The Hero Becomes His Flaw: Unlocking Characterization in Speculative Fiction

When:
Friday, Jul 27, 2018 6:00p -
9:00p

Where:
GrubStreet
162 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02130

EventScheduled OfflineEventAttendanceMode

Admission:
$75

Categories:
Lectures & Conferences

Event website:
https://grubstreet.org/findaclass/class/the-hero-becomes-his-flaw-unlocking-characterization-in-speculative-fiction-1/

Speculative fiction writers (sci-fi, fantasy, and related subgenres) face a balancing act when it comes to characterization. On one hand, we inherit the scale of myth, the fantastical archetypes that capture our imagination, the epic heroes and villains. These characters are memorable because extremes exist in our sociopolitical realities and speculative fiction provides a space to explore them. And yet, we hunger too for the achingly human character, the kind that endure in literary fiction. The concept of the heroic flaw dates back to Aristotle: a hero has a weakness, often rooted in strength. Contemporary characterization also examines people in their complexity and recognizes how our good traits are often the same traits that get us into trouble. This one-day class will focus on exercises that explore the heroic and human levels of characterization. We’ll read, discuss, play with thesauruses, map out scenes, and do some in-class writing to identify the strengths and flaws that can help create compelling, consistent characters. Writers will be expected to have a character in mind that they want to work with and will leave class with new ideas for that character's journey. Writers discussed may include: Ursula K. LeGuin, J.R.R. Tolkien, Thomas A. Shippey, Junot Díaz, and Octavia E. Butler.

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07/27/2018 18:00:00 07/27/2018 21:00:00 America/New_York The Hero Becomes His Flaw: Unlocking Characterization in Speculative Fiction Speculative fiction writers (sci-fi, fantasy, and related subgenres) face a balancing act when it comes to characterization. On one hand, we inherit the scale of myth, the fantastical archetypes th...

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