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I watched UberSpy Super Agent Jack Bauer in the season's finale tonight. Wow, how am I going to top that kind of action ;-)? Remember I talked about a dark hero and his supreme sacrifice? Of course, Jack gave it his all...even his name/life/everything. What a man, eh? ;-) How is he ever going to come back next season and sacrifice more? That poor man.
As for me, uber-roofer, I can only sacrifice coffee for Lent. Last year it was milkshake. Pathetic. :drooping head in shame:
Have any of you ever had that "give everything you've got" moment, pushed yourself to the extreme? Doing something ordinary in an extraordinary way. I have, in my line of work, even though it's meaningless to many people. But I use that as a way to understand my characters...and Jack Bauer ;-). 24 is over-the-top, totally unbelievable at moments, but yet, I can understand Jack Bauer the character and his emotional response to each challenge. It didn't matter that I didn't believe the situation; I believe in Jack! And I think, sometimes, that's what matters most to a reader. Their hero's emotions must be real to them, even though the situation needs a larger dose of suspension of disbelief than usual.
Have you ever sacrificed something personal for the "good"? How did it feel like? I'm always curious to know, since the concept of sacrifice means different things to different people. Have you done to opposite--unwilling to sacrifice? I think that's an easier emotion with which to identify, isn't it? I certainly had done that--and yes, I still think it was a selfish act on my part, even after decades. And yes, these emotions are important to explore in one's writing, because romance-writing is about characters, their experiences, and their emotions. Spies do it all the time--look, study, and understand their enemies through personal experiences. Writers should, with their characters, too.
Monday, May 23, 2005
Super Jack Did It Again
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2 comments:
I don't really see it as a sacrifice, but I cared for my mother when she was diagnosed with cancer, followed quickly by a couple of strokes. She and I had always been close and, while becoming a 24/7 caregiver meant taking away from other areas of my life, giving to her was much more important. This woman had always given of herself to us and these were to be our final months together, so I wouldn't have ceded the responsibility to anyone for anything in the world.
That kind of emotion, you can hold on forever, Mary Stella, and be so very proud of! And as a writer, it contributes to your layering your characters--you might not write about being a caregiver-plot, but I know, in which ever form that emotion comes out in your character(s), it will ring true to the reader! Kudos to you, sweetie. Being a 24/7 caregiver to the one you love is a sacrifice of the self that few today can't do.
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