CW: this post will discuss racist characters
I have a dilemma. So, I am currently enrolled in a short fiction writing class. For the whole year, we have had to write three short stories that appear in a cycle, i.e. they are all connected, and then for our final project we have to edit them so that they are polished. Now, my first two pieces were fairly easy to write. I had a teenaged Pakistani girl who was dealing with her white adoptive parent's racist microaggressions. In my third story, I wanted to write from the perspective of the girl's white mother. I wanted to explore the mother's background and why she ended up the way that she is. Now the problem that I have come into, is that I feel as if this final story gives the mother too much of a redemptive arc. And this is not necessarily what I intended. Now I am left with the problem of: can characters be redeemed?
I understand that this is a loaded topic, so let me break it down. Basically, the white mother is racist. Through the third story I explore her family background and I reveal that her family life was very toxic and that her grandmother who raised her was very much racist as well. Now I had no idea my story was going to take off in this direction, but I ended up having the mother realize her racist behaviour was wrong and she vows to change. But, I was left very unsatisfied with this ending. I thought I gave the mother an unrealistic redemption and I didn't want to shift the focus from all the harm she caused, to: "look, this white woman is better now!" I'm struggling because I understand that racism is a systemic issue and I don't think I explored enough about this mother realizing that racism is ingrained in her identity.
I'm just having trouble with where to go from here. You know when you feel like you have been writing a story for so long that you're just not sure how to resolve its problems? That's my feeling right now. I need to find some way to resolve my belief that this woman is too evil to be changed, but also the hopeful side that people can change. I'm just not sure if people can be redeemed from their actions, and if they can, how long would that take? Certainly not only in the 15 page limit I have.
I want to believe that people can change. I think it is a very hopeful idea that some people can show remorse for their actions and strive to do better. I have seen it before. But, I'm just afraid that in my writing of this character, her redemption comes too soon. Or, her redemption doesn't give the characters who were harmed by her actions any justice. I don't want this story to just tie racism up in a little bow and pretend that it doesn't exist. But, I've gone so far and I am in a state of writer's block right now, that I'm just not sure how to resolve it.
This is partly a rambling mix of my thoughts and partly a plea for help. What would you do? Do you think you can write characters to change, and if so, how long would this change take place? Would a time jump to show her progression help? Or, do you think I should take focused on the characters affected by her racism? Should I just throw the whole story away? Writing can be such a stressful task sometimes.
Emily @ Paperback Princess
Maybe you could just explain the mother's past and the reason why she would adopt a Pakistani child nevertheless? Have an open ending?
ReplyDeleteI brought this issue up with my professor who also suggested an open ending. I think that's the best way to go. It is stressful though to think about all the different directions I could take with this story!
DeleteOK, I can't talk about racism with any insight, so I'll talk in generalities with the proviso that this is obviously not gonna totally what you need it to.
ReplyDeleteA lot of people want to lash out to fix whatever is broken or empty in them, and it gives a short burst of dopamine or whatever that *does* make them feel good, but in the long-run actually makes them feel worse, because they're not addressing the root of things. But it's that bburst of feeling better that they're after - the schadenfreude or sadism or whatever you wanna call it. Your other option is the 'things are in their proper place' thing, which is about exerting control and/or normality in a world that makes them feel powerless.
The most important thing is that it's not sudden - even when she's 'redeemed' she needs to feel the lure of old habits when she's stressed or hurt or just bored. And even when she's being horrible, before the redemption, she needs to feel a corner of her brain that isn't happy with this - that notices that the high of hurting people doesn't last, maybe, or that tries to resist lashing out but hurts too much.
I hope that helps - if it doesn't then sorry! Not my area of experience, and I don't want to tell you how to express this because it's not my place.
Just, remember that people are *messy*. Everyone - literally everyone - is a messy ball of contradictions and feels and circumstances and trying to pick their way through life.
Take it a step at a time, and realise that you've already got further than most people do! <3
Thank you so much Cee for that insight! I feel like I never considered the psychology behind redemption, but you have inspired me to explore this idea further. I'll definitely be taking this into consideration. I think it's hard for me to accept that people are naturally messy people, and nobody can have a perfect redemption.
DeleteNo probs - glad it was at least somewhat helpful! <3
DeleteSometimes - and this is gonna sound weird I know, but meh - my heart breaks for trolls etc. cos some of them are so clearly lashing out and hurting inside, and my first instinct is to hug them and say they don't *have* to hurt people to feel better, and it's not gonna help - it's not what they really want. But then, it's also entirely unacceptable to spread that hurt and that hate to other people, y'know? <3
I totally get what you mean! I always think of the saying: "hurt people hurt people." That's why sometimes rehabilitation can work wonders for people, but of course, it doesn't excuse their actions.
DeleteMy feelings are redemption like this is a process. I mean, a woman like this who is racist and always has been is not going to be redeemed over night or even completely, like you say. Maybe you focus on her struggle with trying to be better while acknowledging that (sadly) she's going to fail a lot?
ReplyDeleteMaybe too you could somehow draw the mother and the girl's relationship together and show how her mother trying (and often failing) affects her daughter. The struggle of forgiving or trying to forgive when what her mother is doing is hurting her... ?
The open ending that you and Roberta mentioned sounds like a good idea too though. Good luck whichever way you go!!
Thank you for this help, Greg! Yeah, it might be worth exploring the struggles that come with redemption, as opposed to just showing her becoming "perfect." Because nobody can be perfect, and I think I need to realize this.
DeleteI agree with what's been said before, I think an open ending could be hopeful and wouldn't feel too unrealistic. I remember reading this book where the character had a mentally and physically abusive mother and I was incredibly frustrated by the end because to me it seemed to suggest that we should believe that she is going to change, just because an outsider she looks up to pointed out that she was wrong to be abusive, manipulative and controlling. I think as long as your redemption isn't this drastic, I think it could work and send a hopeful message. :)
ReplyDeleteGood point, Veronika! Yeah, my previous ending I think sugar-coated a lot of the prejudices, so I'm hoping with this edit things will look more realistic :)
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