Hey fellow screenwriters and filmmakers,
I wanted to share a philosophical piece I wrote regarding character development. It explores the profound psychological shift of a "noble" protagonist pushing through betrayal.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on how you approach this thematic conflict in your own scripts:
"Between the Guillotine of Disappointment and the Medal of Nobility: The Earthquake of Kindness"
I stand today not to deliver a speech, but to lay my hand upon a landmine we all live atop. My question is not philosophical; rather, it is a cry in the face of upbringing: Do we raise our children on 'kindness' only to turn them into victims? Or do we fortify them with 'cruelty' to guarantee their survival? The introductions are over, and the earthquake begins now.
Place your kindness—which you deem a 'passport to hearts'—on the scale of reality, and see what counters it. Emotional logic promises loyalty, yet reality slaps you with disappointment and vileness. This is the lesson untaught in schools: the very person for whom you acted as a shield might be the first to drive a dagger into your back. The one to whom you handed the keys to your trust might be the first to rob your safety the moment a petty interest glimmers. You walk a billion steps ahead of them, waiting for just one step from them during your brokenness, only to find them deaf, mute, paralyzed against returning the favor, yet remarkably adept at pelting you with excuses.
Yes, we were deceived! We were raised believing that trustworthiness is met with trustworthiness, so we found betrayal. We dreamed of a white world, only to wake up to the darkness of baseness. "Beware the evil of him to whom you have done good" is not merely pessimistic wisdom; it is the law of gravity in a world of interests.
But... herein lies the great paradox!
Shall we cast our virtues into the waste basket and become monsters? Absolutely not. Listen to me clearly: just as the vile pays the price of his vileness in anxiety and fear, kindness demands its price as well. Yet, what a vast difference between the two prices! One pays the price of "vile debasement," while the other pays the price of "sublimity." To pay the price from your nerves, your time, and your goodness is not a loss; it is a medal of honor pinned to the chest of your legacy, and a passport for a journey toward a scale that wrongs not even the weight of an atom.
True kindness is not walking naively; it is the ultimate heroism to remain pure in a polluted world. Happy endings do not come by compromising your principles, but by shifting the "destination" of your benevolence. Direct your goodness toward the Divine, so you never await its price from mortals who might diminish your worth.
Never substitute truth with falsehood, or honesty with lies. In the struggle against darkness, the generous soul remains in eternal radiance. Remember: every night has a sun, and your dawn shines from within you, not from the validation of others. Be kind because you are strong, not because you are weak. At the end of the journey, only the right will prevail. None shall endure save those who confronted the ugliness of the world with the exquisite beauty of their souls.
As writers, how do you visually manifest this transition from vulnerability to ethical strength without relying solely on dialogue? Do you prefer protagonists who turn dark after betrayal, or those who find power in their purity? Let's discuss!
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Hey, @Sabri. Incredible job on the piece! I would show the transition from vulnerability to ethical strength (and any transition) through the character’s actions and reactions. I would use dialogue too. And maybe props, clothes, locations, weather, etc. I prefer protagonists who do right (being kind, forgiving, etc.) after being betrayed.
2 people like this
I have a large multi-authored book on the subject; - it's about 1700 years old. It says things like 'you will know them by their fruits'. A bloke called Matthew wrote that bit. The book is a kind of 'Screenwriters Guide to the Galaxy'. I recommend it.