I read an article in GQ of all places (I know, the depths of the internet I troll), that made a very interesting point on insults and fear.
When someone insults someone else, the insult is enlightening of the person giving it. For example, if Woman A calls Woman B fat, that tells us that Woman A does not find worth in herself unless she meets a certain body ideal.
Intelligence is another example.
This is only insulting if you value intelligence. Clearly, the person who wrote this meme does. But this may not hold true for everyone. I know when I was in middle and high school, being intelligent, especially as a girl, was not highly valued (sad, but true).
The idea that an insult tells you more about the person delivering it makes a lot of sense to me, and it could be a great way to explore a character’s fears. Whether protagonist or villain, any insults they throw out would show what’s important to them.
Honor. Faith. Love. Monogamy. Whatever it is that your character views as important.
For example, in my work-in-progress, Knight of Valor, when a vampire insults the heroine and calls her weak, that’s really of reflection of the vampire’s own fear of not be able to do as her master commanded.When a necromancer calls the heroine a whore, it’s a result of his fear of her choosing another over him.
As I think through this, though, I also realize that the importance of the insult varies greatly on who is delivering it.
Does the heroine care about being called weak by the vampire sent to retrieve her or a whore by the necromancer that wants her? Not at all. They simply don’t matter to her. This doesn’t generate action on her part because it doesn’t resonate with her values.
In Crowned Prince, the insult dynamic took a different turn when a very respected High Knight uses some subtle and some less-than-subtle insults on a power-hungry prince. But these tell us that honor, loyalty, and dedication are very important to the High Knight. The insults are also more meaningful because they’re coming from him, and the hero and heroine respond accordingly.
Not sure this will change my writing, but it does give me another way of looking at my characters. Another way of understanding them, developing them, and digging a bit deeper.
How about you? Any of your characters ever use insults? Do they tell you more about them? Show you what the character fears? Or does it give you insights into whoever is being insulted?
This is very interesting. Thinking about dangerous Metal I knew what the insults were I didn’t have to think hard or pick them, but yeah they fall into this on many levels, which makes me sad. It will make me think a little more carefully about the insults in Jenna’s story. (The one I’m on now the insults are dead animals in another’s territory for another’s potential partner, so eh. )
Not having to think hard about them means you really knew your characters.
Dead animals? Got nothing for you. Is that a Shifter novel.
Yes that would be shifters. Previously called the mountain lion man story. 🙂
This is a great post, on a few levels. Saving it and probably linking to it in another post I am working on too.
Thank you!
Glad you liked it!
I write Space Marines, mostly they just curse and eat Crayons. 😛
Thank you for this post–it’s given me lots to think about. I’ll be giving much more thought to insults in stories now!
It depends, but mostly the insults highlight the mindset, characteristics, and values of the one delivering the insult. Portrayed correctly, as you describe it, it’s a valuable insight into the one who offers the slight.
I dont use insults. Trump used a lot of them on Hillary Clinton. Wonder what that says about his emails.
In my work there isnt enough dialogue to fit insults in.
It will be interesting to see as the probe into Russian involvement in the election unfurls.