Fight or Flight?

[Junsui0110]

Hey guys and gals. It's been quite a while since I posted anything. I like to blame life for getting in the way of being able to write.
But, I am back for the most part, and I was hoping for a little bit of help.

I have a story that is centered around a character named "Ash". Roughly 4 years ago, she fell to earth. The story is mostly flashbacks to remember how she got to the point she is now.
The idea is she's actually Nehpilim that has accidentally escaped hell and lives in the mortal world now. She retains no reliable memories of anything before the fall.


The scene is pretty simple I guess. She crashed into the beach of a rather large lake. She wakes up and knows nothing, not even her own body. As she is testing and feeling the limits of her physical body, she is attacked by a bear, which she kills and eats some of.
shortly after that, she feels drawn to a rather small town that is near her location. As she's running there through the woods, her form changes to that of a human, and the pain causes her to pass out as she reaches the city limits.
She wakes up in the hospital and she doesnt understand any of the machines she's hooked up to, or the language of the nurses that come in shortly after she wakes up.
Humans, to her, smell pretty much like dinner.

I have her trying to escape, but she doesnt know anything about building materials or technology like doors and windows. She slams into a reinforced window, hoping to escape, but it instead gives her a concussion.
After blacking out again, I hit a creative wall.
Should she try to fight them to escape, or should she sort of succumb to their control of the situation?

 

[Peter Graham]

I'm glad you asked this question.

Some folk might say that it really is for the author to decide on the story and that there are no rights and wrongs. If the story needs her to fight, she fights. If it needs her to succumb, she succumbs.

These people are, in my view, wrong. Although I used to try and pretend otherwise, there are clear rules on writing fiction - length, number of characters etc - and there are also very clear "ceilings" on the number of plot devices that one can employ. For example, a thriller author is professionally limited to no more than one car chase per 25,000 words (Thunderball, Mission Impossible etc). Fantasy writers must place the villain in a blasted world with no grass growing and no visible means of sustenance for his ravening hordes (Lord of the Rings et al). And so on.

Your query is covered by Rule 734 (c), which states that having attempted one abortive escape, a confused otherwordly protagonist must succumb to her captors. You then have a choice - either she plays a waiting game, only pretending to succumb whilst she looks for another way out*, or she falls in love with the dashing junior doctor, who must then face a crisis which she saves him from, thereby revealing her true self.

I hope that this helps.

Regards,

Peter

* Be aware that if you go with this option, the alternative means of escape never presents itself and the character slowly comes to love her captors. If the captors are the bad guys, you are caught by Rule 744 (d) which states that the first escape will succeed, although she may be recaptured after a break of at least five scenes (Wolverine: Origins, The Bourne Identity).

 

[Hex]

Peter -- you made me choke on my breakfast. I think this needs to go in that book of guidelines I'm hoping you'll write (perhaps as the preface).

Junsui -- I hate it when that happens. Why don't you try writing it one way and see if it works? If it doesn't, you could write it the other way. Only you really know what will work for your character.

If I had to guess though -- why would she succumb? She's trapped and panicked and they smell like tasty nibbles. Why wouldn't she blast through them and fly off into the wild blue yonder? (edit: I meant to type 'wide blue yonder' -- clearly was feeling a bit wild...)

@WP -- yes. It was. Making it especially scary.

EDITED to clarify: It was = what Peter wrote was very believable.

 

[Warren_Paul]

Same here Hex, I was staring at Peter's post, thinking... huh... nah... surely not... then just laughed and shook my head. I for a moment almost believed Peter was serious.

 

[Venusian Broon]

mmm, that's strange Peter.

My rule 734 (c) states 'A female protagonist when captured will always refuse the inevitable romantic intentions of the antagonist and then may be tortured, but not physically disfigured.' (Star wars)

What version of the rules are you using? I've got the Marquess of Grantham third Imperial edition.

 

[Warren_Paul]

@WP -- yes. It was. Making it especially scary.

It was?

If only there was some rulebook, would be easier to write a successful story maybe. or then we might just end up with cookie cutter novels

EDIT: That makes more sense Hex... Thought you were trying to tell me it was true.

Isn't it so much fun modifying posts at the same time

I think Peter needs an emmy award for that post

 

[Gumboot]

I thought Peter was serious until I got to the car chase allocation...

 

[Jo Zebedee]

You mean Peter wasn't serious? That's half an hours editing in the bin, now....

Seriously, I think this is one for the author to call. I'd be loathe to say something, make the wrong decision and have you waste time on a write and what not just to find out it wasn't where you needed it to go.
I think Hex's advice is good, play around with a rough of both possiblities and see which one feelsl right.

 

[Gumboot]

Something to consider...

I noticed you refer to "flight or fight" in your title, but actually the options are more like "fight" or "submit". A brief summary of inter and intra species interaction might help.

Basically, animals are instinctively driven by two different dynamics when they encounter another animal. The fight-flight dynamic occurs when two animals of a different species meet.
When animals of the same species meet the dynamic is posture-submit.

Fight-flight is pretty simple; an animal will only fight if it thinks it is stronger than the other animal, or if it CANNOT flee. In this instance your character is incapable of fleeing, so in the inter-species dynamic she would instinctively fight.

Posture-Submit is a little more complex. Intra-species interaction is based on a hierarchy and the dominant animal only seeks to establish its dominance, it isn't interested in killing the other animal (although depending on the animal, that often can happen).
Posturing is a show of force, where an animal will make gestures, attack, or generally behave in a way designed to display how strong and powerful it is. The other animal will either attempt a greater display of strength, or will submit to the other animal's clear superiority.
Actual serious combat will only occur when the two animals are quite closely balanced, and only until one animal decides to submit to the other.

So it comes down to whether your character interacts with the humans as the same species, or as another species. They fact they see them as food pretty strongly indicates it's a fight-flight dynamic in which case they shouldn't submit at all, but fight to the death, or try escape at every opportunity.

Submission would only come at a point when the character began recognising the humans as the "same" as it, at which the dynamic would switch to posture-submit.

At least, that's biologically what would happen. Ultimately it's your story, and your decision.

 

[mosaix]

If you want her to escape then let her: through open doors (for fresh air) leading out onto a balcony that's not far from the ground.

The reinforced window doesn't have to be there.

 

[Peter Graham]

What version of the rules are you using? I've got the Marquess of Grantham third Imperial edition.

I use the Tropes Britannica (2012 International Edition) edited by T. D. Dangleberry and with a foreword by Dr. Heinrich Lugworm, Emeritus Professor of English Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Lundy. The Rules appear in the Appendix and are set out in bold, red capital letters, so I assume they must be true.

Grantham is OK, but isn't it a little bit out of date? I'm sure that Rule 72 still maintains that protagonists in children's books have to be wear short trousers, use words like "golly gosh" and be watched at all times by avuncular Cornish fishermen and kindly sheet shop proprietors.

Regards,

Peter

 

[TheTomG]

This also made me consider how smart the character is. Is she an instinctive animal, relying purely on drives? Or does she have intelligence and cunning?

If the first, she would continue to try to break free using force and power and desperation. It is possible after a while for "learned helplessness" to kick in and a resignation to failure would settle in, but that would be a bit boring plot-wise.

If the second, then she may weigh up her obvious lack of understanding of the world around her and decide that cunning is the best path, and lay off the immediate flights for freedom to assess and learn more and ensure her escape was in the end successful.

It all depends what kind of thing a Nephilim is. I'd let the nature of the character and her race / species (however you want to say what a Nephilim is.)

 

[Venusian Broon]

Bold red capital letters must be the truth, unless they are underlined, and then that makes them double-truth.

I keep the Grantham edition for sentimental reasons. It was the edition that was used when I was initiated as a 33rd degree writing mason. Led blindfolded with one trouser leg rolled-up I swore the oath on the book before the golden statue of Stephen King.

Also the version I purchased came with a set of Victorian character dice - persona randomulator - Three dice for women: Hair colour, Emotional state and Dress size and three dice for men: Eye colour, Weapon of Choice and Distinguishing Quirk.

Takes the pain out of character building. I mean the size 8 Satin blonde heroine, may be borderline hysterical, alone in the jungle clearing but the appearance of the Monocled blue eyed hero hacking his way into her life with his trusty Malay machete soon calms things down. Book almost writes itself from this point.

 

[David B]

Think carefully when you say she knows nothing. She would be an awkward protagonist if she couldn't speak anyone else's language.

 

[Hex]

... the size 8 Satin blonde heroine, may be borderline hysterical, alone in the jungle clearing but the appearance of the Monocled blue eyed hero hacking his way into her life with his trusty Malay machete soon calms things down.

I need to read this book. When's it out?

 

[Peter Graham]

Also the version I purchased came with a set of Victorian character dice - persona randomulator - Three dice for women: Hair colour, Emotional state and Dress size and three dice for men: Eye colour, Weapon of Choice and Distinguishing Quirk.

Aha! The Tropes makes reference to the persona randomulator, but I never really knew what it was. I understand that if a 4th Edition of Grantham ever gets made, they will update the dice for the 21st century, so that women characters roll for Sassiness, Dress Size and Number of Boob Jobs whilst male characters roll for Ruggedness, Weapon of Choice and Engaging Personality Flaw.

Book almost writes itself from this point.

More importantly, it gets written properly, too.

Regards,

Peter

 

[Galacticdefender]

I'm glad you asked this question.

Some folk might say that it really is for the author to decide on the story and that there are no rights and wrongs. If the story needs her to fight, she fights. If it needs her to succumb, she succumbs.

These people are, in my view, wrong. Although I used to try and pretend otherwise, there are clear rules on writing fiction - length, number of characters etc - and there are also very clear "ceilings" on the number of plot devices that one can employ. For example, a thriller author is professionally limited to no more than one car chase per 25,000 words (Thunderball, Mission Impossible etc). Fantasy writers must place the villain in a blasted world with no grass growing and no visible means of sustenance for his ravening hordes (Lord of the Rings et al). And so on.

Your query is covered by Rule 734 (c), which states that having attempted one abortive escape, a confused otherwordly protagonist must succumb to her captors. You then have a choice - either she plays a waiting game, only pretending to succumb whilst she looks for another way out*, or she falls in love with the dashing junior doctor, who must then face a crisis which she saves him from, thereby revealing her true self.

I hope that this helps.

Regards,

Peter

* Be aware that if you go with this option, the alternative means of escape never presents itself and the character slowly comes to love her captors. If the captors are the bad guys, you are caught by Rule 744 (d) which states that the first escape will succeed, although she may be recaptured after a break of at least five scenes (Wolverine: Origins, The Bourne Identity).

Thought you were serious for a moment... You weren't, right?

 

[Warren_Paul]

Thought you were serious for a moment... You weren't, right?

Scary, isn't it?

No its not serious, but your not alone, Peter nearly got us all.

Would be interesting to read if there really was some ultimate rule book out there. It would probably be the greatest comedy ever written.



I think it scared the OP away though.

 

[Hex]

Actually, Diana Wynne Jones wrote The Rough Guide to Fantasy, which tells you all the things you need in your party (adventuring kind, not the sort with balloons) and what the adventurers need to do -- e.g. when they should encounter the Wild Hunt.

She also wrote The Dark Lord of Derkholm, which is a novel, and played with the idea there as well.

Both books are very funny, though unfortunately neither includes the character creation dice -- you'll have to apply to Peter or VB for those.

 

[Warren_Paul]

(adventuring kind, not the sort with balloons)

What if I want balloons...