Recurrent Themes
Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 12:22 pm
I'm not sure this belongs in the Hall of Gifts, but I couldn't think of a more appropriate forum where to post it, and I'm sure the mods will move it if I'm wrong 
I apologize in advance for the slightly morbid tone, by the way.
I'm in the process of rewriting my last story, and the story for the Anthology, and I've just about realized something which made me curious as to whether any of you have experienced the same. Looking back at all the short stories I've written thus far, with only one or two exceptions, all of my stories deal, at some level or another, with death or - to put it in a more generic way - the termination of earthly existence. Most of my protagonists eventually experience close brushes with death, from which some do not escape unscathed; from the knight lamenting the death of his beloved to the grim warrior trying to resurrect an undead monstrosity and being slain by it in turn, from the young woman who witnesses her village being slaughtered and the gathering of the souls of the dead to the young woman who dies and remains as a spirit because her task is not finished, death seems to be an integral part of my stories. Indeed, yesterday I was considering a few more stories and thinking about a very short one, and once again it would heavily involve this topic.
Now, I don't consider myself particularly afraid of death; I'm not an atheist (and whoever has visited the Close should know my beliefs by now ), and the only thing about death is that I know I will be saddened by the thought I'll have to leave all this world behind. In that respect, if any of you ever saw the movie "Michael", my feelings are pretty much those Michael describes when he explains how that was the last journey to Earth he would ever be allowed to take. So I've thought about it, and I've realized it is possible that I might simply not shirk from the topic of death, and find it instead a powerful medium to instill and generate emotions in both reader and characters. Others might disagree, and possibly say that obviously, the constant presence of this theme in my stories hints at the fact I might actually be terrified of death, and trying to exorcise this fear through my writings. Anyway, I was wondering if any of you, looking back at all his or her literary production thus far, has noticed any "recurring theme" that runs through all, or most, of his/her writings. What do you think it means, if so? I'm curious; perhaps understanding the reasons behind the recurring themes of others might allow to better understand our own.
I apologize in advance for the slightly morbid tone, by the way.I'm in the process of rewriting my last story, and the story for the Anthology, and I've just about realized something which made me curious as to whether any of you have experienced the same. Looking back at all the short stories I've written thus far, with only one or two exceptions, all of my stories deal, at some level or another, with death or - to put it in a more generic way - the termination of earthly existence. Most of my protagonists eventually experience close brushes with death, from which some do not escape unscathed; from the knight lamenting the death of his beloved to the grim warrior trying to resurrect an undead monstrosity and being slain by it in turn, from the young woman who witnesses her village being slaughtered and the gathering of the souls of the dead to the young woman who dies and remains as a spirit because her task is not finished, death seems to be an integral part of my stories. Indeed, yesterday I was considering a few more stories and thinking about a very short one, and once again it would heavily involve this topic.
Now, I don't consider myself particularly afraid of death; I'm not an atheist (and whoever has visited the Close should know my beliefs by now
), and the only thing about death is that I know I will be saddened by the thought I'll have to leave all this world behind. In that respect, if any of you ever saw the movie "Michael", my feelings are pretty much those Michael describes when he explains how that was the last journey to Earth he would ever be allowed to take. So I've thought about it, and I've realized it is possible that I might simply not shirk from the topic of death, and find it instead a powerful medium to instill and generate emotions in both reader and characters. Others might disagree, and possibly say that obviously, the constant presence of this theme in my stories hints at the fact I might actually be terrified of death, and trying to exorcise this fear through my writings. Anyway, I was wondering if any of you, looking back at all his or her literary production thus far, has noticed any "recurring theme" that runs through all, or most, of his/her writings. What do you think it means, if so? I'm curious; perhaps understanding the reasons behind the recurring themes of others might allow to better understand our own.