Can you sympathize for the bully?
This is strictly a question for research as I am currently brainstorming on a short story that will be between a bully and a victim. Many stories have touched our hearts with regards to the victims of bully’s but have we ever been touched my a story of the bully? Naturally no one wants to root for the ‘bad’ guy, but what if the ‘bad’ guy became an OK guy and then later the victim lashes out on him? Would that be more ‘just desserts’ than sympathetic? What level do we (the reader) gives forgiveness? Or have we been okay labeling people a victim and giving them ‘more’ OK to do things? FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN HERE WITH YOUR THOUGHTS! Please, I am trying to get a feel for what goes through ones mind when they hear the word, bully.
Such an interesting, complex question. I admit I don’t like bullies, but I also understand they are often created by being the victim first, so it is hard to be absolute about it. Also, so many powerful stories have a redemptive arc, and so if a bully changes his/her ways then i think forgiveness is possible, but I don’t think that it is required of the victim to necessarily accept that or forgive for that matter…I think the dramatic tension you could create with this theme is very powerful indeed because it would be entirely possible for the reader to sympathise with all parties. To be honest I think that’s the core of the great tragedies that have been written throughout the ages…that different choices were possible leading to better outcomes, but that it is equally understandable and human that those choices were not taken. I hope you publish the story once written – I’d be very interested in reading it.
Great feedback! thanks, you gave me more to think about. I do want the outcome to come across as being for one rather than the other… but that might change when the pen hits the paper
Hi Trista! Have you been reading about the “Steubenville rape case”? It seems a lot of people in Ohio are defending the two football players, via social media. It’s horrible but also interesting to try and view it from their point of view. I’m not sure how anyone could defend the two guys, saying that the victim deserved it and was asking for it by drinking heavily and then passing out, but it definitely shows how sometimes people will stand up for the bad guys.
First of all, by no means do I condone the acts of rape. Those two football players committed a criminal offense and are not the type of bad guys that need defending. When I refer to bully, I am not referring to criminals, I am referring to kids who put gum in a girls hair forcing her to cut off all her locks, or picks on a guys shoes because they are not name-brand. Somewhere that when the victim decides to retaliate, the school can understand, not as a way of seeking revenge but maybe starting a rumor or taking bad pictures and posting them all over high school. Again, I am not condoning what those two boys did, they are criminals and the people who are standing up for what they did are just projecting their own fear of MAYBE one day their child can potentially commit the same heartless crime.
I never meant for what I wrote to come across like you would condone what happened and I apologize if that’s how it did. I wasn’t aware you were looking for a more child type bullying situation. I was just trying to point out a current situation where sympathy is being given to the bad guys, that was all.
No worries about clarification. I just don’t want anyone else thinking that bullying is on the same level as rape. Bullying has lead to many tragedies and is an issue that should be brought up in an open forum, whereas, rape is a crime and should not be debated anywhere outside of the courtrooms.
Movies and books that are told from the viewpoint of the “bad guy” are often some of my favorites. I’ll go along with it until halfway through before I even realize that I find myself sympathizing with someone who is doing bad things because I feel empathetic to their reasons. It’s fascinating to me, and kind of forces you to think outside of what you might be used to.
Bullies are very human, and touching on that very real side of human nature is fascinating
Get ‘em!
Thanks for the feedback! You bring up a great point, the other works that people read UNKNOWINGLY taking sides of the very ‘person’ they shouldn’t be, maybe you can send me a title or two of your favorites and I can give them a read, I can use a good referral