Dark Decision

[NeoScribe]

Has your main character ever had to make a choice? You know, that kind of choice that didn't have a right answer, only two evils that he or she wasn't sure was lesser than the other. The kind that was made after a wretched, mind-wrecking, search for a way out? The kind that haunts them for a very long time?

I'm just curious to see how other MC's handle this kind of situation. So, tell me.

 

[FriarErasmus]

You handle it like any situation. The person weighs the options and picks (what they think to be) the right decision. Then... write what consequences there are based on that decision. That's how I do it, at least... I probably could add a bit more tension to it, but it always seems kitchy or overdone or fake if I linger too long on the decision part... it seems that in life, we have very little time to make these types of decisions, so we usually are forced to make the snap judgment and deal with the consequences. If it's true in real life, it should be true to the story world character.

Just my 2¢

 

[MrStaggerLee]

I would add that the way the character makes that decision will be the same way he makes other decisions in the story, and not every character would choose the same way. Some characters use logic, try to reason their way through it. Some go with their first gut reaction. Some go on instinct. Some perversely pick the more painful option because they think it means more, or because they don't trust anything that doesn't hurt. Some stubbornly pick the one that changes their world least, some impulsively pick the one that changes their world most.

What I'm getting at here is, the character must choose the way the character would choose, not the way the author would choose.

 

[Tariel]

Yepp I think Tariel's life is one big dark decision. Should she kill him? Should she tell him? What would have happened? Why did she? Why didn't she? What if--?

Ultimately, it's up to Tariel. I never told her to kill her boyfriend's father, but it's going to haunt her for the rest of her life, as will the decision as to whether or not she will tell her boyfriend. Should she rebell against her master, bring the wrath of a powerful sorcerer upon herself and those she loves? Or should she remain his puppet, killing at his command, obeying his every whim?

She doesn't know.

 

[sunstruckdream]

I just wrote a story like that. The character had to choose - let someone go to a horrendous fate, or kill the person to spare them?
The reason I liked it was because there was no clear right answer.

 

[CelticRose]

Neo, I must thank you for this thread. It reminded me of a particularly nasty excerpt I have floating round which I am going to rework for Dragonflame's contest, so ta.

 

[NeoScribe]

You welcome... I guess?

 

[Tariel]

I look forward to it

 

[Doubtless]

Read the first part of The Two Towers. That is dark-decision mastery. Aragorn has to choose between going after Frodo and helping him bear his burden (thus leaving Merry and Pippin to die), or go after Merry and Pippin, and try and rescue them, though in the end it may be futile (leaving Frodo to go to Mordor with just Sam, if *they think* even him). In his own words, "All that I do is amiss!"

In my own book, my character reacts to the death of two friends by leaving the rest of his friends, and wandering about like a lunatic, swinging his sword at the demons that haunt him. Later, when he sees no other way, he tells them to go on, while he stays behind to defend them. So it's kind of like a personal redemption, while sticking to character.

However, I'm revising my story completely, but fortunately, those two parts will stay in there, only the characters are switched up.

That was long...

 

[Tariel]

Read the first part of The Two Towers. That is dark-decision mastery. Aragorn has to choose between going after Frodo and helping him bear his burden (thus leaving Merry and Pippin to die), or go after Merry and Pippin, and try and rescue them, though in the end it may be futile (leaving Frodo to go to Mordor with just Sam, if *they think* even him). In his own words, "All that I do is amiss!"

In my own book, my character reacts to the death of two friends by leaving the rest of his friends, and wandering about like a lunatic, swinging his sword at the demons that haunt him. Later, when he sees no other way, he tells them to go on, while he stays behind to defend them. So it's kind of like a personal redemption, while sticking to character.

However, I'm revising my story completely, but fortunately, those two parts will stay in there, only the characters are switched up.

That was long...

You call that long?

Dark decision mastery:

~A young man is forced to choose between allowing his girlfriend to sacrifice herself and kill his father and bringing some semblance of peace to the world, or allow his father to continue to terrorize the world, killing many. There is no right way, nothing resembling a good choice. Save the world, watch her die; keep her alive, watch the world fall to pieces. In both cases, the negative far outweighs the positive. That is the essence of a truely good dark decision. (Example taken from Final Fantasy X)

If you remember, when Aragorn makes his decision he says, "My heart speaks clearly at last...." He doesn't angst over the decision for more than a page or so. Yes it's a bad situation....but I don't think I would call that particular example: 'mastery.'

Btw, that looks like a rather cliche example of personal redeption, unless off course there's a lot more to it than you shared. And yes, there are non-cliche ways to do it, even in a similar situation to yours....but there had better be a whole lot of your character in there or else it will be painful for a good many readers.