Whenever I see a liquid I know is poison, some deviant bit of my brain will whisper, "Drink it."
It's scary. I don't want to die or be sick, and yet I have to consciously curtail this abrupt impulse to drink that seductively sparkling liquid. I've never studied psychology, but I believe this creepy, whispering bit of my brain is named the id.
What makes it relevant to writing (besides being something good and weird to draw on) is an idea I came across in someone else's blog, which I have unfortunately lost the link to now. Whoever you are, I'm so sorry--you're totally brilliant.
The idea they put forward is that everyone has an id, or a "shadow", including your protagonist. Their shadow contains all the bits of themself that they hate and fear most--everything they don't want to face.
Usually, a person's shadow is invisible to them; they don't know the shape of their own darkness. So why is the idea of a person's shadow relevant to how you portray your protagonist? Because there is one particular reaction that does show off a person's shadow:
When we see our id embodied in another person, we are so terrified of it we lash out at that person with an irrational anger. In other words, we most furiously hate the things we are most in danger of becoming.
If your antagonist embodies your protagonist's id, then your protagonist will be almost obsessively motivated to stop them. And what makes that conflict really juicy is your protagonist's worst impulses are those of their shadow, so as your protagonist becomes more stressed, they will have to fight all the harder to keep themselves from becoming just like their enemy.
Their internal struggle will mirror the external one, and they'll be forced to examine those parts of their own character that frighten them most. It's a great way to force a personal growth arc onto your protagonist.
~~~~~~~
Does your protagonist have a dark side? Is it mirror of their antagonist? Would you or have you ever set up that symmetry on purpose in a story?
Have you seen the shape of your own darkness? Does your brain ever give you disturbing suggestions your conscious mind rebels against? Can you see parallels between the things that makes you angriest and the things you would be capable of doing if you gave in to your worst impulses?
I'd love to hear your thoughts.
6 comments:
I really like this idea as a way of adding depth to a story.
I have the same kind of impulse whenever I see an abrupt edge and then a drop-off, like on a bridge or open stairwells...as a result, I hate/fear heights.
I feel quite sure that if reincarnation is true, there is likely a very good reason for this crazy impulse!!!!!
And I love, LOVE this post...I'm going to visualize the dark shadow trailing my MC as I continue with the rough draft.
Both fun and freaky! Well done, JJ!! :O
Excellen observation, Jen.
And re your odd compulsion, I used to have that sort of urge when I worked around big, dangerous tools. For example, when taking woodshop in college, every time I'd use the table saw, I'd have an image of shoving my hand against the blade. I didn't want to have it happen, but I kept picturing it, or similar things.
Probably it's an unconscious obsession with "what would happen if..." as a means to relase anxiety you do not acknowledge (about something else.) I was in a bad marriage at the time. After I got a divorce, these things stopped. FWIW.
Awesome post. I found you via Erica Orloff's blog, though I think I may have seen you elsewhere, perhaps SexScenes? Either way, I really like what you've said here, there's a very psychological approach that you've put your finger on & I really agree with what you've said. I've got an old post somewhere in my archives that pretty much says what you're saying except that you were way more successful than I in conveying.
Well all I have to say is at least you have an agent. So jealous.
ARGH!ARGH!ARGH!
I just replied to everyone, and then blogger ate my comment. *apoplexy*
Breathe. Breathe. Okay, start again.
Fairyhedgehog: I can't take credit for the idea, but isn't it interesting? I thought it worth passing along.
Maureen: Aw, thanks; you're always so nice. :) I had a friend in university who had that "jump" impulse when she was on balconies. I don't get that, but I sometimes get this irrational fear I'm suddenly going to be slurped over the edge! I suspect they're related urges. Silly id.
Writtenwyrdd: Oh, that's so interesting about the urges going away once you were out of the marriage! The friend I mentioned to Maureen above was going through a lot of stress at the time; I wonder if her urges have gone away now that her life is more settled?
Realmcovet: Hi, and welcome! I have been known to lurk at Sex's, so that may well be where you've seen me.
I can't take credit for the idea, and I do wish I could find the link to the person who did write about it before me. Unfortunately, it was months ago and not one of my regular blogging buddies. Still, I thought it worth talking about here.
Rejection Queen: Hi, and welcome! I have an agent, but I don't have a book that's going to be published this year, so what's there to feel jealous about? :)
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