Screams of Silence, Cries Unheard: The Story of Rita Landow

I'm loving mckk and Chickenfreak here,

Thanks for the awesome responses including Animal Farm. But what I am getting at here (sorry, I am impatient) is that the very first thing I thought was that the actual event, memory, and pain is too visceral and fresh to be related traditionally. Okay, grab your heads 'cause they might explode them but, now think "Life of Pie" and "Pan's Labyrinth."

The story is so shocking and unpalatable that it has to be told in a disconnected way; a fox as opposed to a person. This story could even be considered a mask memory for something more horrific. The protagonist now believes that they are a fox.

I am not saying that is the reality. That is just where I was going after reading the concept.

Kelson Hargis

 

I must admit, I assumed the 'red fox' in your post was actually a typo of some sort, and just passed it by.

Now that I know it is a red fox ...humm... I'd have to see how it all works out. I think I'm in league with the other dubious responders on this thread. I'm not sure the idea is very engaging, and I don't actually see the point.

What is it that you want readers to take away from this? If you're writing her as a fox, what do you want readers to see? The difference between foxes and humans? The similarity between foxes and humans? Or do you want us to just pretend this fox IS a human? If so, why?

I suppose if you're attempting to reach children with this story, and maybe make abused children understand what's happening to them, a fox might be a good character. But then the fox murders her father? That seems pretty adult to me.

Hmmm...

 

what are the titles, so we can check them out on amazon to see how it works?... and what market do they target?... children's, YA, or adult?...

self-pubbed, or do you intend to submit to agents and traditional presses?... what market is this one aimed at?...

...they're aimed at children... and in re books mentioned above the watership down rabbits are still rabbits living like rabbits and in animal farm, the barnyard animal characters still live like their real animal counterparts, even though they speak and act in human ways... they don't tie people to beds or go to universities...

... the problem i see with your anthropomorphizing your characters so completely is that the subject matter is way too adult for children, but i can't see enough adults wanting to read about animals as you're writing them... so with no clear, sizable market for the book, it's not going to interest agents or paying publishers...

 

Overshadowing would not be my concern. Undermining would be. As I said earlier, writers usually have a reason for presenting a story a particular way. That reason usually has something to do with the manner in which the reader will receive it. Since you plan on pursuing publication, I would think that would be a concern for you. Every novel I've attempted has been with the goal of being published, and so my decisions were made with the reader in mind (the fact that I've yet to actually succeed in getting one published does not change that, it just indicates that, like most other writers, I'm experiencing the learning curve). But from your earlier post, I surmise that your reason for choosing this method is strictly based on your own comfort level in addressing the subject matter.

It's painful stuff. There's no way around that. I once had a girlfriend who had been sexually abused (though not by her father), and it ultimately sabotaged our relationship (and any others she might have had), and I'm not sure I could write about it. Maybe making it about foxes helps you deal with it, I don't know. I'm just guessing (and if I'm wrong, please don't be offended). All I'm saying is that there doesn't seem to be an upside to the reader in presenting it in this way, and there could be a significant downside. But these are the calls we all have to make on our own.

Actually, I've always thought that the real genius of Looney Tunes was that they worked on both the child and the adult level. The first time I saw a Roadrunner cartoon, I was seven years old and at the movies with both my parents. I had never seen my father laugh so hard.

"The Defiant Ones" starred Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier as escaped convicts in the South still shackled together. You might want to rent it to see what I mean. Good flick.

 

Oops. Double post.

 

My issue with the "red fox" part is that so far, it appears that your anthropomorphic animals are not different from humans in any way. They're small children at three, adults at eighteen, they can drive, they can take drugs, they live in houses, they live with their parents unti adulthood, they presumably have hands with opposable thumbs rather than paws because they can tie ropes, and so on. It appears, based on this one character, that they live in family groups rather than packs, and that they give birth to single offspring rather than litters.

Maybe the difference between the animals and humans just hasn't come out yet in the discussion, but if there is no difference, then it seems to me that the anthropomorphic animal aspect of the story adds distraction without adding anything else.

 

mammamaia--Given the subject matter of rape and abuse, I would say that the market for this novel is not children, but rather adults. The only published work of mine that can be found on Amazon is "Founders' Island," the story of a raccoon by the name of Colin Phillips trying to put his life back in order following a kidnapping. Once again, given the subject matter, the novel is marketed towards adults. In my viewpoint, you yourself are presenting the idea of the protagonist as a fox as a problem. I do not see this as a problem by any means given the critical success of films such as "Ratatouille" or "Finding Nemo." I have yet to come across a review asking the question, "Why a rat/fish? Why not an animal?" While Pixar's films are mainly targeted at kids, they are also targeted at adults. To my knowledge, no critic has a problem with the protagonist being an animal just as long as that anthropomorphic character is well-written, well-developed, likable, and can be related to in some way.

jannert--Why does there need to be a point to the character being a fox? What I'm not getting is why the character being a fox is such an issue. Who cares if the character is a fox or a human? What should be mattering is the story since we already have the character(s) for our story out of the way.

EdFromNY--I may be writing the character as a fox for my own comfort level. I don't know.

No offense to anyone intended here (I'm just really frustrated at the moment), but if everyone came from the mindset that having animals as protagonists is a no-no in writing and animals as protagonists should only be aimed at children, we wouldn't have some of our most iconic cartoon characters. Almost all, if not most of them, are animals. Animals as protagonists, regardless of target demographic, can be successful. For example, the comic strip "Over the Hedge" by Michael Fry and T. Lewis has been quite successful. If you have seen the film that is based on this comic strip, then you should be able to tell what the comic strip centers on. The comic strip as a social commentary of sorts (think of the "South Park" episode "Woodland Critter Christmas" getting its own spin-off series and you've pretty much got "Over the Hedge"), commentating on what is currently trending in the media, discussing politics, religion, evolution, science, The Big Bang, society's obsessions, etc. My point being that if the characters as animals can work well within the story, who cares whether they're animals or humans?!

 

But you do realise that the protagonist being a fish or a rat adds to the film? There are many references made about fish and rats, therefore making them not human. And we know they're not human. They're rats and fish. If you want to go ahead and write it as a red fox, go right ahead, but I merely commented on the films you suggested were like your books, which they are not.

 

That is the whole point of anthropomorphic animals. They have human characteristics. Regardless, you are right; it wouldn't hurt to do some research. For example, when Rita first gets to Toronto, she makes a den by some train tracks to serve as her home until she can find her brother.

 

Anthropomorphic animals in serious context are not publishable? May I recomend Art Spiegelman's "Maus", a graphic novel about Holocaust with mice, cats and pigs all over

and please don't anyone tell me they let their kids watch "Fritz the Cat"... it's NOT Felix!!!

 

True, but a fox getting to Toronto via plane, train, bus helps move the plot forward. Having her walk all the way there would be boring. I get what you're saying, but you have to remember that writers do this sort of thing all the time.

 

Thank you! Finally, someone who gets it! As has already been stated, "Watership Down" was very graphic and a lot of Don Bluth's films (such as "All Dogs Go to Heaven" and "The Secret of NIMH") tackle serious themes. A lot of Pixar's films deal with serious themes as well. The point I'm trying to make is that most people do not care what the character is (animal, human, toy, car, etc). As long as the character is three-dimensional, well-developed, and likable, then most people will like that character, regardless of what or who they are.

 

I think we've really wandered away from the point of this thread - you're clearly dead set on writing your character as a fox, and I just reread your original post, where you asked for help. However, "help" is an extremely broad term.

What exactly do you need help with? Be more specific.

Then maybe we can all stop debating about an issue that you've already made up your mind about (and discussions on this topic should be in a new thread anyway) and actually get on with helping you achieve what you want

 

Completely agree with you 100%. If anyone would like to discuss this more, then we can create a new thread on it and discuss it there. What I basically need help with, Mckk, is the plot. The story revolves around Rita and her recovery, but I'm kind of clueless as to where to go from there and/or how to write about her recovery. Someone in another group said that doing it via therapy sessions would be boring. Like I said, I have done research on the signs and effects of sexual abuse and I have contacted Pandora's Aquarium to help me with this as well. I hope to speak to the members on that forum in hopes that they can help me with the plot and making Rita's character as realistic and believable as possible. If anyone would like to co-author with me, that would be good since I think having someone reading and critiquing the novel would assist me greatly. I would like to include more characters besides Rita, her brother, and his boyfriend. Like, maybe have her bond with a raccoon who also had a troubling childhood with his father or something like that and maybe have her meet a young girl opossum who causes her to question her sexuality and finally have her meet another raccoon whom she eventually falls in love with. Rita's goal is clear, but the obstacles and opposition that she faces to achieve aren't.

 

But Bugs Bunny, for example, lives in a hole in the ground, craves carrots, and is hunted by people who crave rabbit stew. Sure, the hole in the ground (if I recall correctly) is the equivalent of a rambling underground Playboy-esque mansion, but it is nevertheless entered through a hole in the ground.

Ratty, Mole, and Badger in _The Wind In The Willows_ live in den-like homes - they have furniture and teapots, but there's at least a gesture toward animal-like dwellings. The animals in _Rabbit Hill_ similarly live in dwellings that have an animal-like vibe, and they have characteristics based on what they are - Willie Fieldmouse has a huge family, for example, and Phewie the skunk gets much of his diet from garbage cans.

Lous in _The Trumpet of the Swan_ has no voice, and has to use a blackboard and chalk to communicate, and wear his trumpet around his neck. He has a friend cut the webbing between his toes to allow him to play different notes on the trumpet. He keeps his salary in a waterproof moneybag. When he gets a job that pays for lodging in the Ritz Hotel, he sleeps in the bathtub floating on the water, rather than in the bed. The zoo that hires him agrees not to clip his wings, but wants to clip the wings of his girlfriend. There's a lot of detail that addresses the ways that he, as an animal, is interacting in the human world.

Mrs. Frisby's home is about to plowed up by a farmer, and the Rats of NIMH are forming a plan to live free of dependence on humans.

To a greater or lesser degree, all of these animals are _animals_, with characteristics that separate them from humans.

You may have similar ways that your fox is like an animal as well as like a human - and the den by the railroad tracks is a good start. But in the discussion, I'm not seeing much of those ways. I'm seeing her as essentially identical to a human - rather like a werewolf on the 28 days a month when the moon isn't full, and without the other two days ever happening. But even werewolves are generally depicted with some special characteristics - Oz in Buffy could smell that his girlfriend Willow was frightened, for example, even when he wasn't in wolf form.

It's clear that you're using the fox idea. That's fine. I'm suggesting that you _use_ it, instead of just having an otherwise completely normal human being who (I'm guessing?) happens to have fur and pointed ears.

I would still suggest giving her a specific goal. Maybe she wants to clear herself of her father's murder. Or buy the old family homestead that her grandparents used to own. Or become an artist and have a work displayed in a particular gallery or museum. Or form a political party for civil rights for foxes. Maybe the story imposes a goal on her - for example, maybe she has to outwit the detective who's tracking her for her father's murder.

 

I've never read The Wind in the Willows or The Trumpet of the Swan. Pretty much the only character that I'm familiar with is Mrs. Frisby. I have absolutely no clue what you mean by having her act like an animal. Considering the fact that she lives in the human world and uses human resources (Internet, phone, email, etc) to find her brother, that would be hard to do. I could have her living in the den and going down to the local Internet cafe to search for her brother. It seems logical that one of the neighbors would report the burning house to the local Vancouver Police Department and add that they saw a red fox fleeing the scene, thus prompting a detective to try to track her down for questioning. The idea of Rita forming a political party for civil rights for foxes seems laughable considering the fact that you insist that the main character act like a fox. While going to school and living with her brother and his boyfriend, her brother suggests that she get into music to let her vent, get rid of her anger and frustration. Writing music helps her cope with her childhood abuse while going to therapy, as well as help other victims.

 

How explicit is this story? Does the fox have similar cognitive abilities as us humans? Do foxes and raccoons deal with trauma like humans, so should we basically see them as humans in this conversations? I mean, that's kind of important to know so that we can help you...

You have received a lot of suggestions in this thread and you have several good ideas yourself, so I think you just have to sit down and write it all out, test what works, what doesn't. You won't truly know it until you've written it.

Therapy doesn't have to be boring. Maybe she checks in to a mental hospital. Those places can be awful. She could meet the possum there. Maybe she gets addicted to opiates or some other drug that helps her with her mental problems, trauma, difficulties with sleeping etc. Again, horrible and so not boring.

 

What she said. Seriously though, write everything out, link certain ideas together, and if they work, then great, and if not, then keep linking certain ideas together until your story is beginning to take shape.

 

smitty...
the majority of the adult audience go to the movies you've listed only because they take their kids to see them... only a rare few would ever shell out ten bucks a head to see animated, animal-charactered movies...

as for the graphic novels, they were largely pictures!... in effect, just still versions of animated movies... if they had been text-only books, there's no way they would have sold as well... or even been published... and the only drawing power of 'fritz, the cat' was its pornograhic nature...

what you're writing is a text-only, novel about animals living and acting as if they're humans [not living as animals, the way they do in 'animal farm'], having human hands and feet, it seems, which is going to be hard for readers to accept... also, it doesn't have the overt socio-political impact of orwell's seminal work, and you don't have the status of eric blair/george orwell, whose career as a newspaper columnist and literary critic up to the time he wrote it assured his publishers of a wide enough market for the satire...

all of which is why i can't see what/who your target market can possibly be... and with no economically viable market for it, i can't see any agents/publishers being at all interested in taking it on... so, i just want you to be prepared to have to self-publish your book and sell it on your own, instead of hoping some traditional publisher will want to pay you for it...

 

Just scrapped my whole comment after I realised you are writing about a fox.

ps. DO NOT lurk around survivors of abuse forums. It is always against their rules, for a very good reason. Psychopaths, rapists and paedophiles try to infiltrate those forums for personal kicks all the time (or even to target new victims). It is a place where survivors and those close to them gather to talk to each other in confidence. You joining just to check whether you got your story right, would be abusing their trust by joining under false pretences.

 

Might not be a bad idea to read some of Brian Jacques' work. The guy made an entire career out of novels of anthropomorphized animals, and although they're generally targeted at ages 10 and up, a lot of adults read them as well. He's the only guy I can think of offhand who has made a whole career out of this. Tad Williams wrote a successful adult novel about anthropomorphized cats called Tailchaser's song.

http://www.us.penguingroup.com/static/pages/authors/popular/brianjacques.html

 

"The novel is set in the world as cats see it, with Man being a mysterious and distrusted creature in the eyes of feral cats. The cats see themselves as the first and most important species. Their myths view humans, or "M'an" as a race of deformed descendants of cats. "

OMG, that might be the cutest novel imaginable.

 

saying Fritz is all about pornography is like saying Watership Down is all about cute little bunnies...

I can't believe that in the year 2013 somebody goes on the rant to dismiss an interesting and fresh idea on the basis of populism and pseudo-marketing predictions... Is it reasonable to think of literature as mere production and of books as yet another product?



...and "grown ups don't watch animated movies" and "animation = for kids"???

 

Hm, I'll just warn you re co-authoring. What you described in terms of someone reading and critiquing your book is NOT co-authoring. What you described is a beta-reader, or an editor whom you can hire (the good ones are expensive and the bad ones are worthless). If you were to "co-author" your book, then you will have to do exactly what it says on the tin - eg. the second person is as much an author of the story as you are, and he will have as much say in the story as you. He will make decisions about characters and plot and have visions for the work, and you would have to work with him. You don't get final say in where you want to take it. And his name, the co-author, will be on the book. This amounts to handing over your absolute right and authority over the story and accepting it as two people's story, not just your own. Do not co-author unless you're willing to do this.

As for plot - that you're gonna have to think about yourself. It's your story, so you'll need to give us some specifics of your plot and then we could advise you etc. For example, consider - HOW is Rita going to recover? What needs to happen to make her think, to take her to this place where she's come to terms with the person that she's become? Personally I'm not sure you ever "recover" - this is just a personal impression, I have not experienced this and have not studied this - but it seems that it is something that stays with you and shapes who you are today. Considering this, I would assume "recovery" actually means that you've come to terms with who you are today, and I guess how you choose to use that pain inside you for something better. Again, just an uneducated impression of mine.

Rape survivors often blame themselves - I imagine this is similar with other sexual assault - so that would be Rita's first stop. How does she deal with her guilt? And what showed her, finally, that it wasn't her fault? How does this guilt shape her and the way she sees the world, and how does this change once more when she finally lets go of her guilt?

Some people on the thread have already asked you - what is Rita's goal? Write it down, and now write out how that can be achieved. A plot will start emerging when you finally know what are some of the key events in your book.

I've heard of a film called Speak - it stars Kristen Stewart from Twilight. Stewart plays a girl who was raped, which leads her to stop speaking. I've never seen the film, so can't tell you if it's any good, but according to the wiki article, at the end, Stewart finally overcomes her emotions and confronts her rapist, and she finally speaks again. I know it's a film, but it does sound like it is a film that focuses on recovery from sexual assault. Worth a look I think.

One more word on the whole fox issue - be prepared that you won't reach a large audience, at all. I think having been on this thread, you know by now that few people will understand your concepts, let alone accept it. As such, it will not reach many readers, and thus not make as much of an impact as you might have wanted with a book like this. Just bear this in mind. You gotta write what you gotta write, I hope it works out for you!

 

[MENTION=34950]Burlbird[/MENTION] - New and fresh just for its own sake is rarely, if ever, an effective idea for telling any story.
[MENTION=55723]Smitty91[/MENTION] - you've gotten input from several of us, at least one of whom (@mammamaia) is experienced in the field. No one - certainly, not I - will tell you not to do something, but we will - and have - render honest opinions about what we think will work and won't. As I said earlier, these are the calls every writer has to make for him/herself. My advice is to think carefully about what you are trying to accomplish (I always have a reason for writing something a certain way), what is the best way to get there and then go.

I have one other thought - I get the impression that this is your first attempt at a novel. First attempts rarely get published (although it does happen). Mostly, they wind up being valuable learning experiences. So sitting down and actually writing it will likely be of value no matter which approach you take. Good luck with it.