Post by curiousgeorge on Jan 18, 2007 20:25:51 GMT -5
Just a casual question: Is it possible that the characterization "issues" we have seen as of late (ignoring the "plot" problems for now) are the result of two late-twenties men trying to write for supposedly teen characters?
My initial reaction is no, because this is done routinely in other mediums and often done well. But perhaps what is happening is a disconnect between the Mesh's original vision of Bree and the situations (well, so much for not discussing the plot) they find her and The Bookends in now.
I think that even with the plot, uhm, irregularities they could find a way to keep the characterizations consistent. And by consistent, I do not mean that they do not change. Young people of this age do change very quickly, but I think basic values and personality traits are developed a little earlier and are fairly consistent. We all know the idiot who was a jerky football player in High School who is now the jerky used car salesman...
I tried to rationalize irregularities due to the serial nature of the project, but this was done (incredibly well) by Dickens et al and is done fairly well in the silliest of soap operas. To add another layer, I know many teen based dramas, e.g. Buffy, were done by teams of writers and yet the characters were fairly consistent.
Yes, the "plot" has put the characters under a lot of strain and their reactions to this strain may be less predictable than what we THINK they would be. It's interesting that the younger appearing phorumites seem to be the least troubled by the character changes. But then again, they spend days listening to reverse tape loops for Cassie clues and never complain when they don't pan out
.
Back to my original question, is it because the writers are NOT teenage girls that they have have such problems with maintaining consistent characterization? I wish John Green would drop by and help us out on this...
My initial reaction is no, because this is done routinely in other mediums and often done well. But perhaps what is happening is a disconnect between the Mesh's original vision of Bree and the situations (well, so much for not discussing the plot) they find her and The Bookends in now.
I think that even with the plot, uhm, irregularities they could find a way to keep the characterizations consistent. And by consistent, I do not mean that they do not change. Young people of this age do change very quickly, but I think basic values and personality traits are developed a little earlier and are fairly consistent. We all know the idiot who was a jerky football player in High School who is now the jerky used car salesman...
I tried to rationalize irregularities due to the serial nature of the project, but this was done (incredibly well) by Dickens et al and is done fairly well in the silliest of soap operas. To add another layer, I know many teen based dramas, e.g. Buffy, were done by teams of writers and yet the characters were fairly consistent.
Yes, the "plot" has put the characters under a lot of strain and their reactions to this strain may be less predictable than what we THINK they would be. It's interesting that the younger appearing phorumites seem to be the least troubled by the character changes. But then again, they spend days listening to reverse tape loops for Cassie clues and never complain when they don't pan out
.Back to my original question, is it because the writers are NOT teenage girls that they have have such problems with maintaining consistent characterization? I wish John Green would drop by and help us out on this...