I'm working on a fantasy novel in which my main character seeks out the true source/origins of magic in the world, only to later discover that possessing too much of the wrong type of knowledge can be harmful to the soul. BUT, I could use some help... How can I write my main character's story in such a way that it shocks the reader when she ultimately gives into evil? Also, how can I write the whole story in such a way that good and evil are not obvious? I'm open to any and all suggestions. Thanks!!
First, read Horror (as this idea of hero to villain occurs in that genre. If you need a book suggestion, read The hellbound heart, by Clive Barker.) Second, think of a climax where she turns 'evil' and work backwards in terms of brain storming. Dilemmas. Give your chracter choices where either choice is slightly evil. Good luck. -OJB
While it is fine, when planning, to view some actions as good or evil, when actually describing them on paper remember that your character is doing what seems right in their eyes. You can show the character's actions through their eyes only to later on reveal them from a different perspective (perhaps another character or the townsfolks who were affected negatively by the actions). When I have dealt with such an issue, I have found it invaluable to have someone look at the work specifically with an eye towards keeping things ambiguous until such a time as I want the reveal to take place. ~S
Tough questions. Like. If someone knew exactly how to do this. They probably already wrote a book on it. Lol. A few things pop into head. Like. What is the point of them becoming evil? Beyond shock factor? What is the ultimate conclusion? I mean if they are evil forever or work back from it. That changes a lot of the road leading to it. But with the information you provided. I would suggest the gray area. By which I mean. You don't have to show evil or good at all. Most of the time in real life. A villain isn't some Mastermind kicking puppies and twirling a mustache. Heck in a sense real life doesn't have villains. Just people who are ignorant or unsympathetic to the pain they cause. Okay I am getting off point. By gray area I just mean. Toss a little dirt on your protagonist and clean up the antagonist a little bit and the morality of the situation becomes very muddy. Of course you can do it in other ways. For example. I am legend was a book that had the villain as the protagonist! Another interesting approach. It this was a villain rising story for example.
I'm working on a story where the MC becomes "evil" for a while, but eventually sees reason and redeems themselves. The line between good and evil is already a blurred mess. I can come up with a bunch of good reasons why a vigilante is actually a protagonist, but I can also give an equal number of reasons as to why they are "bad". My WIP is partially about how easy it is to cross that line, and how someone that we might say is bad, actually sees their actions asjustified. It's more a matter of perspective. Some of the worlds greatest villains were often times justified in their own minds. It's not a big leap from good to evil, more like an opinion, and that's all it takes to be villified, or to be glorified.
One possibility could be to establish the "rules" that they have made for themselves when they're good, so that the reader understands the significance of them violating them later. For example, in Ruthless People, the protagonist has traditionally gently captured and evicted bugs found in the house. In this scene, he starts to follow that habit, then rethinks it and stomps one instead. www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDh5iox-ltk Now, I'm not suggesting that you laboriously explain those rules, but instead that you somehow make them apparent without the reader really noticing that you're doing so.
