This week, I established the necessity for a detailed plan which revolves around a figure. Like a corset, a structure needs to support and focus on the main figure.
In my story, Abigail is the main figure;
She is our protagonist; good, brave, innocent, victimised.
Like the red convertible in The Red Convertible by Louise Erdrich, which is a potential metaphor for youthful innocence, I wanted to include a metaphorical figure in my story. I think metaphors are important for storytelling, much like the slippers as a metaphor for the fact women are undervalued in Aurora Leigh by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, or Dumbledore’s name in Harry Potter – Albus = white, which could religiously symbolise purity and innocence, thus goodness. Likewise, the golden snitch symbolises enlightenment, and Death Eaters symbolise depression whilst the Patronus charm represents happiness and goodness. Furthermore, the use of the Letter “A” in The Scarlet Letter conveys adultery. All of these images show how symbolism moves a story along, giving it deeper meaning for a reader to better understand what is happening alongside character development.
I think for this story it is the house; the house is representative of Abigail and her breakdown and depleting mental state. I want to essentially plan a brilliant structure around Abigail and the house to allow her mental state to be explained implicitly, and also to give the storyline an impenetrable construction. Furthermore, much like the week we looked at objects and emotion, the house could be the same as the Ottoman in Finishing Touch by Claire Louise Bennet; the story is contained within the Ottoman which in itself is a container. Likewise, the story can begin and end in the house:
A’s room in the house is protected and safe; she is safe. The rest of the house poses a threat; her parents’ troubles pose a threat to her wellbeing. The house becomes dingy and cold in the winter; Abi’s mental state declines. Abi’s sees apparitions in the house; the home troubles she faces are the reason for her decline. Abi sees apparitions outside the house; her mental decline is affecting her beyond where it began, it is getting worse. Climax in the dark house in midst of winter; Abi facing her turmoil? Final scene Abi years later in the house with her now family, it is spring; she has overcome her turmoil and live happily – with schizophrenia?? (TBC)
Strange Little Stories 