My character, Tanya, is a six-year-old in a fantasy setting. She becomes pair-bonded with a Genki (speak with him telepathically and be aware of each other's presence and state). Her village believes the Genki are monsters, and exile Tanya, along with her family, when this is found out. She is allowed to set up outside the Genki village (who are also mistrusting of humans) of her pair-bond. I imagine Tanya would have some guilt from her family going into exile with her, and causing grief for her pair-bond. Also maybe some anger towards her village and confusion about the recent events. Fear of other humans is probably another outcome. Though, I believe, there would also be a stabilizing effect from her pair-bond. What else would be realistic for a six-year-old in this situation? And, as she grows into a young teen, how might these events affect her emotional and mental development, as well as that of her pair-bond?
Curious in Cascadia
Dear Curious,
Only a writer can ask a question like "what else would be realistic for a 6-year-old in this situation?" after having just described a scenario where The Village (Shyamalan) meets Twilight-type stuff. :) The most important part of that question is her age. The psychosocial stage she's supposed to be in is industry v. inferiority...but she's reading more like the stage for 3 to 5-year-olds, which is initiative v. guilt. She's exerted too much control over her environment by bucking the trend to not go into the forest and now is pair-bonded with a Genki. According to Erickson, she's definitely going to feel guilt. But at age 6, kids are usually entering the academic world more fully...so if, while outside the Genki village, she's engaged in some sort of industrious learning or schooling (whether traditional or about the Genki or the pair-bond or what-have-you), this will do a lot for helping move her along. You can consider the pair-bond stabilizing only as far as she doesn't blame him or their bond on what has happened to her. Moving from her village and uprooting her family is what professionals would call an adverse childhood event, which in turn, if prolonged or severe, can cause trauma and stunted development in children. If the pair-bond is a positive experience in her mind, then he will be the secure base she'll gravitate toward, and research shows just having one of these in a child's life improves outcomes for them. Hopefully this information, and the Ericksonian psychosocial stages I gave you links for, will help you out. Thanks for writing in!
Dear Jeannie,
Sylvia lost a child, aged about 6 months, in a horrific accident (the baby fell from the a mountain cliff). Sylvia was then age 32 and already had two other children. We meet her when she's 60 and suffering from bibliomania. How likely is it that the accident and the book hoarding are connected psychologically?
Thanks,
The Lost Girl
Dear Lost Girl,
I'd have to know a few things first, namely, when did the book-hoarding begin? Did she collect books at all prior to the accident? Bibliomania is not a disorder recognized by the DSM-V (newest edition of our "bible" of mental disorders), though it would fall under obsessive-compulsive disorders. I'd want to know if Sylvia had any other compulsions prior to collecting books, because by age 32, usually a person would already have displayed symptoms of anxiety or compulsiveness. I'd also want to know if collecting the books relieves anxiety she might have, and if so, on what doess her anxiety center? If it could talk, what would it say? It's my understanding that for the bibliomanic individual, the type of books collected doesn't matter. They will buy many copies of the same book, with no intention of reading. How severe are her compulsions? Is her house completely littered with books? or is it just her deceased baby's old nursery? Gotta say...this would be a good one to have sit on my couch. Kudos, 'cause I'm intrigued...so other readers should be as well. :)
Got questions of your own? Leave them in the comment section, using monikers like Sleepless in Seattle, and I will post my answers in next week's column.
Logging you in...
unamariah · 602 weeks ago
Evan was an athlete fresh out of high-school, and he had high hopes of being an Olympic runner. But he is involved in a hit-and-run accident that leaves him paralyzed from the waist down and in a wheelchair, probably for life. Pretty much all of his dreams and his life up until that point have been crushed; what do you think his immediate reaction would be? How long would any shock from this stick around?
Thank you,
Olympic Runner
Taylor Weaver · 602 weeks ago
Mel is in her thirties, working on a top secret space exploration program when a six year old clone of herself shows up. Since there isn't anyone else to take the girl, she is pressured by her sister and boss, who was adopted at a similar age and is very close to Mel, to take her as a daughter. Previously Mel had wanted children and had been the one that would always help someone in need, especially kids, but now she doesn't want anything to do with the girl. What would cause this kind of reaction?
Thanks very much,
Sci Fi Stuck
Sophia · 602 weeks ago
Six men wake up alive over a hundred years after their deaths, with strange supernatural powers to boot. The world they knew is practically unrecognizable, and monstrous creatures are a constant threat. The group surmise that they were ressurected and given their new abilities to destroy these monsters, and go on a journey to do just that.
These kinds of tragic backstories are pretty common in fiction, but I find it hard to even conceive of the trauma these guys are going through. Most died elderly after a fruitful life, but now they're popped into younger bodies and almost have to start life over again. All left behind wives, children, or both. Everyone they've ever known or loved is dead, with the exception of previous friendships that existed between them (and there are perhaps an equal number of rivalries). The culture and technologies are strange and alienating, both having changed significantly after their deaths. They have to cope with their original worldviews on magic, monsters, and the soul being trampled. Most obviously, they have to deal with a threatening environment and trying to kill a bunch of monsters.There is pair with a military background, but no one else has ever confronted that kind of physical danger.
How do these guys even begin to cope? I imagine that some of the grieving process would be postponed as they focus on handling their new situation, but certainly not for long.
Thanks a bunch,
Maximum Emotional Damage