“Misfits don’t want to join political parties or fall in love. They want to light out for the territories, proclaim their belief in purity, acquire some firepower, and stay clean. They think of themselves as heroic. The quest is secondary and often incoherent and unintelligible. It is undertaken in a condition of cheerfulness…”
Charles Baxter, Burning Down the House 2nd Edition—speaking on the distrust of the average American on a community except the family in a chapter called “Counterpointed Characterization.” Charles is discussing how people are thrown together in fiction to make for dramatic effect, and how plots often arise from such different characters coming together. Further, he makes the comment about how such a characterization contrast can speak to the writer’s mentality. What does it say about a writer who is throwing to particular personalities together?
Something about this spoke to me. I’ve often considered myself a misfit, and however good or bad it sounds, this sounds amazing. I feel like I must clarify that any firepower would be pen-and-paper or computer-based. :)