Hatrack River Writers Workshop: What would your reaction be?

This is topic What would your reaction be? in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by trailmix (Member # 4440) on :

Your an orphan, 13 years old, physically deformed and were raised by monks. On a walk home, at night, you get jumped by a half dozen bullies. You seriously injure one of them and intimidate the others into letting you walk away. Resuming your walk home you realize that some of your scarred flesh has receded to show normal skin beneath it.

What is your reaction?

Posted by J (Member # 2197) on :

If your question is "would I make a causal connection between committing acts of violence and my body healing," the answer is no. If I were raised by monks, I would probably attribute it to a miracle that occurred despite me being bad by beating up the neighborhood kids. The violence-healing cycle is so off-the-wall, it would have to happen several times before I would even begin to suspect some link between the two.

Posted by Lynda (Member # 3574) on :

If I were physically deformed yet able to fight off a gang of bullies, and I was raised by monks, I'd believe the Lord had sent some angels to help me in that fight.

Lynda

Posted by kings_falcon (Member # 3261) on :

I agree.

If any of the monks training has taken hold, I'd be thinking about divine intervention especially if the deformaties were significant.

Just watch the plausibility issue when you write it. If the orphan is your POV, the reader may not going to understand how he/she just beat the heck out of the bullies because the orphan is unlikely to know why.

Posted by oliverhouse (Member # 3432) on :

Ditto J, maybe ditto Lynda -- it depends on a host of factors. As you explained it, it would probably take a series of these types of events to convince me there was a connection.

Now, if I felt a surge of power as I injured someone; if I saw blood and suddenly felt better; if getting a lucky kick in hurt someone, and that gave me a surge that let me get a solid hit in, and that gave me a surge that let me damage someone, by which time the fight broke off because everyone backed off because I was fighting better rather than worse -- well, that might be a different story.

Posted by J (Member # 2197) on :

You know, oliver, I don't think I would ascribe what you describe to anything supernatural. I've experienced that in the ring; it's just sports psychology at work. No matter how badly you are getting whipped, you feel like a new man when you land a stiff jab that backs the other guy up. That feeling helps you land a really solid cross that makes his eyes go glassy. By the time the lead-hand hook that's going to send the poor guy straight to the mat connects, you've gone from feeling like a punching bag to feeling like superman.

Posted by oliverhouse (Member # 3432) on :

Sure, J, I don't mean to argue otherwise, but we're talking about two different things. You're talking about how you would explain what happened; I'm talking about what I, as a reader, would find plausible for someone else to believe.

If a crippled kid raised by monks had that experience, he might not think of sports psychology. Fighting might not be part of his experience at all, so he could be naive about what happens. And even if, at the time, he didn't ascribe his ability to fight to the supernatural, it's still possible that later, when he saw himself partially healed, he might put two and two together.

I'm not really arguing about what I personally would think if I (the I that I am now, with all my biases and knowledge) were transported back in time and deformed; I'm just saying that, as a _reader_, I might find it plausible if a person in that situation thought that way.

I keep saying "might". It depends on how it's done.

Posted by J (Member # 2197) on :

I see what you're saying. You're right. All in how it's done.

Posted by kings_falcon (Member # 3261) on :

Humm, I took the question as to what I would do as the MC.

As the reader, if the events were set out something like Oliverhouse suggested, i.e. the MC has a physical reaction to the infliction of pain - I might connect the dots. I also don't think it would bother me if the 13 year old came to a different conclusion as long as it was consistent with her character.

Posted by oliverhouse (Member # 3432) on :

You're right, Kings_Falcon, that was the question. J explicitly addressed causality, and I implicitly adopted his spin on the question. I didn't know what else Trailmix might be asking for.

Posted by Zero (Member # 3619) on :

I'd think I was a superhero. Literally.

Posted by xardoz (Member # 4528) on :

Even if I suspected that the fight was involved in the healing, what part of the incident triggered it? Injuring the one fellow badly? Intimidating the others? Being victorious, or just standing up for myself? Perhaps it was the heartfelt prayer I uttered to not hurt them too badly while defending myself, or a combination of the various stances acting as magical gestures?

No way to tell.

Posted by J (Member # 2197) on :

Xardoz--is your name inspired by the 1974 film starring Sean Connery (possibly the strangest movie ever made)?

Posted by trailmix (Member # 4440) on :

Thanks for all the responses.

Here is a bit more information on the situation.

The deformity is cosmetic. The boy looks like a walking corpse.

The fight with the bullies was short and brutal. A little shoving, then when the first bully attempted to land the first real blow the boy dodged and headbutted him in the mouth. Once that bully dropped the others werent eager to fight.

On the walk home the boy rubbed at what he thought was a bruise on his chest only to realize that the skin had turned to living flesh.

His ultimate wish is to look and be normal.

Right before the MC smashed the bully in the mouth he felt a wave of malice and pride.

My question is two parts.

How would you as the MC react?

Would you as the reader make the connection?

Thanks again everyone.

Scott

P.S. Here is the link to my first 13.
http://www.hatrack.com/forums/writers/forum/Forum11/HTML/002367.html

Here is the link to the magic system I intend to introduce.
http://www.hatrack.com/forums/writers/forum/Forum1/HTML/003501.html

[This message has been edited by trailmix (edited January 11, 2007).]

Posted by xardoz (Member # 4528) on :

Hey J,

Yep. I misspelled it as part of an in-joke on another forum so long ago I don't remember why anymore. Not the strangest movie ever made, but pert near. Strangest HAS to be David Lynch's "Eraserhead," hands down.

Posted by CoriSCapnSkip (Member # 3228) on :

It depends on the time frame. People in the Middle Ages ascribed different causes to effects than people living in different time periods.

Posted by dee_boncci (Member # 2733) on :

I'd say, "Wow, must be something in the water around here."

Hard to answer without knowing about what's going on with the character at the monastary. It must be something extraordinary, and would in all likelihood influence, if not govern, his reaction.

Posted by trailmix (Member # 4440) on :

You all are right. Without the backstory it is dificult to come up with a logical reaction.

Currently the MC notices the living flesh on his chest and immediately is filled with jubilation. Dreams of a possible normal life consume him to the point that he forgets about the altercation that happened moments before. He was on his way home so he runs full tilt until he arrives there. He couldnt get a great look in the waning moonlight. He strips from the waist up to get a better look in the torch light, hoping it has spread and sees the living flesh has faded back to dead flesh.

When I first posted I had up to the point the MC sees the change. Im happy with what I have now but am always willing to hear sound advice.

Scott

That seems like

Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :

What kind of monks?

That's a fairly critical question, since the monks in your milieu are likely to have taught him at least some of the "real" (in your milieu) reasons for his appearence, which connects rather directly to the fact that he was partly healed as a result of inflicting physical injury on another.

Now, it does make sense for them to not know the details of a case as unique as his, but it doesn't make any sense for him to not know the basics of why he is the way he is. I can see it making sense that his case is simply too unusual for them to have ever risked soulcasting with him before, but it makes no sense for him not to have a grounding in what would be common knowledge to them.

Posted by trailmix (Member # 4440) on :

Hmm.

They are an order that doesnt worship a higher being. Order and balance in all things are the cornerstones of their beliefs. The debate among the monks is whether he is an avatar of that balance or the catalyst for the balance devolving. Not knowing which, they deliberatley didn't educate him in the ways of soulcasting.

Soulcasting itself is a very rare talent. At this point Raithe may or may not know that his mother possessed it. Im toying with the idea that there is a set number of soulcasters in the world at any given time.

Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :

How have they explained his situation, then?

Posted by J (Member # 2197) on :

Did I miss something? What is "soulcasting?"

Posted by Tara (Member # 4638) on :

I would immediately assume that I was saved, and that it was going to spread over my entire body, and my life was going to change forever.

Later, I would realize that I had overreacted completely, and then I would get really depressed.

Posted by GalaxyGal (Member # 4755) on :

At first I'd be appalled that I had taken another's life. But the thrill of the fight would fill me with an unexpected surge of animal lust. The the joy of finding my skin renewed would give me cautious optimism. I would not be sure if there was a relationship between my action of killing the bullies, but I would eventually realize that there was only one way to find out. I'd go out and kill again and see if my skin was "cured" again. If the same thing happened again and again, I'd slowly convince myself that to be accepted by people I would have to kill people. See the irony here? Ha!

If the monks believe good and evil must be in balance, and I was raised by those monks, then I might rationalize along the lines that it is bad to kill people, but if something good comes out of it (like my skin heals) the balance is maintained.

At first I would instinctively know that killing others, even bullies, was bad. Over time, however, I would convince myself that it was my duty to do so, not just for myself, but for the good of the universe. I would become the great equalizer, balancing good with evil, ying with yang and so forth. Before my discovery, I had barely cared about the monks' "theory of balance", but after teh discover, I would make it my mantra, using it to rationalize killing people in order to restore myself.

That's how I would react, at least I think that's how I would react. It's hard to know without having all the details.

Posted by trailmix (Member # 4440) on :

Wow Tara, what a brilliant assessment of the situation. Thats fantastic. You are quite possibly the most brilliant analytical mind I have ever had the priviledge of corresponding with.

Scott

P.s. Tara read my first chapter.

J,
Soulcasting is my version of magic. Here is a link to the system I am introducing.

http://www.hatrack.com/forums/writers/forum/Forum1/HTML/003501.html

[This message has been edited by trailmix (edited January 14, 2007).]

Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :

No, Tara's just easily depressed.