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SmokingBun from New Delhi Since: Feb, 2015 Relationship Status: Brony
#1: Feb 19th 2016 at 11:57:03 PM

So thinking of writing parallel scenes with two characters. The situation is that both characters come from bad (read abusive) childhoods and punch and kick their way to success with the main difference being that they end up on either side of the law i.e. Char A is an FBI agent while Char B is a mercenary leader.

Char A hunts down their abuser and comes very close to killing them while ranting and raving about how fucked up they have become because of the bad childhood. It's revealed that the abuser was mentally ill and has been undergoing treatment. Char A is ultimately convinced to move on and put their demons to rest by a friend.

Char B on the other hand encounters their abusers by happenstance and has a big laugh about it. They boast about their position and power, talk about how their abuser is small and pathetic, not the worth the cost of shooting (a bullet is worth more than their life he says). The abuser counters by saying that they are living an honest if small life while Char B is basically an international criminal. Char B gets angry and kills them in response.

So you have the same set up but the execution and how the characters deal with it is different. I wanted to know if this works, whether it could highlight Char A and B's personalities and flaws. Note that Char A is a bit younger and quick tempered while B is typically calm and cool.

Any changes or alternative ideas you could suggest? Any examples of this style in fiction, two characters dealing with the same situation?

One or two twists in a story is fine, Shyamlan-esque even. But please don't turn the poor thing into a Twizzler!
SmokingBun from New Delhi Since: Feb, 2015 Relationship Status: Brony
#2: Mar 1st 2016 at 9:37:02 AM

So no comment on this? If it's bad top to bottom, that would be good to know too.

One or two twists in a story is fine, Shyamlan-esque even. But please don't turn the poor thing into a Twizzler!
judasmartel The Dark Knight from Philippines Since: Aug, 2011 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
The Dark Knight
#3: Mar 6th 2016 at 10:39:27 AM

You can check the "Rashomon"-Style trope page for examples of stories with multiple characters giving different accounts of the same event.

Basically you have say, Alex, telling the readers what he thinks, feels, and experiences with the situation you presented, then you have Bob giving a different account of that exact same event.

SmokingBun from New Delhi Since: Feb, 2015 Relationship Status: Brony
#4: Mar 7th 2016 at 9:34:54 AM

@judasmartel

Yes but what I'm talking about isn't Rashomon style It's more, two characters get mugged in different cities. Each one deals with it differently. How each character deals with a mugger is used to show or emphasize certain traits or flaws.

One or two twists in a story is fine, Shyamlan-esque even. But please don't turn the poor thing into a Twizzler!
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