Firlefanz
Lady of the Land
Hero (premium)
Registered: 05-2003
Location: Germany
Posts: 1973
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Is the Hero allowed to die?
What's your take? Is it okay if the hero dies at the end of the story? Or does that take away your enjoyment?
(Not related to any current projects of mine.  )
--- - Firlefanz
Writing: "Kiera und der Gauklerjunge" - novel
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6/2/2007, 8:45 am
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Ray Oceanweaver
Apprentice
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Registered: 04-2003
Location: England, UK
Posts: 40
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Re: Is the Hero allowed to die?
That's a tricky one. I think that it certainly *can* be done, as long as it's done well, and there's the difficulty. So many authors who try this simply fail. It ends up seeming like "a way out", a pathetic ending to an otherwise good book. Sometimes it just seems to pop up out of the blue, which is another thing that gets to me. For me, if the hero is going to die, there needs to be a damn good reason, and it needs to be written well, and convincingly.
It's probably safer not to try it, unless you're extremely confident that it makes sense and works.
--- Rachel
~The optimist fails as badly as the pessimist, just has a better time of it~
Wings of Rapture - For Writers of Erotica and Romance |
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6/2/2007, 10:15 am
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Loud G
Grand Master
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Registered: 01-2005
Location: Maryland, USA
Posts: 279
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Re: Is the Hero allowed to die?
I agree with Ray. I think it can be done. Hard though.
Another thing....... If the hero is going to die and there is no way out, the plot demands it, the character demands it, then the hero either cannot be the MC or the hero cannot be ther only MC.
The reader needs a living vessel to experience the ultimate triumph of the hero, despite the loss.
Unless you are writing a tragedy and then like Shakespeare you have to really work at ruining things beyond repair 
--- Reading: Mistborn
Writing: Eriadhin
"Life is like a book, except it takes longer to get to the climax."
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6/2/2007, 11:32 pm
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Wayward Watcher
Initiate
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Registered: 12-2006
Posts: 21
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Re: Is the Hero allowed to die?
If it creates anew the story line flinging it into a new future then yes.....but its a very bad idea if the story has been following through the hero's eyes with exception ofits right at the end.
Its good to make a story you want and have the hero surviving other wise there be no story and if its being published not many ppl like a bad/sad ending.
Plus isnt it spite just to enjoy killing off heroic characters
apart from that if i could of worded it better i would very much agree with loud G
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6/6/2007, 11:47 am
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hadaad
NaNo Winner
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Registered: 08-2005
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 320
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Re: Is the Hero allowed to die?
For me, I don't usually write the ending. It just occurs to me. If it involves the main character dying, well, that's the ending. The ending always makes sense to me when I'm writing and it doesn't matter how it turns out - it's the ending.
---
Reading: Don Quixote - Miguel de Cervantes
Writing: Resurrection edits
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6/6/2007, 3:27 pm
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Reythia
Squire
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Registered: 11-2005
Posts: 546
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Re: Is the Hero allowed to die?
I admit it. I don't like it when my main character dies. It annoys me. I mean, I just spent four hours of my life reading about you, and then you up and die on me! How harsh!
On the other hand, I like it when other major characters die (or are treated in an otherwise tragic manner). One of my pet peeves in fantasy writing is that the Happy Band of Heros wades into an army of Bad Guys and ends up killing them all with no more cost than a few scratches and MAYBE a broken rib or arm (which they promptly bandage up and thus has no effect for the rest of the story, except perhaps as comic relief). Drives me batty. People die in war, and sometimes that means good people. Ye Olde Happy Band of Heros is not immune to death, I should think!
---  -- YAR! |
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6/6/2007, 6:57 pm
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mspatric
Initiate
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Registered: 10-2003
Posts: 14
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Re: Is the Hero allowed to die?
I tend to write stories with several viewpoint characters. Thus I have no problem killing off a certain character, even a main one, once their purpose is fulfilled. Yes, you run the risk of alienating some readers, but that is a risk one must take to make good art. And one I must take to write stories I actually enjoy. And if I can't enjoy what I'm writing, why write at all!!!
When you try to write something that appeals to everyone, you usually end up with a story that appeals to no one.
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6/18/2007, 11:18 pm
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QS2
Shepherd
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Registered: 03-2006
Posts: 650
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Re: Is the Hero allowed to die?
I guess if you have a lot of main characters killing one or two of them for plot reasons might even become near unavoidable, so in cases like that you'd probably have a good reason on why that one died.
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6/19/2007, 6:33 pm
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Blitzen
Grand Master
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Registered: 12-2004
Location: falkirk
Posts: 260
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Re: Is the Hero allowed to die?
I wish Robert Jordan would kill some characters. I mean, honestly, if there's 1/2 a million men in the army, don't name them all!
I just submitted a story where the hero dies. Curiously, he dies at the beginning, several times in the middle, and again at the end.
Not wanting to spoil things too much on a public forum, but the story is a little similar to the movie Groundhog Day.
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6/19/2007, 11:36 pm
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Reythia
Squire
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Registered: 11-2005
Posts: 546
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Re: Is the Hero allowed to die?
quote:
Blitzen wrote:
I wish Robert Jordan would kill some characters. I mean, honestly, if there's 1/2 a million men in the army, don't name them all!
*snicker snicker* 
--- -- YAR! |
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6/20/2007, 4:04 pm
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hadaad
NaNo Winner
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Registered: 08-2005
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 320
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Re: Is the Hero allowed to die?
I understand the problems that people have with Robert Jordan's writing. I just disagree with them.
I'm not going to go off on a rant about it right now but there's definitely one a-brewin'.
---
Reading: Don Quixote - Miguel de Cervantes
Writing: Resurrection edits
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6/20/2007, 4:26 pm
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