Editorial: Breaking Character
In the 2022 novel, Fairy Tale, Stephen King builds a fantasy world using familiar fairy tale motifs such as “Jack and the Beanstalk.” As the hero Charlie Reade encounters and interacts with fantastical creatures and events, his internal dialogue includes meta-analysis of the role of fairy tales in his home world, even specifically calling out previous titles such as Frank L. Baum’s The Wizard of Oz and Michael Ende’s The Neverending Story which tackle the same subject.
The fairy tale characters in King’s book are both recognizable and changed. Like the Shrek movies, this novel isn’t a strict retelling of any given tale but an amalgamation of many. In one case, different versions of the same character appear. To demonstrate how the fairy tale world is mirrored by the “real” world, King includes two different Rumpelstiltskin characters – a small-time crook named Christopher Polley in the real world, and the mischievous dwarf Peterkin in the fantasy world. The narration specifically compares the two on a number of occasions, as Charlie grapples with his archetypal role in the unfolding tale.
What King proposes is that the characters Christopher Polley and Peterkin are separated mostly by setting. Their motivation and goals are nearly identical, thus they are similar enough to be considered variations on Rumpelstiltskin. That said, they’re also physically similar characters; both are described as small with creepy, leprechaun-like voices.
This has me wondering how many clues do we need in order to identify an archetypal character? Let’s consider another example…
I think we all know a Batman when we see one. Gothic or campy, animated or LEGO, we know what makes up a Batman. The mask, the gadgets, the cave. But it can’t just be the paraphernalia, can it? If you have a double life and a butler, does that make you Batman? With just this criteria, you could also be degenerate and lazy Sterling Archer.
Maybe some of that backstory is important.
The beauty of so many Batman movies is the reminder that without his usual trappings Batman is just Bruce Wayne, a rich man with unprocessed trauma. He could be a Brontë antihero. But despite essays written about how Batman is a Byronic hero, no one mistakes Bruce Wayne for Heathcliff.
So we probably still need the mask.
But not the mask worn by the Phantom of the Opera or Darth Vader, which conceal a deformity. We need one that emboldens the character and changes his identity. Like the Loki mask worn by Stanley Ipkiss in The Mask. Or the one worn by Westley in The Princess Bride to become the Dread Pirate Roberts. But not exactly those either…
And thus, we could continue, changing details until a character disintegrates and is reformed into something entirely new.
For our August 2024 issue, we have a dragon, a Dr. Frankenstein, a giant, an oracle, and Lady Godiva. But also, not quite these characters exactly. The authors have all made changes to costumes, settings, and/or goals.
First up is returning FFO author Carol Scheina’s dragon tale, “Give a Smile at Ye Old Photograpphie Shoppe.”
Then, Faith Allington’s “This Rapturous Blooming” takes us to a futuristic lab in the remnants of an old shopping mall.
Maya Dworsky-Rocha completely reimagines the story of Lady Godiva for the social media age in “Godiva of the Broken Shell.”
Sarah Jackson’s “In the Path of the Giantess” is our own re-imagined “Beanstalk” story, and describes the moment when the hero’s world view is completely changed.
Closing out this issue is “The Sibyl” by Anna Dallara in which an oracle’s returning customer reveals what he’s learned about her prophecies.
If you are an author, what characters have you tried to rewrite?
As always, it’s an honor and privilege to be platforming these authors and bringing you these stories. If you like what we do, please consider becoming a Patreon supporter. You can also support us by following FFO on Facebook, Threads, Instagram, or Bluesky.
* * *
Ⓒ Rebecca Halsey