I'm a big fan of it, when it's done well. (Breaking Bad, anyone?) Without giving spoilers, I can say that Ennara's third book will be difficult for her, and as such I can say yes, I will be writing a story with... complications.
But, I have a huge caveat. When writing stories, karma, and to a greater extent the Greek concept of Dikē, must be present. With Dikē, the hero must have a strength or quality before the story begins that proves he deserves the journey in which he overcomes his faults and becomes the hero. It's the reason why the Gods (that is, Gods in the Greek sense) help him, how he finds his destiny, and gives the basis of the Greek definition of a comedy, a story with a happy ending. Of course, there's always the possibility of tragedy, where according to Dikē (think karma) the hero makes the wrong choices and is abandoned by the Gods, and left to his fate (sad ending).
We (in the most universal sense--humanity) have evolved for literally thousands of years with story. As such, we have instincts as readers and audiences, and when a story doesn't follow its unspoken rules (which probably have been spoken by someone, at one time or another) we react strongly. If the anti-hero wins and gets a happy ending, there's a problem. If the hero follows the Gods' direction, overcomes his faults, and transforms as every hero should, but meets a tragic ending with no silver lining, it leaves a bitter taste in our mouths. What was a potentially good tale becomes trash to us.
A good story must follow our innate instincts for storytelling, concepts put forward thousands of years ago. Ones that show us the universe has a balance, and as such, the tale can lead us through the forest of life and help us find greater meaning. So yes, a story can have a hero that becomes an anti-hero. But as long as the anti-hero continues to make wrong decisions--create bad karma, and live against Dikē, she will be destined to tell a tragic story.
No comments have been added yet.
