Workshop / Challenge: Points of View : Jan 2012

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Workshop / Challenge: Points of View : Jan 2012

Goal: Write and submit 2 different pieces as seen from 2 opposing / differing points of view. Both should be related in topic, time and space.


Details:
The young hero can feel his fight fading fast, his hands cramping as the grip he holds on the blades handle slowly begins to weaken. His eyes search the cloaked mans face, tracing each wrinkle in a desperate moment; searching for any compassion, any sympathy. He can feel his voice crack as he speaks.
"Why? Why would you do this to me?"
A baffled look erupts over the older mans face, and he steps back a moment.
"You know kid, I don't really know. I mean.. there must be some reason I don't like you, right? But..hmmm. It's a good question, I'd say."



I'm sure you've heard the phrase: "There's 2 sides to every story". This is very true, and something to keep in mind when you are writing a story or poem. When you want to really flesh out a work in progress, you need to understand the motivation or result from both points of view. In many cases, this conflict is between the protagonist and antagonist. It goes a lot further then just a hero vs a villain though. It's always a good idea to understand any alternate points of view when you are writing. It allows you to address those points of views, and enrich the readers complete experience.

    Man vs Man
Why does the hero act the  way they do? Why does the villain? Easily looked at as hero vs villain, the antagonist in this can be any person that interferes or impedes the protagonist. In the most generic sense, it's good guy vs bad guys, but it does not have to be that way. Consider this: Rebellious teen who wants to define their life vs. Protective parent who wants to protect them. Neither is the right or the wrong, and which is the protagonist or antagonist is determined by the point of view of your story or poem. Why does the teen feel the need to break away? Conversely, why does the parent act to try and keep the teen within their boundaries?

    Man vs Himself
Choice A.) versus Choice B.) A struggle within one's own mind or conscience. An easy extreme would be an assassin that falls in love with who they are assigned to kill, and struggles to decide which course of action to follow. A much harder consideration is the  honest, unemployed man with a family to feed, who is faced with a chance to steal food to feed his children. What happens if the instinct to take the food wins? What happens if his conscience wins, and he doesn't take the food?

    Man vs Nature
What happens when disease plagues a man? When man moves into a space normally occupied by a wild species? When the perfect storm hits? Several ways to explore both sides of this type: From man's point of view, and the point of view of the animal / virus / natural disaster is the first that comes to mind.

    Man vs the Supernatural
The battles of mankind vs. the gods. The days of the biblical revelations, with demons and angles walking the earth. A ghost story. Again, there's several options that can be followed for this type, also: What about exploring a ghostly haunt from the haunted and from the ghosts points of view?

    Man vs Fate
Death comes to everyone, but why? Giving death a personification and exploring both the dying's point of view, and deaths point of view is one option of many here.

Protagonist and Antagonist point of view are not limited to short stories or novels. Poetry that tells a story, or addresses alternate feelings also deal with them in their own way. For example, a relationship poem written from 2 sides of the relationship, where both members have a distinct and differ view of where the future is going.  Example 2: "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll.

Have fun with this, and lets see what you come up with.

Creative Writing
Types of Characters
Writing Tips from Storymind.com
Protagonist From Wikipedia
JABBERWOCKY by Lewis Carroll





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