breaking the groove
We all do it. Keep lusting after the same lover, relationship after relationship. A high maintenance driven over achieving dancer. A tall artistic creative but practical earth mother. The cute red headed guy who bears the jokes about his freckles. Bad boys who are credited with being strong silent types rather than crippled at communication. Ute driving surfies that frequent beautiful girl gigs and work with their hands. Pale guys in clark kent glasses that read the newspaper. We do it with friends too. Befriend the girl that offers intense friendship but wears your patience with break up dramas. Befriend the guy that offers promise as a platonic "wing man" but ends up making sleazy overtures that were always the intention. Buy the same clothing item each winter, like french navy striped tshirts or blue jeans that you never get around to taking up. Borrow the same book from the library of a friend each year, that you never get around to starting (Vikram Seth, Lord of the Rings), never finish (Shantaram) or ruin by skipping to the end (most books for me).
But occasionally you manage to break this groove, or you meet someone who is genuinely capable of slow gradual growth and change. Not a chameleon who wallpapers over chaos, but someone who is gently open to new experiences. A few friends come to mind, each of them both young and old at once, whose earth years don't quite match their quality of company. And I have a few fictional characters who fall into this category.
Enid from Life Classes by Pat Barker
Katherine from Brother of the Less Famous Jack by Barbara Trapido
Freddy from Room with a View by EM Forster
I think that is great quality in each of those writers, to create a character who is more than an idea or a concept or an idealogy. Only one of these characters is a narrator (Katherine), the other 2 are supporting cast members; a side show to the "journey" of the novel.
But occasionally you manage to break this groove, or you meet someone who is genuinely capable of slow gradual growth and change. Not a chameleon who wallpapers over chaos, but someone who is gently open to new experiences. A few friends come to mind, each of them both young and old at once, whose earth years don't quite match their quality of company. And I have a few fictional characters who fall into this category.
Enid from Life Classes by Pat Barker
Katherine from Brother of the Less Famous Jack by Barbara Trapido
Freddy from Room with a View by EM Forster
I think that is great quality in each of those writers, to create a character who is more than an idea or a concept or an idealogy. Only one of these characters is a narrator (Katherine), the other 2 are supporting cast members; a side show to the "journey" of the novel.
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