Forum: Story Discussion and Feedback

Tunnel Vision

moredrowsy 🚫
Updated:

I've just recently had enough time to read another series from one of my favorite author here on SOL and while I do like this other series, I got really frustrated with the story's (or rather the author's) tunnel vision on a certain idea.

Take for example, the story's premise alludes to some alien origin to the main character's supernatural abilities. And so then, whenever an event occurs that involves mc's abilities (super strength, some weird healing, genius or what have you), the narrator's immediate (and most likely only thought process) is that mc must hide (and/or overreact) because everyone will think he's an alien for being super strong (or insert above normal attribute)!

No. Just no. People could think that the mc is a genetic freak (super strong), or wizard/mutant (healing) or an Einstein for being super smart. But because the story focuses on the alien premise, anything beyond normal, the story (or the author!) produces only alien possibilities or consequences.

Or another example where the author fixates on the main character to be a normal person even though the only thing keeping said main character alive is his abnormal abilities. Any decent non-dummy would know that he/she'll die pretty soon as a normie in a world where, for some reason, has enemies trying to kill him 24/7.

When something like that happens, in my opinion, it is incredibly annoying. And, no personal offense to any authors out there, is just plain lazy thinking!

I've encounter this tunnel vision in many books that I've read, in SOL, in amazon, or commercial books, and I suppose for the lack of trying on my part, I haven't encountered much discussion about this.

Anyways...

/end rant

seanski1969 🚫
Updated:

I agree "Tunnel Vision" is rampant here on SOL but it seems to be from the authors who tend to "tell" not "show" the storylines. Be it a "Stupid Boy" where whenever he is complimented or challenged in his athletic abilities he constantly repeats "the fact that no one works harder or studies more than anyone else". Or maybe as in AWLL the MC constantly remarks that he is so sensitive to woman and needs to rethink his life and discover who he is.

I think it is just the repetitiveness that annoys you and I agree.

I like both AWLL and the Stupid Boy Series just used as examples

Ernest Bywater 🚫

There may be a good reason presented in the plot early that you missed. For example, Take Human Phoenix where the 6 year old main character knows someone is trying to kill him, and had already tried. Then he's relocated and is very forcible informed he needs to stay hidden to stay alive, not to do anything to draw attention to himself in anyway. He soon learns he's not like others, but he follows the orders he was given to blend in and hide, this becomes ingrained into his psyche and is a key element of almost every thought he has - his mantra learned from being 6 years old is 'blend in and hide.' This is normal human behaviour for someone so impressed with an instruction at such a young age.

Replies: Vincent Berg

Vincent Berg 🚫

@Ernest Bywater

There may be a good reason presented in the plot early that you missed. For example, Take Human Phoenix where the 6 year old main character knows someone is trying to kill him, and had already tried. Then he's relocated and is very forcible informed he needs to stay hidden to stay alive, not to do anything to draw attention to himself in anyway. He soon learns he's not like others, but he follows the orders he was given to blend in and hide, this becomes ingrained into his psyche and is a key element of almost every thought he has - his mantra learned from being 6 years old is 'blend in and hide.' This is normal human behaviour for someone so impressed with an instruction at such a young age.

More than that, it's a common storytelling motif, that when someone gains unusual powers, their lives become much more complex. The easiest way to do this is by having people react strangely to their actions (rather than having his girlfriend dump him for not spending time with her on her birthday).

In short, it's more likely a way of ramping up the tension, rather than an automatic response to a particular kind of story.

Replies: REP

REP 🚫

@Vincent Berg

when someone gains unusual powers, their lives become much more complex

No spoilers, but the unusual thing about the Human Phoenix is an unexpected twist toward the end. It was the first story of this type that I read that had this twist.

Vincent Berg 🚫

Part of the problem, isn't that these 'issues' aren't a natural part of storytelling in these types of stories, but that the authors are 'jumping ahead', directly into the conflict with little to no development, thus the conflict feels forced, unnatural and unconvincing.

Conflicts are the core element in most stories, and if the conflict feels false, then the entire story won't stand up on its own. Thus the better sci-fi or even superhero story doesn't jump immediately into the 'I better keep my identify secret', but instead learns over time that exposing their powers draws unwanted attention. This is commonly handled when their abilities are first developing, and they occur largely by accident, as the oddest of times like a sudden grown spurt, where a little boy is suddenly four inches taller, almost overnight.

jimh67 🚫

The same thing is common in do-over stories "Oh no. I used slang that hasn't come into use yet and now people will know I'm from the future." No. No they won't. One of the first thing you learn in phychology is that people will twist themselves into knots to fit a strange occurrence into their world view. The babbling guy being from the future will be the farthest thing from anyone's mind

Replies: AmigaClone Ernest Bywater

AmigaClone 🚫

@jimh67

I could see do-over character(s) having to explain the meaning of a future slang they used accidentally, and possibly be credited with creating that expression.

Outside of others characters who are also do-overs no one will likely suspect they came from the future.

Ernest Bywater 🚫

@jimh67

The same thing is common in do-over stories "Oh no. I used slang that hasn't come into use yet and now people will know I'm from the future." No. No they won't.

You're right in that they won't think the person is from the future. However, they will wonder where they hell the person suddenly came up with that term for that usage, and that will cause them to notice that the person has changed for some reason - having the change noticed is what they want to avoid. Sadly, many authors don't get that concern across too well.

Replies: REP Vincent Berg

REP 🚫

@Ernest Bywater

that will cause them to notice that the person has changed for some reason

One thing very common is people don't notice gradual changes in a person until something happens and then they see the total change. This is a common occurrence so that would likely be a person's conclusion when they notice the changes.

Vincent Berg 🚫

@Ernest Bywater

However, they will wonder where they hell the person suddenly came up with that term for that usage, and that will cause them to notice that the person has changed for some reason - having the change noticed is what they want to avoid. Sadly, many authors don't get that concern across too well.

That's called 'focusing on the obvious, rather than emphasizing the subtle'. The obvious addresses the concerns of the genre, while the subtle addresses the concerns of the characters and readers. If you get the subtle right, the obvious suddenly fades into the background.

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Forum: Story Discussion and Feedback

Tunnel Vision

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