Fictional Works That Have Some

¶ … fictional works that have some elements of writing in common. The three works are "How to Become a Writer" by Lorrie Moore, "Joy of Cooking" by Elaine Magarrell, and "Will and Grace" by Kari Lizer. Specifically it will discuss the common theme in these three works - feminist perspective and the characters it creates, and the conflict it creates. Each of the females in these three works has a distinct character, and it creates the mood for each piece and the style of the writing.

It also creates conflict among the characters. Female characters written by female authors often have a different perspective than male characters, and these three works are decidedly female, decidedly different, and decidedly have an attitude. How they convey that attitude gives the reader greater knowledge of the characters, so the pieces take on more meaning than just simple words on a page about women and their daily lives. These works are all three distinct and distinctive genres. Moore's work is a short story that reads like an essay.

Magarrell's work is a poem that is short and quite disturbing if read in context. Lizer's work is a funny television script, but poignant in the sub-plot. Each of the main characters in these works is female, and each of them has a clear message, a clear character and voice, and a clear attitude. These are real women, in real situations, and they will not let you forget it. They all also face conflict from their families or people they care deeply about.

Much of that conflict is based on their strong and distinct personalities, and it is clear from reading these works that these characters really would not have it any other way. Each author, having a different writing style and motive, develops her character differently. For example, in "The Joy of Cooking, Magarrell only uses sixteen lines to develop her character, and yet, the reader comes away with a clear understanding of her and her complex conflict with her siblings.

She has lost her patience with her family and humorously and a bit grimly decides how to deal with them. She makes it clear her sister has quite the sharp and vicious tongue full of "roots, small bones, and gristle" (Magarrell 834), and that no matter what the character does, her sister's tongue will continue to hurt her ("it probably will grow back" [Magarrell 834]). The same is true for her brother, whose heart will "barely feed two" and is sour like the sauce she will serve it in (Magarrell 834).

Immediately the reader senses the conflict between the siblings, and the hurt and pain the character is feeling as they dream about ending once and for all their sibling rivalries. In "How to Become a Writer," the character is developed more fully because the story is longer. This character's journey begins in childhood, and moves through adulthood as she struggles not only with life, but with living as a writer. Her development is geared to her maturing - almost.

This character has a sense of humor, just like the character in the poem, but it is not so dark, it is more tongue-in-cheek and self-deprecating. Still the character has her own voice, her own motives, and her own eventual conclusion - her reason for being.

Her main conflict is her mother, who does not support what she is doing, and her inner self, who constantly questions her motives, and her very reason for writing, which is why she writes this sarcastic and yet very telling piece about becoming a writer. It is as if she has opened up herself and left part of herself on the page to encourage, or discourage, others from choosing the path she has chosen.

She shows it will be difficult, and it will be filled with misunderstanding, conflict, and even some emotional abuse. Once reviewer writes of the conflict between mother and daughter that develops early in the story, The blank stare and suggestion to do a menial task that the main character encounters from a prominent figure in her life - her mother - shows the initial rise of the conflict. As well, it represents the inner struggle that a writer or any artisan faces: how to express themselves in a hostile world.

The mother's squelch of her daughter while suggesting a more practical alternative is the beginning of a process that will continue again and again (Chennell). This is also a very common bond between all the characters. They are all such strong and unique personalities that they create conflict around them. They are not afraid to speak their minds and open up their hearts, and so, they are sometimes strident and sometimes controversial.

They live their lives with passion, doing the things they love, and they sometimes irritate and clash with those around them. This young writer is not fulfilling her mother's dreams, she is fulfilling her own, and so, she has a long-term conflict with her mother. Even though the story never actually says so, it is clear the writer will have a conflict with her mother throughout her life, and so will the girl who wants to serve up her brother's heart on a plate.

These are not arguments about trivial things, they are emotional clashes that sometimes never end, and these seem to be the only type of real conflicts open to these characters, because they are emotional, daring, and passionate. The development of "Grace" in "Will & Grace" is a bit different, because most of the viewing audience already knows the character and has notions of her personality and development. So, the writer has to develop her differently.

She clashes with Will because she is far less detail oriented than he is, and she is far more spur-of -- the moment and unplanned. However, their main conflict in this episode comes from a pivotal disagreement that indicates just how much Grace cares for her friend. Like the other characters, Grace is opinionated, a bit quirky, and certainly passionate about what she believes in.

Unlike the other characters, in this episode she is in direct conflict with Will not because of emotional ties and unfulfilled wishes, but because she is concerned for his health and mental state. This helps point out how different a single theme such as conflict can really be. Each of these works includes conflict because of passionate and vivid characters. However, each of those conflicts is refreshingly different, and relies on different motivations and reasoning.

For example, "The Joy of Cooking" has a clear conflict, but the reader never really knows why, unless it is the unending rivalry between siblings. In this short poem, based quite closely on the actual classic cookbook "The Joy of Cooking" (Meyer), the reader never really knows just what caused the conflict, only the character's reaction to it, and that is enough.

In "Will & Grace," the conflict seems based on a substance outside the relationship - the pills - but really the conflict is Will's change in personality that frightens Grace. She is used to Will and his many quirks, and when he changes, he is no longer the man she cares about. This is as frightening to her as his seeming dependence on the painkillers his doctor prescribed, and it is insight into Grace's own personality and own expectations about their relationship.

In "How to Become a Writer," the character's conflict is with her mother, who has no understanding of her daughter's needs or wants. She only has her own expectations that her daughter is not meeting. Here, the conflict is the conflict facing many modern women. They have been raised to please and seek reinforcement from those who are closest to them, and when they do not get it they are sad, feel unworthy, and sometimes even bitter and alone.

Each of the conflicts these characters face is different, which clearly shows that the same element in fiction can be handled in many different ways. In conclusion, it is clear these three works embody a female perspective, and one with a distinct and distinctive attitude. Each of these characters has an attitude, and they are not afraid to show it to the reader. Because these are strong, vibrant characters who live life, they also can create conflict around them, and this conflict is evident in each work.

These women live life to the fullest, and the author's all make it clear they would not have it any other way. Conflict adds passion and feeling to the writing, and the characters add depth, humor, some pathos, and a lot of female attitude and perspective. My reaction to these pieces was quite emotional, which makes sense since they were emotional pieces. I laughed, I was sad, and I was slightly amused. I liked all the characters, and understood their pain and their conflict.

I wanted their lives to end happily, which is simply part of the "fiction" of writing. All lives do not end happily, and I know that. However,.