tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post2369944292430904994..comments2023-09-07T07:16:10.305-04:00Comments on Flights of Fantasy: Writing characters of the opposite gender, part 2Marian Pererahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15700524210146863718noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-81638827795313872982008-09-07T09:58:00.000-04:002008-09-07T09:58:00.000-04:00Putting aside the influences of the subconscious, ...<B>Putting aside the influences of the subconscious, human action is usally a result of a conglomerate of characteristics within an individual.</B><BR/><BR/>...<BR/><BR/>Hi, my name's Forrest, Forrest Gump.<BR/><BR/>On a more serious note, I think I understand what you're saying. As in, there are so many factors which influence character and personality, and all of which we as writers could take into account when creating characters. Gender is just one of them. If I'm correct in this summary, I agree - I just wanted to tackle gender for this post since it was something I'd never really thought about before.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for commenting, people! :)Marian Pererahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15700524210146863718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-51283772597849433122008-09-03T20:42:00.000-04:002008-09-03T20:42:00.000-04:00I'm not sure centering the gendered subject is ove...I'm not sure centering the gendered subject is overly helpful in understanding the 'totality' of motivation and consequent behaviour.<BR/><BR/>Putting aside the influences of the subconscious, human action is usally a result of a conglomerate of characteristics within an individual. Sometimes, one characteristic, gender, class, sexual orientation, regilious orientation, ethnicity, 'race', age etc, may be more of a factor in a said circumstance than another, but more often than not this is a simplification and popularisation.<BR/><BR/>I think you acknowledge this complex in your hero by noting that he is a 'conservative' male. There's some spectural or multivariable thinking going on there. <BR/><BR/>But I guess what gets me at me is that the fantasy genre offers unlimited potential for the author to play with all of these characteristics in new and imaginative ways<BR/><BR/>Yet few authors do. <BR/><BR/>We're either too busy reinforcing master narratives about said characteristics, or writing stories of resistence. Either way, we seldom escape into the fantastic and innovative.<BR/><BR/>Okay, end of ramble :).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10710686897335962352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-77374732873596625232008-09-02T19:01:00.000-04:002008-09-02T19:01:00.000-04:00To be honest, I don't think it has much to do with...To be honest, I don't think it has much to do with "ownership," but then again, this might vary from person to person. Whenever I have experienced sexual jealousy, it has stemmed from insecurity about my own "significance." In other words, I wonder how I "measure up," what comparisons could be made and if they are favorable. The basic question is one of my worth as a lover, not about the supposed violation of some property right.JHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07899470444492391820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-8143919070812422872008-09-02T12:52:00.000-04:002008-09-02T12:52:00.000-04:00Reading your post about the jealousy angle, I woul...Reading your post about the jealousy angle, I would have to agree--men would become jealous. Recently I watched Eyes Wide Shut with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman...there were some interesting dynamics and differences between love, infidelity and jealousy. On the outside, it seemed like Nicole would likely seek a tryst outside the marriage because of her dissatisfaction with her husband, yet he is the one who continually seeks an affair throughout the movie due to nothing more than jealousy over an erotic dream his wife had featuring another man.<BR/><BR/>I think men have more emotional reactions due to 'ownership' than women do.Angela Ackermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01808259088625142389noreply@blogger.com