Character and scene development
Good Guys vs. the Bad Guys.

     There is no need to leave out the women in that subtitle. Lorraine and Amos are the two protagonists I refer to for a number of my examples in these lessons, but you can mold these ideas for the characters you are developing. Lots of run of the mill material touted as Christian fiction have what I think are unrealistically good main characters. Scenes and characters are honey sticky sweet. I suggest you beat up on your characters a bit. Sharris Neary did an excellent job of painting Lorrain as a person we can feel sorry for, innocent at the outset, and very likely not that much in control or responsible for the violence she takes part in. I think the later claim is strengthened by the evidence of the violence committed against her in the end of the story.
     My character, Amos, is a good person for the most part, at least from what I’ve told you in the short story, Fishing Hole. He’s an innocent victim in that story, yet, he’s not perfect. I’ve included enough background that the reader knows he’s lost his temper in the past to the point he resorted to fist fighting. Those fights were not in self defense, but out of anger for who ever he had gotten into disagreement with. We can’t just dismiss that to immaturity because teens are quite capable of inflicting very serious injuries, some that leave either or both contestants with long term disabilities or end as involuntary manslaughter.
     Dress your characters and supply them with accessories such as a purse or a hat, umbrella, jewelry, items to carry, such as Amos’ fishing gear. What you say about their appearance can have a lot to say about the character. Lorraine primps up nicely to go out for some medicine. She has some rather nice clothes and accessories. These things are all part of the development of the scene and to the over all story. Passive as these things might seem, they play an active role.
     Both characters are dressed according to their respective era. What they wear can say a lot about the characters. If a character wore things from ten and thirty years earlier than the story’s setting, then that too would say something about the person. You can use clothing as a natural part of the story as well as for symbolic expression of philosophy, political statements, as commentary on social movements and more. Gray attire and murky background might accompany a mood. Brightness can signify positive attitudes. They can also be deceptive or in contrast of what a character is going through.
     Amos wears skin tight jeans which were popular for youth attire in the 1960s. My use of tight jeans in the short story and in my novels, for that particular generation of young people, symbolically expressed the innocence found in the Garden of Eden without my characters running about naked; and at the same time the fit demonstrates the characters’ self centeredness, rebellion and their developing carnal awareness in a way similar to Adam and Eve’s discovery about themselves when they were about to be expelled from Paradise.
     Things like large floppy hats for women in Church can express the positive and the ludicrous of respective generations or eras. Hats on women have one meaning in today’s average Catholic parish and another back in the 1930s through the mid 1960s. Toss around the concept of lace chapel veils. A lot can be expressed subtly or openly through the inanimate trappings of everyday life. A guy with long hair today might have less affect in general settings than back in the 1960s and 70s. Calling a person a “commie” twenty years or more ago had a strong affect. Today, it’s almost laughable.
     I use long hair on certain males to symbolically express several ideas. Although less is made of it today, it’s still not status quo of mainstream American society. Back in the days Baby Boomers were teens and young adults, it was a volatile topic. The Native Americans and Métis in my stories at that time had a dual purpose for the long hair. They fit in with their generation and at the same time took advantage to clandestinely learn and follow their sacred Indigenous traditions which were still illegal. They were being groomed for a new awakening and many are respected leaders and defenders of Native American rights and communal prosperity. Express the pro and con, the positive and negative of your characters. You can make a good person likeable, but don’t turn them into a creature more perfect than any God has created.
     Even innocent victims can contribute to their dilemma. Amos did not tell anyone he was going fishing. This is not necessarily a serious offence for an eighteen year old, but he was brought up to let loved ones know where he is going. His indiscretion does not have any bearing in what happened to him out at the fishing hole, but it could have consequences if he is not home at a normally expected hour. None of those at home would know where to begin a search for him if that becomes necessary. The story leaves off where it is not known if he is being rescued or if he is about to be dragged into greater danger.
     Amos’ minor indiscretion of not letting anyone know where he was headed does not imply he deserves what comes to him as a result or is otherwise guilty of what befell him. An author has a lot of room to play on the theme: Is the victim guilty?
     Neary’s treatment of Loretta as victim and victimizer is brilliantly complex. It’s easy for a self righteous Pro-Life Christian to express indignation at any act of abortion, until they have to come face to face with issues and situations Loretta faces; or to discover that these dysfunctional conditions might exist among some of their own relatives, or even immediate family. This story did not suggest an exception to abortion, but it challenges the conscience to deal with a broad spectrum of life issues. The righteous that ignores or enables domestic and spousal abuse; who doesn’t want to talk of these things early on has played a part in Loretta’s dilemma.
     The same can be said for the apathy of good moral people who are afraid to face the hard facts about the sexual molestation and exploitation of minors in our families, neighborhood, Churches, schools and other social institutes.
     Loretta is not an easy story to read. We don’t know how long the spousal abuse will continue, or its affect on the daughter. Her story is not only a cliff hanger; it leaves us hanging as to what can or aught to be done to end this cycle. It is more than a matter between Loretta and Max; another generation witnessed these deeds and may carry it on to the next and the next generation.
     The every day trappings and habits that conceal these terrible deeds can be used by the Catholic author first of all just to tell a story, but in doing so call attention to the social blinders that shield, protect and further injustice. The author does not have to sermonize or speak out for or against the Loretta’s and Max’s in our midst. Just write the story out and place it into the hands of readers.