Okay, here it is... The story follows the disentegration of a character. He has been raised in a very sterile environment: his parents have worked hard ensuring that he hasn't been exposed to any negative influences. As one could expect, because the framework of his existance is so rigid, when he is exposed to reality, instead of flexing he crumbles. I thought making him a writer would be an interesting way to share his psychology with the audience. My question is what type of story would some write if he or she existed in a bubble but was an avid reader? Thanks so much.
I need help with an element from one of my scripts
- Thread starter JackFrost
- Start date
Can you tell us more about his childhood? Was he completely isolated from the real world? What is his history? What did he read? This would tell us more about his experience level. What were the extremes to his existence? Was he chained up in a basement? Was he home schooled? Did he have friends? Siblings? Writing scripts about writers is tough to pull off. It would be much more interesting to see him thrust into the real world and to have to make a living at something that requires reacting with people on a daily basis. Typical fish out of water story. I went to college with a guy who grew up very isolated from reality...without the ability to make decisions for himself...was physically tied up at times during his childhood...wasn't allowed to do anything. I watched this guy explode once he was given his freedom. He couldn't handle it. Many films have similar story lines where a person comes form another land or exclusive place and has to deal with being thrust into the real world.
Jeff Koenig
OMFGeek Member
Based on the sparse information given, I believe a person like that would write fantasies.
It's been my observation that the more tightly controlled a person or society is, the more their minds tend to rebel against that control by constructing elaborate fantasies. Fantasy and reality are both necessary, for whatever reason, to the human mind, and tend to be inversely proportional. Those living in a more balanced reality tend to have more balanced fantasies, but when you head towards either extreme in one, the other equally heads towards the opposite extreme.
Put simply, the ditch digger often longs for great adventure, but the adventurer longs for a fire place and a good cup of coffee.
Your protagonist, in dealing with his constricted reality, may dream up elaborate fantasy worlds to occupy the creative side of his mind. However, those fantasies will naturally be naive, simplistic, and childish in nature due to his lack of experience. Something likely akin to a young girl's fairy tale princess world, perhaps.
The conflict of your story may very well come not from your character's interaction with the "real" world, but from the real world's inability to live up to the fantasies he's created in his mind about what the outside world is like.
Just a thought,
-Jeff
It's been my observation that the more tightly controlled a person or society is, the more their minds tend to rebel against that control by constructing elaborate fantasies. Fantasy and reality are both necessary, for whatever reason, to the human mind, and tend to be inversely proportional. Those living in a more balanced reality tend to have more balanced fantasies, but when you head towards either extreme in one, the other equally heads towards the opposite extreme.
Put simply, the ditch digger often longs for great adventure, but the adventurer longs for a fire place and a good cup of coffee.
Your protagonist, in dealing with his constricted reality, may dream up elaborate fantasy worlds to occupy the creative side of his mind. However, those fantasies will naturally be naive, simplistic, and childish in nature due to his lack of experience. Something likely akin to a young girl's fairy tale princess world, perhaps.
The conflict of your story may very well come not from your character's interaction with the "real" world, but from the real world's inability to live up to the fantasies he's created in his mind about what the outside world is like.
Just a thought,
-Jeff
ExtremeSleuth
Veteran
I'm going to go with fantasy stories as well...
I'm working on a screenplay that is somewhat similar (according to the little synopsis you gave) and my writer character writes fantasies/sci-fi.
I'm working on a screenplay that is somewhat similar (according to the little synopsis you gave) and my writer character writes fantasies/sci-fi.
Capt Quirk
Veteran
For reference, I would suggest renting Blast From The Past with Brenden Fraser and Alicia Silverstone. Brenden's character grows up in a Bomb Shelter, in a very similar environment to your character. As far as what your character might write, how about Conspiracies or Gaslight type stories? The World isn't conforming to his vision, therefore the World is out to drive him mad.
David W. Richardson
Chapelgrove Films
I was going to suggest Blast From The Past. Also consider Elf -- very similar situation, in some respects. Also Splash.
The thing is, none of these characters disintegrates when exposed to the 'horrors' of the real world.
If the parents truly protect him that much, then they wouldn't allow him to read anything even remotely challenging. Certainly not 99% of fiction, since most every fictional story has a villain.
Honestly, I don't see him being much of a writer at all. Good writers tend to be motivated by the conflicts of their own lives, and it sounds like this fellow doesn't have any conflicts. How does making him a writer reveal his psychology to the audience any better than making him a carpenter or a gardener?
The thing is, none of these characters disintegrates when exposed to the 'horrors' of the real world.
If the parents truly protect him that much, then they wouldn't allow him to read anything even remotely challenging. Certainly not 99% of fiction, since most every fictional story has a villain.
Honestly, I don't see him being much of a writer at all. Good writers tend to be motivated by the conflicts of their own lives, and it sounds like this fellow doesn't have any conflicts. How does making him a writer reveal his psychology to the audience any better than making him a carpenter or a gardener?
Sorry it took me so long to reply, I haven't had access to internet. So far as your first question is concerned, no, he wasn't completely isolated from the real world. I see this character as living in more of a small town environment. However, whatever he does experience, he experiences through the filter his parent's have ingrained into him from his birth. I hope this makes sense. I want him to be a normal kid, with the exception that he has a very rigid frame of reference.
So far as the material that he reads, I do see it as being more traditional, e.g. medieval type storys. I hope this helps.
Furthermore, in response to another comment, I don't see this character as being a phenomenal writer. Obviously, because his frame of reference is so limited, so is his story. The first part of his story is going to be very traditional: there is a clear distinction between good and evil, and good always triumphs. As his life situation becomes more complex, so does the story. Good and evil is no longer black and white but grey. I hope this helps and will allow for some more feedback.
So far as the material that he reads, I do see it as being more traditional, e.g. medieval type storys. I hope this helps.
Furthermore, in response to another comment, I don't see this character as being a phenomenal writer. Obviously, because his frame of reference is so limited, so is his story. The first part of his story is going to be very traditional: there is a clear distinction between good and evil, and good always triumphs. As his life situation becomes more complex, so does the story. Good and evil is no longer black and white but grey. I hope this helps and will allow for some more feedback.
10s
Veteran
You're merely referring to the typical normal development pattern; from child to adult.
Make the kid a poet, in the beginning the poems are dull, superficial and reflect his reality. His poetry progresses as he progresses. In the end he becomes a known figure speaking for a new generation.