BASIC CONCEPTS

— When novelists claim they do not invent it, but hear voices and find stories in their head, they are neither joking nor crazy.

— When characters, narrators, or muses have minds of their own and occasionally take over, they are alternate personalities.

— Alternate personalities and memory gaps, but no significant distress or dysfunction, is a normal version of multiple personality.

— normal Multiple Personality Trait (MPT) (core of Multiple Identity Literary Theory), not clinical Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD)

— The normal version of multiple personality is an asset in fiction writing when some alternate personalities are storytellers.

— Multiple personality originates when imaginative children with normal brains have unassuaged trauma as victim or witness.

— Psychiatrists, whose standard mental status exam fails to ask about memory gaps, think they never see multiple personality.

— They need the clue of memory gaps, because alternate personalities don’t acknowledge their presence until their cover is blown.

— In novels, most multiple personality, per se, is unnoticed, unintentional, and reflects the author’s view of ordinary psychology.

— Multiple personality means one person who has more than one identity and memory bank, not psychosis or possession.

— Euphemisms for alternate personalities include parts, pseudonyms, alter egos, doubles, double consciousness, voice or voices.

— Multiple personality trait: 90% of fiction writers; possibly 30% of public.

— Each time you visit, search "name index" or "subject index," choose another name or subject, and search it.

— If you read only recent posts, you miss most of what this site has to offer.

— Share site with friends.

MPD Textbooks: — Frank W. Putnam, MD. Diagnosis and Treatment of Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) (a.k.a. Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), New York, The Guilford Press, 1989. —James G. Friesen, PhD. Uncovering the Mystery of MPD, (includes discussion of demonic possession) Eugene, Oregon, Wipf and Stock Publishers,1997.

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Character-Driven vs. Plot-Driven vs. Philosophical Fiction: Does Multiple Identity Literary Theory apply to novels of ideas? Do any novelists completely understand their characters?

Multiple Identity Literary Theory says that novelists have a normal version of multiple personality; that they use it to write novels; and that their characters are alternate personalities.

At first, I thought this theory would apply to character-driven novels, but not to plot-driven novels. But then I realized that plot-driven novels could be just as character-driven; e.g., detective novels, like those of Sue Grafton. My theory would apply to them, too.

But what about philosophical fiction, novels of ideas? Are they neither character-driven nor plot-driven, but idea-driven? Would my theory apply?
I don’t know, and I have no such novel currently in mind.

This post is prompted by my recent assertion that Gillian Flynn didn’t understand that her character in Gone Girl has multiple personality. I believe what I said, but feel bad about saying it, in case it hurt her feelings.

However, based on what I’ve read and written for this blog, I doubt that most novelists have a complete understanding of their characters. Because their characters are not constructed puppets, but [one or more] alternate personalities, who have minds of their own.

Is it different in philosophical fiction? I don’t know.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Thank you for taking the time to comment (whether you agree or disagree) and ask questions (simple or expert). I appreciate your contribution.