When Carrie Fisher passed away last December, it was a heartbreaking loss. But while her physical presence is gone, she is still with us in spirit.
Today was the first day of Star Wars Celebration, an annual event celebrating anything and everything related to Star Wars. This year also commemorates the 40th anniversary release of Episode 4: A New Hope.
With the anniversary of A New Hope and the release of The Last Jedi later this year, our thoughts are turning to Carrie and how big the void is since she left this world.
The tribute put together includes a short video and an appearance by Carrie’s daughter, Billie Lourd, wearing a white dress (though not exactly like her mother’s costume, but close enough).
The video below is both heartbreaking and brings a smile to the faces of those of us who miss hear dearly.
I don’t know about any other fan, but I am preparing to bring quite a few bags of Kleenex when I see the The Last Jedi in December.
You are missed, Carrie. In the words of our mutual ancestors, z”l.
*Warning: This post contains spoilers about Pride and Prejudice. Read at your own risk if you are unfamiliar with the book.
There is something to be said about a well written, human character. They leap off the page and speak to us as if they were right in front us, as flesh and blood human beings, instead of fictional creations.
In this series of weekly blog posts, I will examine character using the characters from Pride and Prejudice to explore how writers can create fully dimensional, human characters that audiences and readers can relate to.
We all have that nice friend or family member on our life. The one who always sees the glass half full. The one who sees the good in others, despite their flaws. In Pride and Prejudice, that role is played by Jane Bennet, the eldest of the Bennet sisters.
The sugar to Elizabeth’s spice, Jane is soft-spoken, docile, amiable and considered to be the beauty of the family. When she meets Charles Bingley, the new guy in town, the crush between them is mutual. But his sisters and his best friend, Fitzwilliam Darcy aren’t exactly keen on the idea of a potential marriage between Mr. Bingley and the eldest Miss Bennet. They conspire to separate the potential lovers in hopes of steering Mr. Bingley towards a more “appropriate” match.
In the end, Jane does marry Mr. Bingley, but not before he gets a backbone and she waits quietly for him to return.
Not everyone can be an Elizabeth. In creating the antithesis to her younger sister, Austen allowed Jane to shine in her own way. She might not have the bite or the sarcasm of Elizabeth, but Jane has qualities that Elizabeth lacks and visa versa. Where Elizabeth is quick to judge, Jane is willing to give someone a chance before making up her mind. The Hero to Elizabeth’s Beatrice, Jane stands out from her sister because of their differences.
To sum it up: No two characters should be exactly alike. In creating two different characters with different voices, beliefs and different points of view (especially in the same family) the writer enables each character to speak with their own voice and stand out from the rest of the characters. When each individual voice shines through, this engages the reader and gives them another character to potentially hook into and follow throughout the narrative.
When we have dreams, we sometimes have to make choices to see those dreams become reality. The question is, what happens when we make those choices and what are the consequences of the choices, especially when we deny who we are?
In the 1987 TV miniseries Queenie, Queenie Thompson (Mia Sara) is the biracial daughter of a White man and a Indian woman who upon first glance, no one would think is half Indian. Dreaming of Hollywood and celebrity, she changes her name to Dawn Avalon and becomes a star. But while she is reaching the peak of Hollywood stardom, she is denying who and what she is.
Granted, this is 1987 television miniseries. But what I like about it is that is speaks to all of us in the dual quest for reaching for our goals why hanging to our authentic selves.
Writergurlny 