28 December 2021, Writing - part xx817 Writing a Novel, Using Parallel Setting Plots in Scenes, Example Two
Announcement: Delay, my new novels can be seen on the
internet, but my primary publisher has gone out of business—they couldn’t
succeed in the past business and publishing environment. I’ll keep you
informed, but I need a new publisher.
More information can be found at www.ancientlight.com. Check out my novels—I think
you’ll really enjoy them.
Introduction: I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon.
This was my 21st novel and through this blog, I gave you the entire
novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the
commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained,
how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing
techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back
through this blog and read the entire novel beginning with http://www.pilotlion.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-novel-part-3-girl-and-demon.html.
I’m using this novel as an example
of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I’ll
keep you informed along the way.
Today’s Blog: To see the steps in the publication process, visit my
writing websites http://www.sisteroflight.com/.
The four plus one basic rules I
employ when writing:
1. Don’t confuse your readers.
2. Entertain your readers.
3. Ground your readers in the writing.
4. Don’t show (or tell) everything.
4a. Show what can
be seen, heard, felt, smelled, and tasted on the stage of the novel.
5. Immerse yourself in the world of your writing.
These are the steps I use to write a novel including the
five discrete parts of a novel:
1.
Design the initial scene
2. Develop a theme statement (initial setting, protagonist,
protagonist’s helper or antagonist, action statement)
a.
Research as required
b.
Develop the initial setting
c.
Develop the characters
d.
Identify the telic flaw (internal
and external)
3. Write the initial scene (identify the output: implied
setting, implied characters, implied action movement)
4. Write the next scene(s) to the climax (rising action)
5. Write the climax scene
6. Write the falling action scene(s)
7.
Write the dénouement scene
I
finished writing my 29th novel, working title, Detective, potential
title Blue Rose: Enchantment and the Detective. The theme statement is: Lady Azure Rose Wishart,
the Chancellor of the Fae, supernatural detective, and all around dangerous
girl, finds love, solves cases, breaks heads, and plays golf.
Here is the cover proposal for Blue
Rose: Enchantment and the Detective.
|
|
|
Cover
Proposal |
The most important scene in any
novel is the initial scene, but eventually, you have to move to the rising
action. I am continuing to write on my 30th novel, working
title Red Sonja. I finished my 29th novel, working
title Detective. I’m planning to start on number 31, working
title Shifter.
How to begin a novel.
Number one thought, we need an entertaining idea. I usually encapsulate such an idea with a
theme statement. Since I’m writing a new
novel, we need a new theme statement.
Here is an initial cut.
For novel 30: Red
Sonja, a Soviet spy, infiltrates the X-plane programs at Edwards AFB as a test
pilot’s administrative clerk, learns about freedom, and is redeemed.
For novel 31: Deirdre
and Sorcha are redirected to French finishing school where they discover
difficult mysteries, people, and events.
For Novel 32: Shiggy
Tash finds a lost girl in the isolated Scottish safe house her organization
gives her for her latest assignment: Rose Craigie has nothing, is alone, and
needs someone or something to rescue and acknowledge her as a human being.
Here is the
scene development outline:
1. Scene
input (comes from the previous scene output or is an initial scene)
2. Write the
scene setting (place, time, stuff, and characters)
3. Imagine
the output, creative elements, plot, telic flaw resolution (climax) and develop
the tension and release.
4. Write the
scene using the output and creative elements to build the tension.
5. Write the
release
6. Write the
kicker
Today: Why don’t we go back to the basics and just writing a
novel? I can tell you what I do, and
show you how I go about putting a novel together. We can start with developing an idea then
move into the details of the writing.
To start a
novel, I picture an initial scene. I may
start from a protagonist or just launch into mental development of an initial
scene. I get the idea for an initial
scene from all kinds of sources. To help
get the creative juices flowing, let’s look at the initial scene.
1.
Meeting between the protagonist and the antagonist or the
protagonist’s helper
2.
Action point in the plot
3. Buildup to an exciting scene
4.
Indirect introduction of the
protagonist
Ideas. We need
ideas. Ideas allow us to figure out the
protagonist and the telic flaw. Ideas
don’t come fully armed from the mind of Zeus.
We need to cultivate ideas.
1.
Read novels.
2. Fill your mind with good stuff—basically the stuff you want
to write about.
3. Figure out what will build ideas in your mind and what will
kill ideas in your mind.
4. Study.
5. Teach.
6. Make the catharsis.
7.
Write.
The development of ideas is based on study and research, but
it is also based on creativity. Creativity
is the extrapolation of older ideas to form new ones or to present old ideas in
a new form. It is a reflection of
something new created with ties to the history, science, and logic (the
intellect). Creativity requires
consuming, thinking, and producing.
If we have filled our mind with all kinds of information and
ideas, we are ready to become creative.
Creativity means the extrapolation of older ideas to form new ones or to
present old ideas in a new form.
Literally, we are seeing the world in a new way, or actually, we are
seeing some part of the world in a new way.
I’ve worked through creativity and the protagonist. The ultimate point is that if you properly
develop your protagonist, you have created your novel. This moves us on to plots and initial
scenes. As I noted, if you have a
protagonist, you have a novel. The
reason is that a protagonist comes with a telic flaw, and a telic flaw provides
a plot and theme. If you have a
protagonist, that gives you a telic flaw, a plot, and a theme. I will also argue this gives you an initial
scene as well.
So, we worked extensively on the protagonist. I gave you many examples great, bad, and
average. Most of these were from
classics, but I also used my own novels and protagonists as examples. Here’s my plan.
1.
The protagonist comes with a telic
flaw – the telic flaw isn’t necessarily a flaw in the protagonist, but rather a
flaw in the world of the protagonist that only the Romantic protagonist can
resolve.
2.
The telic
flaw determines the plot.
3. The telic flaw determines the theme.
4. The telic flaw and the protagonist determines the initial
scene.
5. The protagonist and the telic flaw determines the initial
setting.
6. Plot examples from great classic plots.
7. Plot examples from mediocre classic plots.
8. Plot examples from my novels.
9. Creativity and the telic flaw and plots.
10.
Writer’s
block as a problem of continuing the plot.
Every great or good protagonist comes with their own telic
flaw. I showed how this worked with my
own writing and novels. Let’s go over it
in terms of the plot.
This is all about the telic flaw. Every protagonist and every novel must come
with a telic flaw. They are the same
telic flaw. That telic flaw can be external,
internal or both.
We found that a self-discovery telic flaw or a personal
success telic flaw can potentially take a generic plot. We should be able to get an idea for the plot
purely from the protagonist, telic flaw and setting. All of these are interlaced and bring us our
plot.
For a great plot, the resolution of the telic flaw has to be
a surprise to the protagonist and to the reader. This is both the measure and the goal. As I noted before, for a great plot, the
author needs to make the telic flaw resolution appear to be impossible, but
then it becomes inevitable in the climax.
There is much more to this.
I evaluated the plots from the list of 112 classics and
categorized them according to the following scale:
Overall (o) – These are the three overall plots we defined above:
redemption, achievement, and revelation.
Achievement (a) – There are plots that fall under the idea of the
achievement plot.
Quality (q)
– These are plots based on a personal or character quality.
Setting (s)
– These are plots based on a setting.
Item (i)
– These are plots based on an item.
I looked at each novel and pulled out the plot types, the telic flaw,
plotline, and the theme of the novel. I didn’t make a list of the themes,
but we identified the telic flaw as internal and external and by plot
type. This generally gives the plotline.
Overall (o)
1. Redemption (o) – 17i, 7e, 23ei, 8 – 49%
2. Revelation (o) –2e, 64, 1i – 60%
3. Achievement (o) – 16e, 19ei, 4i, 43 – 73%
Achievement (a)
1. Detective or mystery (a) – 56, 1e – 51%
2. Revenge or vengeance (a) –3ie, 3e, 45 – 46%
3. Zero to hero (a) – 29 – 26%
4. Romance (a) –1ie, 41 – 37%
5. Coming of age (a) –1ei, 25 – 23%
6. Progress of technology (a) – 6 – 5%
7. Discovery (a) – 3ie, 57 – 54%
8. Money (a) – 2e, 26 – 25%
9. Spoiled child (a) – 7 – 6%
10. Legal (a) – 5 – 4%
11. Adultery (qa) – 18 – 16%
12. Self-discovery (a) – 3i, 12 – 13%
13. Guilt or Crime (a) – 32 – 29%
14. Proselytizing (a) – 4 – 4%
15. Reason (a) – 10, 1ie – 10%
16. Escape (a) – 1ie, 23 – 21%
17. Knowledge or Skill (a) – 26 – 23%
18. Secrets (a) – 21 – 19%
Quality (q)
1. Messiah (q) – 10 – 9%
2. Adultery (qa) – 18 – 16%
3. Rejected love (rejection) (q) – 1ei, 21 –
20%
4. Miscommunication (q) – 8 – 7%
5. Love triangle (q) – 14 – 12%
6. Betrayal (q) – 1i, 1ie, 46 – 43%
7. Blood will out or fate (q) –1i, 1e, 26 – 25%
8. Psychological (q) –1i, 45 – 41%
9. Magic (q) – 8 – 7%
10. Mistaken identity (q) – 18 – 16%
11. Illness (q) – 1e, 19 – 18%
12. Anti-hero (q) – 6 – 5%
13. Immorality (q) – 3i, 8 – 10%
14. Satire (q) – 10 – 9%
15. Camaraderie (q) – 19 – 17%
16. Curse (q) – 4 – 4%
17. Insanity (q) – 8 – 7%
18. Mentor (q) – 12 – 11%
Setting (s)
1. End of the World (s) – 3 – 3%
2. War (s) – 20 – 18%
3. Anti-war (s) –2 – 2%
4. Travel (s) –1e, 62 – 56%
5. Totalitarian (s) – 1e, 8 – 8%
6. Horror (s) – 15 – 13%
7. Children (s) – 24 – 21%
8. Historical (s) – 19 – 17%
9. School (s) – 11 – 10%
10. Parallel (s) – 4 – 4%
11. Allegory (s) – 10 – 9%
12. Fantasy world (s) – 5 – 4%
13. Prison (s) – 2 – 2%
Item (i)
1. Article (i) – 1e, 46 – 42%
So, what is it about writer’s block? Many if not most authors and writers will
complain about writer’s block. When I
was a younger author, I would get writer’s block very often, but I’ve
discovered something very important about writer’s block. Writer’s block is a function of the plot and
not the protagonist. The correction or
resolution of writer’s block comes from centering our writing on the
protagonist instead of the plot. This is
what I’d really like to get into as a topic.
Here is an outline of how we will approach this.
1.
Problems
with a plot focus
2. Correcting with a protagonist focus
3. How to figure out a plot with a protagonist focus
4. Writing development
5. Fixing or blowing through problems with writing
6. How to write to prevent writer’s block
7. The Scene Outline
8. Exercises
9. Examples
10.
Conclusions
The novel is the revelation of the protagonist and the scenes,
not the plots, are the process of that revelation. In fact, the plots are really part of the
scenes. Now, some plots interact beyond
and between one scene, but this is the real point we should address. What really is the plot and how is the plot
connected to the scene and the telic flaw.
I didn’t want to address the scenes yet, so let’s start with
the plot(s). In the first place, we have
a telic flaw. This is the problem the protagonist must resolve. In a comedy, the protagonist overcomes the
telic flaw, while in the tragedy, the telic flaw overcomes the protagonist. Where is the plot? That’s a great question.
Almost every novel is a revelation of the protagonist. The author uses various plots and nudges the
novel toward the telic flaw resolution. What
about these plots, and how can we create, invent, and/or use them?
Except for the protagonist, the telic flaw is the most
important point of any novel. It’s so
important that most people don’t even know what it is, yet it is the key point
of every novel, and as I’ve noted over and over, the telic flaw is a
characteristic of the protagonist. The
protagonist owns the telic flaw. Just
like Harry Potty and Voldermort. Voldermort happens to be the overall
antagonist as well as the telic flaw of all the Harry Potty novels. Then there are the plots.
Now, the plot or plots are the means of the telic flaw
resolution and they are the means of tension and release development in the
scenes. They are also the means of the
development of the rising action to the climax of the novel. They are parts, but look at the other parts.
Mainly, we have the scenes.
The scenes are cohesive parts of a novel. They are the building blocks of a novel. Yes, scenes are made of paragraphs,
sentences, and words, but you can’t have a novel without scenes. As I noted in the outline of writing a novel:
1.
Design the initial scene
2. Develop a theme statement (initial setting, protagonist,
protagonist’s helper or antagonist, action statement)
a.
Research as required
b.
Develop the initial setting
c.
Develop the characters
d.
Identify the telic flaw (internal
and external)
3. Write the initial scene (identify the output: implied
setting, implied characters, implied action movement)
4. Write the next scene(s) to the climax (rising action)
5. Write the climax scene
6. Write the falling action scene(s)
7.
Write the dénouement scene
So, I have a telic flaw, and I know there are scenes. Each scene is filled with tension and
release. The tension and release are the
plot(s). In fact, the tension and
release are the plots. This is the
trick, and this is where we want to go.
We need to develop tension and release in the scenes and this happens to
be the plots.
In the development of a scene, we start with the output of
the previous scene. The author then
needs to design the output of that scene.
For example, in the Harry Potty travel scenes, the output of the
previous scene is that Harry Potty must go from London to Hogwarts. That becomes the input for the travel
scene. The output for the travel scene
is that Harry arrives at Hogwarts.
Anything else is purely for tension and release. The author then provides other plots in the
scene to create tension and release.
The focus of writing any novel is the scene. The scene is all about tension and
release. The tension and release comes
from the plots. This is how we bring the
plots into the scenes and into a novel. This
means that as an author, we have the scene input and output of the scene, we
need to choose plots to then write and install in the scene.
We have five types of plots: overall, achievement, setting,
quality, and item. From these plots, we
note that, in the scene, achievement, quality, and item can be set into many
scenes. Setting can be used as the
setting of the scene, however, there is generally less control over these
plots. In other words, when we move into
the scene, the setting is usually already set.
The other types of plots give us the opportunity to build
tension and release in a scene. In
general, it is difficult to demonstrate this without delving deeply into
examples. Instead, let’s review the
potential plots and see how we might use them.
We choose plots based on three things.
First, is the input and output of the scene. Second, is the telic flaw resolution. Third, is the tension and release of the
scene.
Setting (s)
1. End of the World (s) – 3 – 3%
2. War (s) – 20 – 18%
3. Anti-war (s) –2 – 2%
4. Travel (s) –1e, 62 – 56%
5. Totalitarian (s) – 1e, 8 – 8%
6. Horror (s) – 15 – 13%
7. Children (s) – 24 – 21%
8. Historical (s) – 19 – 17%
9. School (s) – 11 – 10%
10. Parallel (s) – 4 – 4%
11. Allegory (s) – 10 – 9%
12. Fantasy world (s) – 5 – 4%
13. Prison (s) – 2 – 2%
Item (i)
1. Article
(i) – 1e, 46 – 42%
Achievement plots are easy to apply
to scenes and to overall novels. Some
quality plots lend themselves very well to scenes and some do not. Still, just like the achievement plots, we
can pick and choose them based on our overall plot(s) to power the novel and
our scenes. Then, there are setting
plots.
As I mentioned before, we want to
pick our plots first based on the input and output of the scene, second, the
telic flaw resolution, and third, the tension and release of the scene.
Setting plots are based on the
setting of the novel or the scene. Now,
here we have a slight conundrum. There
are obviously some setting plots we might not be able to use in a scene. I will try to place each of them in a scene,
but I can’t guarantee we can be successful.
Let’s look at the parallel setting
plot. The parallel setting plot is found
in only 4 percent of the classics. This
isn’t a problem with the classics or the parallel plot. You might ask the question, what is a
parallel plot?
The parallel plot is where the
author writes a parallel to another work.
It is usually a figure of speech and not necessarily a plot. It becomes a plot when the author develops
either a character, a scene, or a setting from another piece of art or
literature. I’m trying to figure out an
example from a common piece of literature or a classic.
Here’s a simple one. Not a classic, but The Life of Brian
was a parallel to the historical accounts of Jesus Christ. My novel, Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon,
is a semi-allegory of The Book of Tobit.
It is a parallel of The Book of Tobit. In general, a parallel is very similar to
an allegory. The difference is that an
allegory usually has no untidy ends—each character, setting, and scene fits the
allegory. In a parallel, the original can
be easily seen, but the ends are untidy.
There isn’t a one to one fit.
In addition, The Life of Brian
is definitely a parallel. Even if each
of the elements fit perfectly in The Life of Brian, the purpose of the
parallel, in this case is comedy as a reflection of the involuntary prophet
Brian.
This covers the parallel as an
overall idea, but what about in a scene?
Can we use the parallel setting plot in a scene? The answer is yes.
Let’s start with the scene outline.
1. Scene input (comes from the
previous scene output or is an initial scene)
2. Write the
scene setting (place, time, stuff, and characters)
3. Imagine
the output, creative elements, plot, telic flaw resolution (climax) and develop
the tension and release.
4. Write the
scene using the output and creative elements to build the tension.
5. Write the
release
6. Write the
kicker
If you notice, the parallel
requires setting, a character, or a situation that is parallel to another piece
of literature or art (take your pick).
Now pick a character, a setting, or a situation to parallel.
Let’s say we want to parallel a
character, then pick an obvious one. Let’s
say we choose someone from history—that’s a parallel. It is also a historical plot. How about more to literature. Let’s choose, Ebenezer Scrooge, or how about
Elizabeth Bennet, or Jane Eyre. Just
take one of these characters. You can
dress them in the clothing of your novel and time, but make their words and
their actions match the character.
Scrooge might declare, “Humbug,” concerning Christmas. Elizabeth might want to take a walk after
dinner. Jane might hide behind the
curtains. The point is to take a character
and use that character for some specific purpose in a scene. What purpose?
I don’t know. It depends on the
novel. I’ll try to get you some examples
from my writing.
You can do the same thing with
situations and places or settings. For example,
what about using Privat Lane and noting a fat boy and a skinny one chasing one
another. The skinny one has a wand in
his hand. Or you could pick a house of a
mansion from another piece of writing for a scene setting. We only do this when we need to.
As I noted, I’ll try to find some
examples from my writing and explain them to you.
This example comes from my novel Escape
from Freedom. Take a look and I’ll
explain at the end.
Scott
stuck his phone back in his pocket and headed down the coast. He headed in the general direction Reb
brought him into the community last night.
He passed the dorms and headed down a road that paralleled the
coastline. He hadn’t gone very far
before he spotted a tall rectangular building.
This building appeared large with lower extensions to the left and
right. Like the other buildings, it held
no windows. No one walked on the road at
all—compared to everywhere else around here that seemed unusual. He wondered if he should hide—or at least
approach the place with a little more caution.
When he came closer, he spotted a large sign above the main door: Reuse,
Recycle, Reduce. He didn’t see anyone
around, so he became completely surprised when the door opened and a Citizen
stepped out and walked toward him. The
man wore the regular clothing of a citizen, but he bore an instrument around
his neck and a belt filled with medical tools around his waist. His face looked symmetrical and fine. His features appeared more regular than
Reb’s. His face possessed a naturally
positive and gentle appearance as though whatever skills he owned, compassion
was supposed to be one of them. The man
didn’t come too close to Scott, and he didn’t really look directly at him,
“Good day, Citizen. I didn’t expect any
patients at the moment, and I asked for help with some work here. Am I wrong to presume you have been assigned
here?”
Scott
didn’t delay his response, “Perhaps I have the skills you require.”
The
man smiled, “I’m HD08 950 Steve. I know
that names are not very important, but if you are assigned here it will help me
to address you properly.”
Scott
glanced at his wrist, “I’m CN 20537 Scott.”
The
man, Steve, smiled, “Construction—that is exactly what I needed here, and you
are in my series. Those are both very
good.” He almost seemed conspiratable
when he stated, “The last time they sent a cleaning specialist and before that
a vegetation clearer. I have been very
clear in my requests—don’t take any of that as a complaint. I’m certain, the Party is trying their
hardest to meet the needs of our Citizens…it’s just so difficult sometimes…” he
finished lamely, “… when they don’t send the right specialties.” Steve motioned to Scott, “Come, I’ll show you
what needs to be done.”
Scott
wasn’t certain what he was getting himself into, but he followed the man into
the building. The atmosphere inside felt
depressing. How a place by itself could
be depressing, Scott didn’t immediately understand. The lights appeared especially dim in the
public areas. Few Citizens remained
anywhere in the common areas. Most of
them sat in enclosed waiting rooms. Most
of the rooms possessed clear ceriplast or glass walls so those waiting could be
easily observed. The opposite walls were
mirrored—those waiting didn’t realize they were being watched. Most of those Scott saw remained quiet and
barely moving—many of them appeared ill.
An acrid scent filled the place.
He noted a bright smell that fought with the feel of the building. Scott guessed a drug of some kind filled the
air.
Steve
must have been sensitive to Scott’s sniffing he stated in a practiced voice,
“The gas is a chemical, but it only produces a slightly euphoric effect. Nothing else is in it.” He added, “It helps our patients remain as
calm as possible.”
Steve
led Scott to the second floor. Here, the
lighting became brighter. The doors
appeared solid and many possessed coded locks.
Steve led Scott to a closed door.
He stuck his wrist under the code reader and the door opened. Inside lay a cross between an examination
room and an operatory. A medical table
with numerous attachments and devices stood in the middle. It held no other furnishings.
Scott
thought he recognized the problem with the room right away. The wiring to the table had been torn from
their connections. Many of the
instruments appeared damaged. Tubing and
other plumbing had been broken.
Scott
looked the damage over, “I think I can take care of this. I’ll need tools and supplies.”
Steve
smiled and sighed, “Good. The tools are
in the workroom at the back. The
specialty parts are also stored there.
We have a computer hook up in case you need more or to order more
equipment and supplies. We a lot
available in storage there—we used to have a full time assigned construction,
but he didn’t return last series turn when they started work on the new
dorm. It’s hard to keep good workers
here.”
Scott
asked, “What caused the damage?”
“We
had a patient who went berserk. Don’t
blame him really—they don’t approve anesthetics for terminals.”
“He
wasn’t very ill to do this kind of damage…”
“He
wasn’t sick at all—he was being punished with organ and hormone extraction…you
know, reuse, recycle, reduce.”
Scott
hid his astonishment.
Steve
continued as if nothing was amiss, “I’ll show you the workroom and
storage. We haven’t been very busy
lately, but this was one of our main extraction rooms.”
Steve
led Scott to the back of the building and to a workshop. It opened with Steve’s coder. Steve left Scott inside, “You can find your
way back to the extraction room, can’t you?”
Scott
gave a forced cheery reply, “Oh yes—don’t worry about it…”
The
moment Steve moved out of sight, Scott stuck a wad of material in the door lock
and wedged another piece below. He
didn’t know if the door could be coded to him or not, but he now gained access
to tools and a computer. He hopped he
would have time to carefully peruse everything.
He gathered some tools and materials and made his way back to the
damaged operatory.
On
the way, he heard muffled sounds from some of the closed rooms. He wasn’t certain what was going on exactly,
and he also wasn’t sure he wanted to know.
Scott worked the rest of the day repairing the room. It wasn’t very difficult work, and the tools,
although slightly primitive compared to what he was used to, were
sufficient. He didn’t have time to use
the computer or explore the workroom.
At
the third afternoon chime, he headed with the other workers from the place back
toward the community center.
Scott
found Reb fuming. She waited at the
other end of the community center for him.
She glanced all around when she spotted him. When he moved close enough, she whispered,
“Where have you been?”
“Long
story. I’ll tell you later. Don’t eat the candy tonight.”
“Wha…what
should I do with it?”
“Palm
it if you like or throw it away.”
“It
might be difficult not to eat it…”
“Just
fake it.”
She
frowned and nodded.
They
entered the front doors of the community center with a few steps of separation
between them. They received their trays
and food. Scott, shouldn’t have been
surprised, he received exactly the same synthetic foods as the day before.
He
sat a table away from Reb and her friends.
The food remained tasty, the same taste as before, but it would get old
fast. He pretended to eat the green
candy, but stuck it in his pocket.
Reb
stayed a little longer with her friends.
Scott put away his tray and went outside. He waited in the shadows at the back of the
community center for her. Reb came
outside with the other three women. They
all headed to their rooms. Scott waited
a while and stole through the darkness to Reb’s door. Before he could knock, the door opened. She pulled him inside.
She
softly closed the door then turned and whispered, “Where were you?”
Scott
didn’t answer. He sat on the footlocker,
“Did you eat the drug?” He held out his
ration of the green drug.
She
pulled both the green candy and the caramel candy from her pocket. She took his and placed all three on top of
the footlocker. Reb chewed on her lip as
though torn between one desire and another, “Don’t get comfortable. We should bathe now. It’s late enough. Most go before the end-meal.” She stepped to the door and opened it
again. She checked the exterior and went
out. Scott followed her. He knew the drill now. No one remained inside when they entered the
bathing facility. Reb removed her dress
quickly. Scott copied her a little
slower. He tried to keep his mind and eyes
off her. He noticed today open toilets
lined this end of the building. There
existed absolutely no partitions and no privacy. He went to the men’s side and washed. He became astounded at how quickly he
finished. He dried and stepped to the
clothing issue. He received his clean
clothing. Reb stood in the
neutralizer. She stepped out and went to
get a clean dress and boots.
They
didn’t say a word. She headed back out
to her room and Scott followed closely behind her. When they came back behind closed doors, she
plunked down on her bed. Scott placed
the drug candies into the footlocker then sat on it.
Reb’s
face flushed slightly.
“Are
you hot?”
She
whispered, “I just feel peculiar…what did you do today? Where were you?”
Scott
leaned toward her, “I was able to enter each of the main areas of the
Development center. Citizens are making
movies…”
Reb
interrupted, “What is a movie?”
“It
is a recording of a story that you play back and watch. They were making all kinds of movies.”
Reb
shook her head, “I have no idea what a movie is.”
“I
was really surprised by the pornography.”
“Pornography?”
“They
made movies of people having sex.”
Reb’s
look filled with distaste.
“They
were also recording music and making books.”
“Books
and music? Why? Why any of these things? What is it for?”
Scott
frowned, “I can guess. Did you know
there are awards on the walls of the atriums?”
Reb
smiled, “Yes, very much—I’m listed on some of them…”
“You
are, but did you read what the awards are for?”
She
stuttered, “They’re like my medals.”
“Very
much like your medals, but they are for arts—the awards are conferred for
producing arts.”
Reb
shook her head, “I don’t understand what you mean…”
“The
awards are for the arts. You don’t know
what a movie is or music. You wouldn’t
know what a book is except you have seen them outside of a Citizen’s normal
experience. Listen to me, Reb, if there
is art there must be someone to appreciate the art.”
“Someone
to appreciate it?”
“I’ll
not say anything more at the moment. I
explored the community and went to the building to the south of the dorms…”
“The
hospital—you went to the hospital?”
Scott
shushed her, “They needed construction work.
I have access to a computer, tools, and materials…”
“Do
you know what they do there?”
Scott
shrugged.
“They
execute and punish Citizens by removing their organs and their fluids. It’s horrible.”
“I
have access to a computer and to tools.
There is some scope to help me escape.”
She
looked up, “To escape.”
“Yes,
to escape.”
The parallel in this scene from Escape
from Freedom is the doctor, Steve, and the hospital. In our hospitals, the purpose is to heal and convalesce
people. In the nation of Freedom, the
purpose of the hospital is to recycle, reuse, replace—humans. Therefore, when you are selected to be a
terminal because of your age, lack of work, or for punishment, they take your
organs and drain your fluids—without anesthesia. Anesthesia costs money and the purpose of
taking your organs and fluids is to the good of the party.
This is the parallel of a hospital,
but as you can tell, it is the opposite of what we consider a hospital to
be. I wrote this novel to show how
different societies and especially political movements view the world and
people. The hospital in Freedom is the
extreme government controlled institution in a country where the people and their
products are harvested for the use of the party members. This is what a communist society looks like
in for example, China or the dead USSR or Cuba.
The parallel, in this case, shows
the reader an extreme by being similar, but not really the same as we are used
to. At the same time, the hospital of
Freedom is rational and logical in the context of their society and political
formation—horribly rational and logical.
As Reb says, no one wants to go there—it is death, and a horrible death
without anesthesia.
Parallels are powerful and
fun.
We’ll look at the next setting plot
tomorrow.
In the end, we can figure out what makes a work have a great
plot and theme, and apply this to our writing.
The beginning of creativity is study and effort. We can use this to extrapolate to
creativity. In addition, we need to look
at recording ideas and working with ideas.
More
tomorrow.
For more information, you can visit my author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites:
http://www.ancientlight.com/
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/
http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com
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