tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4139091376044743904.post7597457856435564426..comments2024-03-21T17:22:02.012-05:00Comments on Musings of an Elf: “While things that are uncomfortable…may make a good tale.”Christine Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15859881278385314279noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4139091376044743904.post-4648864066949042582015-10-02T21:41:26.853-05:002015-10-02T21:41:26.853-05:00Thank you!!! ^_^
Yes, exactly! I don't think w...Thank you!!! ^_^<br />Yes, exactly! I don't think we should ever give our characters the easy way out, how else would they grow? And how would WE grow if all our fiction portrayed life as ease and comfort?<br /><br />Being a writer is a big responsibility trying to portray the right kind of messages.Christine Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15859881278385314279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4139091376044743904.post-61470293855555998492015-10-01T11:42:18.176-05:002015-10-01T11:42:18.176-05:00Love this post! So agree! Hardships shape characte...Love this post! So agree! Hardships shape characters just like hardships shape us in real life.<br /><br />storitorigrace.blogspot.comVictoria Grace Howellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01849013182543674707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4139091376044743904.post-16374006145427609132015-05-03T17:32:34.181-05:002015-05-03T17:32:34.181-05:00No, no, you're making PERFECT sense! I was lit...No, no, you're making PERFECT sense! I was literally tossing around the idea of doing a post completely contradicting this one with those exact same thoughts. I'm so contradictory. XD I love me some happy endings after all, and reading is totally an escapism from real life for me.<br /><br />The main point of this was exploring the reason why we enjoy those uncomfortable bits and why they're always in fiction. But still, I LOVE happily ever afters...and character deaths are hard, though I know they're often necessary. Basically I can make an argument either way. XD So I totally get you!Christine Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15859881278385314279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4139091376044743904.post-22884385780668987002015-05-03T11:38:09.913-05:002015-05-03T11:38:09.913-05:00Very intriguing post! (And yay Hobbit quote! XD) N...Very intriguing post! (And yay Hobbit quote! XD) Now, while I haven't READ the HG books, I will say that I very much enjoyed the first two movies, even THOUGH they're super dark and scary... (I'm just on the fence about the third one until it's completed. XD) But it's a sad truth that stories without "uncomfortable" things are rather boring. ;) I don't go in for characters dying though, and I actually think that--although stories need problems--I don't like there to be the sort of problems I encounter in real life... because if a book is exactly like real life, why read it?? I can get enough awful things in real life, and books are for escaping to someplace better... BUT with some problems because otherwise the story would be boring. ...Meh, I don't know. :-/ I guess I'm contradictory about this and probably not making any sense. :P Great topic! :)Deborah O'Carrollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05969896655321575875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4139091376044743904.post-31578051951899850452015-05-01T16:28:24.302-05:002015-05-01T16:28:24.302-05:00Oh my, thank you so much!
Really? What a coincide...Oh my, thank you so much!<br /><br />Really? What a coincidence! Well, I'm glad this came at a good time. ^_^ Yep, I'm the same way. The tragic can be beautiful after all. I want fiction to make me cry. Now, I do love lighthearted stories and I'm a sucker for a happily ever after, but I still prefer the tales that tug at the heartstrings.<br /><br />Thank you again! Your post made me smile.Christine Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15859881278385314279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4139091376044743904.post-72350718030972025482015-05-01T16:09:55.019-05:002015-05-01T16:09:55.019-05:00YES! Beautifully written!
It's so interestin...YES! Beautifully written!<br /><br />It's so interesting that you wrote this, because I've been thinking the past few days about the very same issue. While I do have my limits with exactly how depressing a story can be, I tend to gravitate towards ones that are frankly kinda sad. For example, in musicals, I like the tragic ones! *ducks head* (Of course, there is Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, though...) The songs I tend to like are usually tinged with at least a little bit of bittersweet nostalgia. So I really appreciate this post; it helps to understand why we love the dramatic scenes, the hard scenes. <br /><br />Great job!:)Oliviahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03546655886492251059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4139091376044743904.post-14667637876635441132015-04-29T15:12:12.814-05:002015-04-29T15:12:12.814-05:00D'awww! I don't know if I put it very eloq...D'awww! I don't know if I put it very eloquently, but I sure am happy you enjoyed it.<br /><br />Oh wow! I've never seen that quote before. That's powerful right there. Thank you for sharing! I LOVE that!Christine Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15859881278385314279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4139091376044743904.post-28259305144269390002015-04-29T15:10:55.104-05:002015-04-29T15:10:55.104-05:00Yes, yes, yes! That's EXACTLY what I was tryin...Yes, yes, yes! That's EXACTLY what I was trying to get across. I've read books before where everything came too easily for the protagonist, there was no real struggle. Those bore me to tears. I just don't care unless the hero has battles and hardships and real difficult decisions to make. If it's too easy, then what's the point in caring?<br /><br />Precisely! I've gone through a lot of hardship myself, and it's so encouraging to me to learn from these heroes and see how they overcame their difficulties. The powerful stories remind my that I CAN face my dragons and conquer them, no matter how strong they may be.<br /><br />I'm so glad you enjoyed it! It's something that is constantly on my mind and putting it into words helps me understand it more myself.Christine Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15859881278385314279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4139091376044743904.post-86785574867547576142015-04-29T13:52:56.290-05:002015-04-29T13:52:56.290-05:00Yes! Thank you for putting this so much more eloqu...Yes! Thank you for putting this so much more eloquently than I ever could have. It reminds of a quote in Gail Carson Levine's book, Writing Magic. <br /><br />"Why do you keep reading a book? Usually to find out what happens. Why do you give up and stop reading it? There may be lots of reasons. But often the answer is you don't care what happens. So what makes the difference between caring and not caring? The author's cruelty. And the reader's sympathy ... it takes a mean author to write a good story."TheScribblingSpritehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14594958277392976297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4139091376044743904.post-26162636720130024592015-04-29T08:09:25.690-05:002015-04-29T08:09:25.690-05:00This post echoes so many of my own thoughts, Chris...This post echoes so many of my own thoughts, Christine! I've pondered these things at length too, and come to the same conclusions. We all struggle in this life, and through a character's struggles, we see we're not alone, we watch how they learn and grow through it, and we find encouragement for our own lives. If fiction didn't go to the hard places, I think I'd shelve all my books and never read again. Because it wouldn't feel real or relevant at all.<br /><br />Of course I've never battled a dragon, but I've faced difficult circumstances or fiery attitudes in my own mind that certainly felt like a battle. So when the hero marches off to face the beast, I cheer, because in my own way, I've been there too. And I want to keep being that warrior princess who raises her sword, not the coward who hides from the dragon or pretends it isn't there.<br /><br />Ahh, thank you for this profound post! You put it into words so well. ^^Tracey Dyckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03445222618456673198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4139091376044743904.post-35613121344270609722015-04-28T13:46:02.077-05:002015-04-28T13:46:02.077-05:00Precisely! They just feel so much more REAL. I'...Precisely! They just feel so much more REAL. I'm glad I'm not alone on this.<br /><br />Isn't it great? It sticks out to me every single time I read The Hobbit...which has been a lot. *cough*Christine Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15859881278385314279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4139091376044743904.post-27290257878397497212015-04-28T13:43:55.671-05:002015-04-28T13:43:55.671-05:00Awww, I'm so glad it was helpful!
Yes, so man...Awww, I'm so glad it was helpful!<br /><br />Yes, so many people bash authors for killing characters, but death is a part of life. Besides, in most books the characters are put through extremely dangerous situations, much more so than real life, so chances are SOME are going to die. It's only logical. So carry on!Christine Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15859881278385314279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4139091376044743904.post-34917453730816115462015-04-28T11:51:06.209-05:002015-04-28T11:51:06.209-05:00Someone put it in words, I am the same way.I love ...Someone put it in words, I am the same way.I love pink and sunshine, but most of my favorite stories are dark and gruesome. Love that Tolkien quote, tis so true. Skye Hofferthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02385765274513034927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4139091376044743904.post-22813767481724944862015-04-28T08:40:35.501-05:002015-04-28T08:40:35.501-05:00OH MY GOODNESS!
That is so beautiful! I kinda hav...OH MY GOODNESS! <br />That is so beautiful! I kinda have a thing for killing my characters, now I know why.<br />~ChloeChloe Linnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09118994984084992813noreply@blogger.com