Critical Perspective: When The Process Seems Never-Ending

The obsession that comes with writing is so fulfilling! Unfortunately you can be so desperate to reach the finish line, the road ahead seems impossible; it twists, it loops, it climbs, it sprouts different avenues and changes colours. If our minds are constantly taking in new information, it makes sense for us to keep coming up with new ideas. Our work may never really be finished to us but this can be helped!

The beauty of creativity is that it’s continuous. Let us celebrate that for a minute. The beauty of a story is that it has a clear beginning and end. Therefore, we need to understand what story we’re telling; what’s the tone? What do the characters need to experience and learn? What’s their dream? What needs to be changed about their environment? What is the moral of the story? What impact does it need to have?

To stop you writing yourself around in circles, you need that kind of structure. You need to be the disciplined parent to your excited imagination. Let it play! Let it colour outside of the lines! But when it has a duty to uphold, set some deadlines and boundaries. Work as a team with yourself and remember to check in with others too, so that nothing is getting lost in translation. After all, isn’t your story for the world’s benefit? It may be for you and you need to hear what you’re saying; but it could also be bigger and reach a larger audience. Give it some purpose and watch it transform.

The pleasure is in the whole journey.

Critical Perspective: Writer’s Tactics

Without realizing it; I have made it so that I am constantly looking in the direction of my character’s profiles; I set up my own little work station in mine and my partner’s little couple’s flat and was extremely proud of it:

There wasn’t much space but there was enough to create a visual box for myself and that’s what I did. So I drew out my characters onto paper with a list of their physical attributes and personality traits and I stuck them all on the window, still yet to make more for the rest of my characters. Now, without the initial intention, I’m constantly looking towards the window and ultimately being reminded about them. Seeing them in such a visual way helps me to understand them better for the sake of body language and inner and outer image, and motivations. It also makes them seem a little more real.

So here is a picture of my character’s profiles on the window (I’m very proud):

From top left, along: Cassandra, Faith.
Sathe, Sanity, Lucy.
Trust, Malc.

Additional insights into the characters:
Cassandra- grew up on a farm, and is the second eldest child. She is positive, and nurturing but has a wicked sense of humour.
Faith- Accomplished in the arts, and is the eldest child but she takes on the role of mother in the absence of her own. She is sensible and reprimanding, but also flirtatious, fun, and slightly narcissistic.
Sathe- Loyal friend and generous, however studious and analytical. Ambitions revolve around solving mysteries. Charming, organised and logical.
Sanity- Eccentric and expressive, Sanity is a mentor. She is peculiar and curious but compassionate. Surprising nature.
Lucy- Immediately aware and fascinated. Logical and numeric. Lucy is mildly autistic and has an obsession for frog ponds and lily pads. Doesn’t completely grasp emotional dilemmas but is quick to point out the bigger picture.
Trust- Tested and traumatised, Trust has earned her name from Sanity for her reluctance to show trust. Her real name is Angela. She is agile and dry humoured and prefers to learn about people from a distance.
Malc- Malc is known for being secretive and emotionally unpredictable. He has a strong build and a private history, causing conflicts for Trust when he becomes her partner in a task.

Critical Perspective: The Bad Guy We Root For

   Beauty and the Beast is flawless in my opinion, and one of the main things that immediately sets it apart from the rest is that it immediately focuses on the “bad guy’s” history. Knowing how the bad guy went bad or seeing their vulnerability is something we don’t usually find out/see until the end of a story e.g. Darth Vader from Star Wars, Mr Darcy from Pride and Prejudice, Professor Snape from Harry Potter. In the genre of Disney especially, bad guys hardly ever get this chance at redemption, e.g. Jafar from Aladdin, the evil stepmother from Cinderella, Ursula from The little mermaid etc.

   This is interesting, firstly because it allows you more insight into the story than the heroine, even though we’re following her point of view. This allows the audience to understand a complex level of the story that wouldn’t have been obvious before.

   Secondly, it blurs the lines of the villain; we see what’s driven beast to his actions and although they are wrong, we can understand them. This is something Belle doesn’t know and yet she is still willing to hope for the Beast when he shows a singular, rare act of heroism.

   Most people could say that this is a love story from the point of view of Belle, however this quote from the beginning of the movie tells me otherwise:

“As the years passed he fell into despair, and lost all hope. For who could ever learn to love a beast?”

   This heart-wrenching suggestion makes the love story so much more than just that; we may start to root for the villain. We eventually want the Beast to find love, we want him to feel worthy of it, and we learn that he acts horrendously because he doesn’t think he is good enough. At least, it’s a front to overcompensate for his unloved existence. That’s the significance of this line- to let us know that Beast is partly a victim.

   It also makes the lines between hero and villain much blurrier when we highlight the similarities between Beast and Gaston, as both are originally narcissistic men.
What first separates them is a mirrored version of the poignant question asked at the beginning: How can a beast learn to love when he does not recognise he is a beast?
   The lesson here is that both men value appearances above all else and even when the Beast is made into a beast, he still does not realize the point- he bases his own self worth on his appearance and inevitably falls into despair. It takes someone with a different perspective and a show of good will to make him see otherwise.

However this is when the differences between the villains really begin to show; let’s look at the parallels between Beast and Gaston:

Beast becomes powerless when his looks are taken away.
Gaston ranks himself above everyone else based on his good looks.

Beast punishes easily when his ego is damaged, but shows mercy when Belle is upset.
Gaston feels like the world owes him something for his good looks, but when Belle rejects him he plots against her and laughs in her face when she is distraught.

Beast cares about how Belle perceives him.
Gaston cares about how Belle affects his image.

Beast shows mercy to Gaston, and pulls him to safety at the end.
Gaston finds Beast’s act of kindness weak, and stabs him in the back.

Beast is saved by acts of love.
Gaston is destroyed by acts of hatred.

   This is why Beast is my favourite bad guy, and Beauty and the Beast is one of my favourite love stories.

Love is complicated and people are complicated, until something happens that makes it seem simple. People act badly when they feel low about themselves and others can end up loathing them. However, don’t ignore that glimpse of guilt, mercy or compassion that they discreetly display. It may surprise you to learn that they care more about you than you think. One day they may start to find the courage to be vulnerable with you, and commit an act of selflessness. When this happens you’ll realize that you’d read them wrong all along.

   Love sometimes comes from unexpected places, but beauty always originates from within.