The Freezer Bunny Club - A Reading Circle

"Duvelina;c-17555559" wrote:
Misc.

I also have a discussion question for the group. How would you write a nuanced morally grey villain, a villain with a soft side? You don't want people to dislike them outright. You want to create some likability so it's hard to hold on to a grudge even though you really want to. He/she does some evil stuff one moment, but shows a vulnerability you can't ignore the next. How do you write someone like this in a subtle way so it doesn't seem wildly out of character?

This is a cool exercise. I’ll try.

If I am crafting a morally grey victim, I’d flesh him out as thoroughly as my mains and make sure he’s a complex character. Complex that he’s neither good or bad. His ideals/character/beliefs may clash with the main character, but depending on the situation, they can be good traits to have. I’d then craft conflicts/argumentative scenes to convey him/her in both good and bad light.

An example would be a cop hell bent on justice. He’s sharp-minded, hardened, merciless and unforgiving. He’s a protagonist to the people, but an antagonist for his son. Every interaction they have is laced with brutal coldness, unacceptance, and merciless discipline. I think no one is inherently good or evil. So as long as the villian’s backstory, motivation and qualities are conveyed clearly to me, I’ll sympathise with the villian. If not, I’ll at least know where he/she’s coming from and respect his/her position, even if I don’t necessarily agree with it.