Every good story possesses not only a character, who through the author’s lucid and vibrant descriptions, draws us to root for her or him, but who also reflects aspect of ourselves with whom we have yet to make peace, or accept.
The protagonists of these stories also face a formidable opponent, a living, and breathing antagonist, whose complexities both in action, words and thoughts compel the central character to show both the light and the dark aspects of their personalities.
Authors create these formidable and likable characters by clarifying the journey that story challenges the protagonist to embark upon.
They also know the character’s psychology and personality.
The author also knows the antagonist equally as well. A well-crafted antagonist stimulates the central character towards change and transformation, the arch- enemy must possess aspects of personality that both compliment and compensate what the protagonist holds and lacks.
Herein lies the importance of using symbols. Their presence in establishing character, presents a rounder, more complex and fuller individual.
Deftly utilized, symbols show not only the strengths of a protagonist.
They can also signify and texturize the very instances wherein she or he was wounded through disappointment, betrayal, despair, ambivalence, and even loss through death, which when involving key family members such as parents or older siblings, can and often, leads to a diminution of faith in self, others and the whole life.
Symbols touch the senses. They stimulate the reader to not only think and imagine, but to also feel, hear, smell, taste and see on deeper levels.
Affectation of the various physical senses of our readers through our writing provides additional avenues through which they can engage with our characters and also identify with them.
These aspects of the reading experience lead to a more immediate and pleasurable experience of entertainment, and escape.
What symbols have you used in your writing?
What is the most powerful symbol in your life?
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www.anjuellefloyd.com will be on hiatus during December 2009 for site maintenance and upgrade.
We will return Monday, January 4, 2010.
Until then visit me at anjuelle floyd–the writing life