What makes stories satisfying to me
A few weeks ago, iriththedreamer and I had a conversation about a fantasy trilogy she'd read all the way through, that I'd put down after book two because I feared only bad things would happen. Even now, thinking about those books makes me feel a bit empty--like I invested a lot of myself in the characters, and a lot of time in the reading, and none of it was
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I guess I'm extra cynical.
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Like...particularly compelling villains? I have to admit that despite loving comic book heroes, I do love Lex Luthor more than Superman, and The Joker is right up there with Batman for me. Also, I hear the book Arslan by M.J. Engh makes you want to root for the villain despite his evil deeds. It's a sci-fi classic.
Or...perhaps bureaucracy or The Man as villain? (Flight of the Concord wut?)
What do you think makes it so satisfying for you when the villains win and heroes fail? *curious*
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it gets more murky with anti-heroes (like V, or Spider Jerusalem), but with normal do-gooder type heroes, their general goal is usually to either maintain or restore the established order against a force that desires (usually destructive, because that makes the distinction easier) change.
and then there is 'Soon I Will Be Invincible', half of which follows Doctor Impossible as he tries to conquer the world. that's the good half of the book, right there. of course, in that case you are meant to root for him.
what it really comes down to, I think, is that change is so much more interesting, in almost any medium than sameness. and I have a short attention span.
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That makes me curious about exceptions now. I think it's because many plots I see have The Establishment as the bad guy--a corrupt government or company that someone is trying to expose, and thus bring to justice--which will naturally change the system for the better. In those cases, the villains are fighting for the status quo, and the heroes for change. Is this where the cynicism factors in?
As for V and Spider Jerusalem...♥♥♥!!! (I still need to read the rest of Transmetropolitan--don't tell kerobaros. XP)
I've never heard of Soon I Will Be Invincible. What happens in the bad half of the book?
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It doesn't have to perfect I'm okay with bittersweet even, but dang it, even if it's not a complete triumph with everyone making it to the winner's circle I need to feel like it was worth the journey.
This is an awesome commentary and says a lot of the stuff I was thinking. Thanks for sharing it.
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I'm glad you enjoyed this, cause talking with you sparked it. ^_^ *snuggles*
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I get what you mean about not depressing endings, it's just...I wouldn't have always associated that with you. It's probably because I like extra pink and sparkley most of the time and pretty much anything seems dark compared to that.
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The Crow, to me, is about love and justice surviving even beyond the grave. It has the ultimate happy ending: the supernatural intervenes in the sight of injustice, and so the lovers are reunited, justice is served, a is city freed from the tyranny of untouchable crime lords, and everyone haunted by the lovers' murders is left in a better place when the credits roll. ^___^
As for not associating such an idea with me...well, compared to the world at large, you are very pink and sparkly! ^_~ That aside, though the things I write can be dark, and experiencing depression is really dark, the stories I love most always have light at the end of the tunnel. I was raised on Christian music and Disney films, I'm a proud optimist, and I hate lies and injustice. I feel like a natural extension of that is wanting, at least in fiction, the satisfaction life doesn't always give people that I really think ( ... )
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Pixar should always be nominated for awards. They're kickass.
I still need to see Up. And Avatar. I was thinking of seeing The Blind Side too--it seems like it's supposed to be uplifting, if depressing at times.
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