Would changing how a first person character refers to another character be an effective way to show that their attitude has changed toward that person? Would it be confusing to the reader? For example, in the beginning of the story, the MC refuses to call her mother's parents anything but "my mother's parents" or "the Smiths" because she has never met them and is angry and hurt that they didn't want to raiser her after her mother died (her father was already dead). Later in the story, when the MCfinally meets them, she gets to know them and softens her heart toward them. That's when she would start referring to her has "my grandparents". I was thinking that changing how she refers to them would reflect and reinforce her change in attitude toward them. Does this make sense to any one but me?
That's part of a character's growth and development through the events preceding that point. If you pop the change out of the blue, then readers will be confused by the change. It's something you need to build up over time, through events that happen, and explain their thought patterns. The character should show the reader, through thoughts and actions, their change.
Makes sense to me! In fact, I am doing this. My character gives people nicknames or doesn't call them by their names unless he respects them. As the story goes on, he finally calls them by their names. I think it adds a nice touch and show the characters personality. But make sure the nicknames remain consistent and don't over use it (especially if it's an annoying nickname xD) I hope this helped
That seems pretty realistic. Totally makes sense to me! You could make it happen gradually, showing her feeling changing. Something like that wouldn't happen all at once i don't think. But it would work really well to show her feelings toward them. Attitude is the outwards expression of emotion after all.
