I've been struggling with this for days, and I could really use some help figuring out a character's reaction to some information. Okay. So, this is high fantasy. And basically... This guy wakes up one day and learns he's forgotten the last 21 years. (I know the amnesia trope is one of the Big No-No's, but please no critiques on that. It has value. Though probably everyone says that... Anyway.) He is introduced to his daughter for what is to him the first time. While he'd always wanted children, he gave up the dream to be with his wife. Now he finds out he's had a child with her when all reason says it shouldn't have happened, but here she is. And she's 17-years old. I know he's ultimately happy to discover this, but... I just can't seem to wrap my head around how someone might react to this. He's an emotional guy, perfectly fine with crying in front of people. He's also very honest and trusts absolutely the person introducing them. Any ideas, questions, etc. would be greatly appreciated. I wasn't sure where else to turn to try figuring this out.
Maybe his reaction could be one similar to an aunt finding out she has a niece/nephew. Ya know, excited and emotional.
Consider what you want to get out of his reaction... for example, what does his daughter think when he wakes up and doesn't remember her? Actions and reactions are more than a one-way street... does he pretend that he doesn't not remember, yet his daughter figures something is up when she sees that he forgets her name, or doesn't remember something special shared between them? Or does he begin by wondering "what the heck is this stranger doing in my house?" There's no "right" or "wrong" way for a character to act or react in a story... however, their actions very much dictate how the story will be told. Ask yourself: what kind of man is he? What kind of person is he supposed to become as the story moves toward its conclusion? The answers to these questions may help give you somewhere to at least begin. Best wishes, and happy writing!
Does the dude already know he's lost his memory? That would seem to warrant a bigger reaction than the individual things he's "forgotten."
Unhelpful comment is unhelpful, but that's something everyone would probably react differently to. Ultimately, I think you'll have a better story if you focus on making your character react in a way that's true to character, rather than how somebody "should" react. Assuming the character can remember up to 21 years ago, my main character would probably say something stupid like "Well, I guess the last of that pizza I put in the oven has been eaten by now?". Seems daft, but I know just what MC would say!
It is likely he’s going to have mixed feelings about it. “I know he’s ultimately happy about it.” ... what if another part of him is feeling the opposite? Why does that feeling exist in him? Is he the type to hide this feeling or confront it? How does it - as hidden truths always do - creep up? How does someone like him react to that when it happens? I find it useful to take your initial reaction regarding any scene decision, and to consider the opposite, and see how that option feels, either by itself or mixed with your initial idea.
