Do you prefer Bittersweet Tragedy or Happy Ever After?
No one wanted Danny to die in the movie Pearl Harbor. In fact, when Danny died, I threw my shoe at the TV, gasped like a dying whale, and used up my Puffs Plus with Lotion like there would never be another box made in my lifetime.
Check it out: (there is a bit of war graphics so be cautious if you don't like that sort of thing)
If you watched that scene, we all know why we don't want the hero to die. It's heartbreaking, heart rending, and we feel the loss as if they were our own. Typically, by the time the hero gives his last breath, we have traveled with him through an entire novel (or movie) and more than the just the hero is lost.
Striving for something. A hero is reaching for something, needs to conquer something, or is overcoming insurmountable obstacles. In the movie Pearl Harbor Danny already lost his best friend Rafe, or so he thought -- he fell in love with Rafe's girl, and then Rafe returns from being MIA to find his girl committed to Danny. It's betrayal of the worst sort. Not just to Rafe, but to Rafe's memory. Danny wants his best friend to return, but insurmountable turmoil both emotional and the toil from war, keep them from overcoming the bitterness. Until this last scene, when Danny gives his life for Rafe and Rafe shows forgiveness and grief as he tells Danny that Danny is going to be a daddy. "No -- you are". It's the ultimate love, the ultimate gift ...
As a writer, I'm trying really hard to learn the balance of a great hero. Heroes, frankly, come way easier to me than writing heroines. No clue why. But I do try not to off my hero if it's not necessary. Really. Because most of the time it doesn't add to the story -- sometimes my story can be richer if the hero, you know, lives!
BUT! In Pearl Harbor, it was necessary to communicate the horror of war, the sacrifices our heroes made in one of the darkest times in American history, and -- one of the boys had to get the girl, they couldn't both have her.
Which brings to mind Nicholas Sparks. He's certainly carved out his niche of faithful followers. But in reality, a lot of readers want to escape reality and not dwell in the sadness that is grief and loss. But even in Sparks' novels, the character's death serves a purpose. Without it, the story could not happen. But I swear, every one of his novels is riddled with that bittersweet, throw your shoe, type of romance. And he's a best selling author.
So as a writer, here is my question for you as a reader: How do you feel when a main character dies in a novel? Are you a Sparks reader, or not?
I'm just trying to gauge that balance between the bittersweet tragedy vs. the happy ever after, as both seem to be very popular.
Talk to me! Tell me what you think!
_________________________________________
Jaime Jo Wright
author of spirited turn-of-the-century romance, stained with suspense
COMING SOON!
March 2016, "The Cowgirl's Lasso", The Cowboy Bride's Novella Collection, from Barbour Publishing
August, 2016,"Gold Haven Heiress", The California Gold Rush Brides Collection, from Barbour Publishing
Visit Jaime's web site: jaimejowright.com
Email Jaime - jaimejowright at gmail dot com
Like Jaime on Facebook
Friend Jaime on Twitter
Meet Jaime on Pinterest
Don't forget Instagram
Check it out: (there is a bit of war graphics so be cautious if you don't like that sort of thing)
If you watched that scene, we all know why we don't want the hero to die. It's heartbreaking, heart rending, and we feel the loss as if they were our own. Typically, by the time the hero gives his last breath, we have traveled with him through an entire novel (or movie) and more than the just the hero is lost.
Striving for something. A hero is reaching for something, needs to conquer something, or is overcoming insurmountable obstacles. In the movie Pearl Harbor Danny already lost his best friend Rafe, or so he thought -- he fell in love with Rafe's girl, and then Rafe returns from being MIA to find his girl committed to Danny. It's betrayal of the worst sort. Not just to Rafe, but to Rafe's memory. Danny wants his best friend to return, but insurmountable turmoil both emotional and the toil from war, keep them from overcoming the bitterness. Until this last scene, when Danny gives his life for Rafe and Rafe shows forgiveness and grief as he tells Danny that Danny is going to be a daddy. "No -- you are". It's the ultimate love, the ultimate gift ...
As a writer, I'm trying really hard to learn the balance of a great hero. Heroes, frankly, come way easier to me than writing heroines. No clue why. But I do try not to off my hero if it's not necessary. Really. Because most of the time it doesn't add to the story -- sometimes my story can be richer if the hero, you know, lives!
BUT! In Pearl Harbor, it was necessary to communicate the horror of war, the sacrifices our heroes made in one of the darkest times in American history, and -- one of the boys had to get the girl, they couldn't both have her.
Which brings to mind Nicholas Sparks. He's certainly carved out his niche of faithful followers. But in reality, a lot of readers want to escape reality and not dwell in the sadness that is grief and loss. But even in Sparks' novels, the character's death serves a purpose. Without it, the story could not happen. But I swear, every one of his novels is riddled with that bittersweet, throw your shoe, type of romance. And he's a best selling author.
So as a writer, here is my question for you as a reader: How do you feel when a main character dies in a novel? Are you a Sparks reader, or not?
I'm just trying to gauge that balance between the bittersweet tragedy vs. the happy ever after, as both seem to be very popular.
Talk to me! Tell me what you think!_________________________________________
Jaime Jo Wright
author of spirited turn-of-the-century romance, stained with suspense
COMING SOON!
March 2016, "The Cowgirl's Lasso", The Cowboy Bride's Novella Collection, from Barbour Publishing
August, 2016,"Gold Haven Heiress", The California Gold Rush Brides Collection, from Barbour Publishing
Visit Jaime's web site: jaimejowright.com
Email Jaime - jaimejowright at gmail dot com
Like Jaime on Facebook
Friend Jaime on Twitter
Meet Jaime on Pinterest
Don't forget Instagram
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