Worlds Apart 48 - Johar's thoughts

[kaelaaw]

I had a few people comment that they were sorry that I wasn't planning to write from Johar's POV again. Johar took this to mean he had fans felt he should make his fans happy and it does explain a few things about him. You also get a glimpse of what Arnell was like. Please keep in mind for the flashback Arnell is only 14 and thinks, in pure

Comments

[fran_fic]

I am finally!!!! on a catching up mission! :-) I've been so behind on my flist and on reading that I have done almost nothing else for four whole nights now than catching up on stuff! So much goodies that I've missed!!!

Well, I liked this a whole lot! You are forcing mixed feelings out of me, and I like that :-) '

First I like reading about Johar's treatment of poor Gorlyn (the poooor boy!) but it's in the glimpses we get of Johar's background that the mixed feelings set in. As berthablue says, Johar IS a bastard! Sure he is, but as the same time... I can understand him a bit. It must have stung the way Arnell talked to him, I mean, it wasn't really his fault that he was the way he was. And though he might have been a stuffy bore caught in old silly traditions, he didn't seem to be more than just that, and not really a bad person. Arnell DID come across as quite unbearable and I don't wonder about Johar's bitterness.

Though, having said that, one can also assume that there IS an innate bastardness and cruelness in Johar from the start. Even if he was being badly treated by Arnell it's hardly right of him to go through with such a petty revenge when Arnell is already broken and can't defend himself - especially since Joahr isn't even sure Gorlyn really is Arnell, and so, as far as he knows he might just take it out on someone who is totally innocent (at least when it comes to that).

So, yeah, still a bastard, but it's not totally black and white, and that I like! :-)

[kaelaaw]

I am still on a catching up mission and keeping up with posts mission. I seems mostly when I have time I have just enough mental energy to read other people's stories. I don't even have it in me to post comments on them which drives me nuts. Work is hiring more people so my hours should go down and give me more writing time.

I had a feeling most people would like Johar's treatment of Gorlyn. I'm glad about the mixed feelings. I always saw Johar as a grey character not quite to level of evil Leisa is but definatly not the white knight Neisk either.

He isn't really taking revenge on Arnell because he really doesn't believe Gorlyn is Arnell he just thinks it would be justice if he was because the Arnell would have the job he critized Johar for having. I guess maybe I didn't write that well. Anyway there will be more to see of Johar's motives and what not when he leaves which I'm thinking is going to be two or three posts away.

I enjoy total black and white characters sometimes but I always enjoy a grey one.

[fran_fic]

I understand! I often feel the same, being constantly behind on everything... I hope they let up on you a bit at work!! That you'll soon get some time and energy over for your hobbies too!

Yeah, he's a grey character, he's a bastard, but some of his thoughts are possible to understand, which does not excuse his behavior in any way...

Ah, yeah, that's what I meant, he has said that he doesn't believe Gorlyn is Arnell. I just meant that which ever situation it would be, it would be unfair. If he believes it's Arnell, it would be a petty revenge, if he doesn't believe that, it's even crueller, even if he has motives for it. I guess I meant that, even if I could understand - and even sympathise - with some of his feeling about Arnell from before... he's still a bastard to Gorlyn today, whatever his reasons.

Yes, usually the grey ones are the most interesting, though the black or white ones can be very funny to write - as in going all out in writing a real classic evil villain :-)

[kaelaaw]

They will and then I'll have to go back and find all the stories I read and post comments.

really classic evil villain is good but I find a pure as the driven snow hero to be the hardest to write.

[fran_fic]

but I find a pure as the driven snow hero to be the hardest to write.

Absolutely! I don't think I have actually ever managed to do that! The nicest person I've ever written is probably Nickel, but even he has his bad sides...

Yeah, you're right. Writing a one sided villain can be fun to both read and write. But how do you write a 'pure as the driven snow hero' without it being quite unbearable to read in the end?? :-D

[kaelaaw]

I think the best I've seen it done is when people write deities. So the make the god of good and the god of evil and both lack any trace of humanity. And I think that's why it works to be human you have to have at least a little of both good and evil in you.

[fran_fic]

Yes, sort of approach it as a concept (in the form of a god) rather than a real human.

[kaelaaw]

yeah but it would be a truly fun project to see if you could make a realist human that was purely one or the other because even really evil characters have something about them that's good even if it's little like good taste in clothing or nice set of teeth or something.

[fran_fic]

Probably not... I guess. At least if your critera for good is not very narrow, it probably won't be realistic then... Could still be a nice story though :-) I mean, there are plenty of other stuff in fiction as well, that are not realistic, but it can still be a good story.

Though I must say that I often have a much easier time swallowing other unrealistic things than a very unrealistic human nature.