Development - Personality and Mental Illness and Change of Voice in a Novel

24 March 2012, Development - Personality and Mental Illness and Change of Voice in a Novel

Introduction: I realized that I need to introduce this blog a little. I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. The working title was Daemon, and this was my 21st novel. Over the last year, 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.

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 website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

Sometimes (rarely) character voice must change.  You may and should change character voice in these circumstances:

1.  Development of the character
2.  Mental illness
3.  Physical or mental effects
4.  Personality
5.  Seduction
6.  Subterfuge
4.  ...there may be more, I'll think of them as I write about the others.

The revelation of the character in a novel (a change of personality) many times requires a change of voice of the character just like mental or physical effects.  I will discuss some of the details of how to portray this change.  The descent into mental illness or the ascent out of mental illness requires the writer to express the character's voice as singular and unique, but changing.  For example, a character who is not ill at the beginning of the novel may act very reasonably.  The author defines their unique voice and then over chapters and with each scene, the character begins to act in ways that gradually shows the change.  A character may have an affected attitude, mannerism, or appearance that the author begins to show as repetitive as the novel progresses.  The point is not to tell the reader that the character is going crazy, but rather to reveal the change through the voice. 

This is the entire point--in a novel about the onset of a mental illness, the author should not expressly tell the readers what is happening.  The author should show the evidences and allow the reader to gradually discover what is happening.  If you look back at Aksinya, Aksinya slowly begins to descend into what her captors think is mental illness.  She sees a demon.  She appears to attempt suicide.  She tries to get needle and thread to put crosses on her clothing and does use her own blood to mark crosses on her clothes.  These actions are mistaken by her ecclesiastical and secular judges that she is insane.  The reader realizes (or thinks they realize) she is not insane but rather making intelligent choices.  I intentionally change the voice of the character for two reasons.  The first is that Aksinya does have a true change in personality.  The second is that I want the reader to not assume she is completely sane.  As I wrote in my commentary on the novel, I want the reader to question, in their own mind, the sanity of Aksinya.  I could have been more deliberate with this (like I was in Aegypt), but I didn't.

How to project the character's voice is an important tool to a writer.  I'll discuss this and the other circumstances for change of voice, tomorrow.

I'll repeat my published novel websites so you can see more examples: http://www.ldalford.com/, and the individual novel websites: http://www.aegyptnovel.com/, http://www.centurionnovel.com/, http://www.thesecondmission.com/, http://www.theendofhonor.com/, http://www.thefoxshonor.com/, and http://www.aseasonofhonor.com/.

A New Novel, Part 68 Chapel and Spiritual Illness

I put a clue in the title today--I usually don't do that.  I know you'll get the point anyway.  Aksinya and Natalya are ready for school.  They start their first day.  Do you remember, the first event every day at Sacré Coeur is chapel.  I wonder how that will work out?

They went down together for breakfast and more tea. Aksinya was very fond of tea, especially the tea Natalya made for her. They sat together and no one dared to sit with them. After breakfast, everyone marched to chapel in the church. They went through the dormitory to the second floor and entered the nave from the back of the choir. The moment Aksinya stepped through the door, she felt a pain in the pit of her stomach. Natalya took Aksinya’s arm when she faltered and helped her to her seat near the back at the main floor.

In their seats, Natalya put her hand on Aksinya’s forehead, “Mistress, you are pale. Are you well?”

Aksinya bent over a little, “I just feel a little ill. I’ll be all right.”

Natalya bit her lip. She steadied Aksinya when they stood, and when they knelt. The entire time, Aksinya clasped her arms across her chest and couldn’t raise her head. Natalya held the prayer book for her. Aksinya seemed to get worse as the service progressed. She mumbled in Latin, a counterpoint to the priest, but luckily in a throaty whisper that only Natalya could hear. When the bells announced communion, Aksinya gave a groan. Natalya put her arm around her. No one else seemed to notice, or they carefully ignored the two. Natalya and Aksinya didn’t take communion. Aksinya was happy they couldn’t. The very thought made her nauseous. At the blessing, Aksinya slipped out of her seat and hurried to the side door up and out through the choir. Natalya followed behind her.

On the other side of the door, Aksinya doubled over and leaned against the wall.

Natalya held her, “Mistress, you look terrible. What’s wrong?”

Aksinya’s eyes were wild, “I’m wrong. That’s the problem. I’m not sure I can stand this, but I must. I must.” She stood straight and grasped Natalya’s hands, “Lady Natalya, you must ensure I am at chapel every day. This is necessary…for my soul. Please.”

Natalya frowned, “I will, mistress. I promise. Please, I don’t wish you to be ill.”

Aksinya touched Natalya’s face, “Don’t cry, lady. Just help me, I beg you.”

Natalya slipped her arm around Aksinya’s shoulders. Before the crowd of girls came through the corridors, they returned to their rooms, and before the bells announced the beginning of class, Aksinya drank another rejuvenating cup of tea. They walked together to their first class. Natalya carried the official Sacré Coeur briefcases for them both.

The "they" are Aksinya and Natalya.  I don't give you much description about the breakfast room or their breakfast.  In this case, I think a little is enough.  You should have the picture of the school and a little more is generally unnecessary.  If you assume they had breakfast in the dining room or if you assume they had breakfast in a smaller place--either one is good.  The fun information is that no one "dared" sit next to them.

I give you a little more on the way to the chapel.  The entry is through the dormitory, so that is interesting in itself.  Then Aksinya's problem.  This will be a recurring problem until the initial resolution--she gets nauseated when she enters a church.  Sweet Natalya is just too innocent about Aksinya to get it.  This is a recurring theme too.

Natalya thinks Aksinya is ill.  Well she is ill, but her illness is entirely spiritual.  I didn't play this story the way I did Aegypt, but I might eventually.  In Aegypt, the reader was never sure if the main character was completely right about his observations of the events.  In this, I let you see everything, so you assume Aksinya's illness really is spiritual--it could easily be psychological.  Just a minor point.  We get the dialog about the illness, and note, I don't tell you she is nauseous until at the end.  The description is sufficient to give you all the information you need.  I hope you feel her pain.

I also hope you can imagine Aksinya and Natalya in the service.  You should wonder what Aksinya is mumbling--surely not a spell, but is she praying?  I don't tell you.  In any case, the climax comes at communion.  Remember why they can't take communion?  They are Orthodox and not Catholic. 

Aksinya made it to the end.  She almost lost it, but didn't.  Then Aksinya tells Natalya the straight out truth, but we get little comprehension from Natalya.  She still thinks it is a problem of illness.  Then a little trick.  Did you know Natalya was crying.  You might have guessed--she's just that way.  I show you through Aksinya's eyes.  That's a fun way to make a connection.  The important point is the Natalya is thinking entirely about Aksinya, and Aksinya is thinking about Natalya.  That's why Aksinya noticed.

In the end, Natalya cleans up the mess (no literal mess this time)--that is, she helps Aksinya back where she can have tea, and she prepares her for school--again.  At the end of this section, we see Natalya carrying both their books and they are headed for their first class.