Thread: From two sides of one character...

I'm toying with a new idea for perspective - writing one story from two sides of one character. That's not to say the character has a split personality, but more to do with the idea that the character might be conflicted.

The idea came from a quote in 'Microserfs' by Douglas Coupland which I read about a year ago, and has stuck with me since: 'If there were two of you, which one would win?'

I don't know yet, though, whether I want it to be clear that it's the same person. For example, I might write one chapter or section in the first person like it's one character, and the next, also in the first person, but like it's a different character, and only have it become clear when the story reaches some kind of climax, or big conflict.

I'm not sure whether this will actually work in practise.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this, or - even better - know of any fiction which has already tried it, successfully or otherwise?

Thanks

Originally Posted by Megaphonic

I'm toying with a new idea for perspective - writing one story from two sides of one character. That's not to say the character has a split personality, but more to do with the idea that the character might be conflicted. …

Why don't you really toy with it and see how it turns out? Instead of asking people whether they'd ever read anything like this, try it for yourself and see what happens. It might be fun …

Not sure as far as novels are concerned, but two movies come to mind regarding this situatuion: Fight Club, & Primal Fear. Primal Fear is not told in the first person but it doesn't matter.

My suggestion is for you to go out of your way to keep the two sides separate, even giving them separate names or physical characteristics to completely throw the reader off the scent. By the climax of the story when you reveal the same person the reader can have a major holy crap moment.

Hey Mega,

I really like the idea of what you said. I think it could be a great story if it was done properly.
I agree with CFFTB, in keeping them different until the end. The shock factor would be amazing!! I know G.R.R martin in A Song Of Ice and Fire writes from each persons point of view in each chapter, and if you did it as personality without letting the reader know could be really awesome!

I say go for it, just share it with us as id love to see how you write it!

Love the idea. Like Sol'endei said, it could be awesome if done properly. I think that's the tricky part, but you could have a lot of fun with it. I agree with keeping them distinct until the climax, but I wouldn't have different physical characteristics--the reader might feel cheated. Naming certain characteristics for one side and others for the other might work. Different names is going overboard, too, IMO, which would make it tricky...maybe use different nicknames? There are people who are given different nicknames for different moods.

Still, it's a very tricky project. Don't most people have more than two sides? And the character's own self-perception would be a tricky thing to handle, too. Is he frustrated with himself? Does he hate one side, and try to be just the other? The greater the emotional depth of the character the better--in every case, I say, but especially with something like this. Does he view his own internal tug-of-war with resigned humor? I tend to like this last scenario best. I tend to like characters with this quality, though, and you have a lot of room to have fun with this whichever way you go.

Please do keep us posted as to how it comes along.