reflections on theme
Apr. 3rd, 2023 11:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
marycatelliYou start with what you start.
But in some respects, if the muse puts forth a theme, it's the hardest thing to work with.
If, for instance, you puzzle about a story and conclude, as two characters argue about the proper course of action, that it's about the cardinal virtue of prudence, the muse may fantasize about a series of four books, one for each cardinal virtue. And somewhat later, throw in the notion of different tales for the theological virtues.
Courage. One can do something with that. Or Justice, or even Temperance. But they are -- abstract. You have to have temptations, and characters to whom they are tempting, and opponents who reflect the temptation in some way. Quite possibly variations on a theme through subplots
And that's virtues, which actually give you more meat than most themes.
But in some respects, if the muse puts forth a theme, it's the hardest thing to work with.
If, for instance, you puzzle about a story and conclude, as two characters argue about the proper course of action, that it's about the cardinal virtue of prudence, the muse may fantasize about a series of four books, one for each cardinal virtue. And somewhat later, throw in the notion of different tales for the theological virtues.
Courage. One can do something with that. Or Justice, or even Temperance. But they are -- abstract. You have to have temptations, and characters to whom they are tempting, and opponents who reflect the temptation in some way. Quite possibly variations on a theme through subplots
And that's virtues, which actually give you more meat than most themes.