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The Last Captain has some pretty intense stuff coming up, and I'm wondering if I should actually write the male torturing a female scene out or gloss over it. I think it might build and develop the torturer quite a bit. We already know he's an evil fucker, but this might assist in developing the creep factor.
The torture victim is no saint, either. Indeed, she's quite the gold-digger, though she has her very legitimate reasons.
On the fence on this one, but I'm gonna write it anyway, just to get it out. I'l decide later on whether to keep it or not.
Just so you know, the novel is already rated R for the violence and language, if nothing else.
Any thoughts, readers? It would be helpful to have your feedback.
Thanks, in advance.
A point of view from a female person who is currently playing a female character who's being sadisticly tortured in a RPG she's playing in (you might be familiar with it, lol)...
ReplyDeleteI think this depends on the characters. You have both the torturer and the victim to consider in this. How does the acts of the torturer further the develpment of that character and does it reveal anything significant to the readers? How does the victim's suffering develp her character, and how do you want the readers to react to her pain... and how will the other characters react as well.
If you make the scene graphic, that's fine. But don't make it that way unless the disturbing nature of violence serves a purpose to the story or developing the characters. Or effecting the readers perspective. I believe it can sometimes surve a purpose. Other times, it seems it serves no purpose other than to gross the readers out. Personally, I'm not a big fan of the latter unless it makes me feel for, or against, a character. Or both.
So there ya go.
Actually, there is a rated R movie called 'Closet Land' that you might want to watch. It's a rather strange movie with only two characters... A male torturer and his female victim. Strange but interesting stuff.
Thanks, G!
ReplyDeleteThe first thing I think of when you mention male torturing female in a graphic manner is Stephen Donaldson's Gap Into Conflict.
ReplyDeleteI hate Donaldson's books, so that predisposes me to caution against being overly graphic.
That said, I tend to agree with the previous poster: if it's crucial to character development, then go for it.
Even so, I'd do the minimum amount you feel is necessary to get whatever point you were trying to make across, and then fade to black, or whatever you do to gloss over the rest.