A Question of Honor - by Galley 'Ho Santa
For several weeks I’ve been pondering the role of honor in our society. I fear we are in dire need of people who are honorable. Maybe I’m jaded by the state of the economy and those people in high places who ran willy-nilly with other people’s money. For a while there, all you saw or read about were men who used their position and influence to pilfer the fortunes of others.
Sports heroes are making sport of their position in the world. Celebrity affairs. Violence against women and children. Illegal gun possession. Steroid use. The list goes on. I don’t know about other parts of the country but here in the Northeast we were feted with front page coverage not of a historically significant election but of a baseball player who quite literally became too big for his breeches. If I saw one more expose’ about A-Rod, I really think I would have tossed my cookies.
As romance writers, we are honor bound, if you will, to present our heroes as honorable as possible. Clearly, we want our heroes to be upright, steadfast in their convictions and true to their family, friends and, most especially, to their ladies.
Even the most hardened of rakes who spend most of the book, if not a series, showing just what a cad he can be transforms into the very definition of honorable. That’s my favorite kind of hero and if he’s tortured by his evils, even better! It makes his transformation all the more delicious. Heck, we knew he had it in him all along, didn’t we?
Conversely, our villains possess a propensity for being dishonorable in both outlook and deed. Consider Pride and Prejudice’s Wickham. He preyed on the innocent. Steeped himself in drink and debauchery while doing the pretty for the ladies and mamas, alike. And, yet, even as his wickedness came to light I couldn’t help but think – hmmm, here is a reformable rake. All he needs is someone to ‘save’ him from himself. Clearly, that someone was not Jane Austen’s own TSTL , Lydia Bennett.
I even named the villain of my first manuscript Dwight Wykham. He stole money and a fiancé from his partner and friend. And when that wasn’t enough, he took particular delight in throwing a monkey wrench in the burgeoning romance of my hero and heroine. The villain of my second 
manuscript is a woman. Yes, she is the woman scorned and we all know Hell hath no fury like hers. She is a delight to write and, so far, has absolutely no redeemable qualities. I kind of think of her as the Therese Bellaire (from Jo Beverly’s Company of Rogues series) of my contemporary world. She’ll stop at nothing to get our hero in her life and in her bed.
I matched each of these villains with heroes and heroines with codes of honor far stronger than these nemesis’s. I felt I was duty bound, as an author, to do so. To consider having the villains win in the end is unthinkable, particularly in our genre. I’d like to think the heroes and heroines of our day are made of much stronger stuff than the evil that we are bombarded with. Disheartened as I’ve been of late, there are indeed heroes and heroines all around us from the ordinary to the extraordinary. Like the dad I spoke to today who was looking after his kids. I quibbled that he was a Mr. Mom. He deferred and said that he loved doing what he was doing. There are also the obvious heroes in our teachers, leaders, police officers and firefighters. It is the content of their characters that gives me the raw material from which to build my characters. There is no question of their honor.
Who do you model your characters after? Is it a conscious effort to put the heroes in your life on the page? Is this question of honor strictly for the pages of our books?
Books by the Crew
51 comments:
Great blog... Hmmmm, my heroes follow the beat of their own drum. I like a man who knows the rules of honor, but will bend them just enough to skirt being a totally honorable man. For a good cause, or course. Even if that cause is a pretty purse. Especially if that cause is a pretty purse!
The honor bound thief is a favorite of mine. Steals, but only from those that an afford it, or who gained it through nefarious deeds themselves. I guess I'm still in love with Robin Hood! LOL!
Honor owes a debt to the future and pays it.
Hi, Ho! Excellent post. My current hero has too much honor, and must bend a bit. My next hero will discover honor he (and everybody else) didn't know he had. Way worse than Wickham. I hope I'm successful redeeming him, or he;ll wind up under the bed instead of in it, LOL.
Great post, Santa. My current hero has been on the long road to redemption, but he is making serious headway now. He's my sarcastic, rough diamond, and when I close the page on his book, I know I'll be shedding more than a tear or two at his journey. My next hero is wary of love, candid, and hard.
I guess that even with all my unredeemable heroes that they have a strong moral/ethic code they won't cross. Sure, they might lie but each male hero comes to me with his own set of values and will not do anything that they just wouldn't do.
Awesome blog, Santa! I was actually pondering this very subject the other day. I was concerned that one of my heroes wasn't flashy or over the top enough. He's just a regular guy being selfless and doing the right thing. I guess the way to emphasize his hero quality is showing that what he does and who he is in today's world is a rarity.
I haven't tackled the bad boy turned good yet. My bad boy is more mischievous than really bad. And with him I'm trying to show that it's all a matter of perspective.
Ugh, Lydia Bennett. Ugh, A-Rod.
Real life is too complicated for fiction so I wouldn't say I model, exactly. I think I try to catch portions of real life I guess.
I think some of the best conflict arises when the hero is put between his honor and a hard place. When he has to do something to remain honorable but it puts him at odds with the heroine.
My hero needs information from the heroine. SHe has a really good reason for not giving it to him but he also has a really good reason for wanting it. So he has to figure out what lengths he'll go to get it and still remain honorable.
great topic Santa! My current hero has the exact opposite problem. He had all sorts of honor and conviction, but then was framed for treason and all that honor meant nothing when everyone turned on him. So he starts on a downhill slide at that point, and suddenly things that would have violated his moral code before don't seem so bad. So now he has to be re-reformed (if that's a word).
Oh, and I recently read P&P for the first time a few weeks ago, and I kept waiting for Wickham to be reformed as well. He was just so charming! But Lydia - gag me. She didn't have it in her *g*
Great blog!
I make a list of 5 things the hero (or heroine) wouldn't do, then come up with reasons why he (or she) has to do it. Things like never riding his horse too hard, or not disregarding his mother's wishes.
Of course there are things that are just absolutely not done. He does have a very strong sense of honor, and he does not go against it easily or without consequences.
Di
Good Morning, Everyone! Santa will be stopping in when she gets a chance. Busy, busy lady, you know.
Chance - Who is NOT in love with Robin Hood? He's been hanging over my bed for almost 20 years now. LOL! The movie poster anyway. Let me see if I can remember what it says...
"For the good of his people, and the love of one woman, he fought to uphold justice, by breaking the law."
*sigh*
Maggie - So his honor has some hidden depths, huh? Well, I have total faith you'll redeem the boy. You always do. LOL!
Ely - I think you should win some award just for the complicated and interesting heroes you create. The next one is a hard man, huh? I think those might the toughest ones to write. You are fearless, my friend.
Alright, Irish, it's time you tell us a bit more about this story of yours. Details. I want details! Name, rank, does he like long walks on the beach? Spill!
Marn said:
"My hero needs information from the heroine. SHe has a really good reason for not giving it to him but he also has a really good reason for wanting it. So he has to figure out what lengths he’ll go to get it and still remain honorable."
If there was any doubt you have this storytelling thing figured out, it's all gone now. This is perfection. LOL!
Hal - Re-reforming is definitely a word. Or it is now. LOL! So he's a good guy turned bad boy that has to be turned good guy again. And that means he'll like have just the right touch of bad boy still in there when you're done. Hmmmmm...yummy.
Di - Careful, hon, you're talking plotting around here and that always makes the natives restless. LOL! This might be the best and simplest definition of honor > "Of course there are things that are just absolutely not done."
Ter - thank you. That's big compliments. :)
I calls 'em like I sees 'em, Marn. LOL!
GM y'all.
I don't really dive into the whole fleshing out my characters before I start writing. My heroine always tells me what she wants me to know. I frequently hear that Ash is an asshole and Ruiz is an overbearing jerk. I've met them both. I didn't think they were that bad, but they aren't trying to rule every aspect of my life either. LOL
There are certain characteristics I like to see in my written heroes. I like strong character. I like the "won't take no for an answer" attitude. The only thing that's really off limits for my heroes is wife beating. Killing people-- well, that's some times warrented considering their situations. To kill or be killed. There's never an easy answer. My heroes must be decisive, quick, sharp, fiercely loyal once they commit to something. And that's how real life heroes should be too.
Sin - I knew this would cut a little too close to plotting for you. But you have to at least tell us your heroes only kill the bad guys. That's the difference. Not *that* they kill people but *who* they are willing to kill. LOL!
LOL. I'd tell you if I knew that information but it's classified.
A-har!!! Excellent topic, mateys! :D
Oh, I love a good man with moral standards who must break himself in order to achieve a goal. To twist a hero into almost becoming what he hates in the name of saving another or getting revenge. Then putting a heroine into his life that will assauge the wounds, revive his broken spirit, and release him from the binding grasp of either insanity or despair. Good times!!!
We are swarming with a society who rewards bad behavior. Politicians who jerk the law in their favor, get caught and are then rewarded with a pat on the back. Celebrities who flaunt wealth, good looks, expecting to be treated like Kings and Queens. Rap stars who cross the line between gangsters and musicians. The list goes on...
And so, to return to a time of honor, kinship, devotion, and sacrifice, I write historicals. Wickham was a perv, plain and simple, hiding behind his good looks. He took advantage of the young and inexperienced, only to be snagged by the same. Austen did a wonderful job comparing Wickham and Darcy from the very beginning. She made us 'like' Wickham for appearances sake, 'despise' Darcy for appearances sake. Then, when she had us completely convinced, she throws open the window of their souls revealing their inner strengths and weaknesses.
That is what I aspire to do when I write my heroes and heroines. If only it were easier to judge people today.
Morning all! Thanks for the compliments on the blog. It's been one I've been itching to write for quite a while.
I don't necessarily write my heroes to match people in my life. I'd have to say they're a composite. True heroics are made up of what happens everyday in our lives. I once knew a man who could safely be called a saint in his times. He was a man who stood by his convictions and lived out a certain code everyday of his life. He didn't brandy it about. He never turned the spotlight onto himself but there he was living his life to the fullest everyday.
I've always loved the idea of Robin Hood, King Arthur and his Roundtable. But would these men have been without their nemesises? Robin had the Sheriff and Sir Guy. King Arthur had Morgan and Lancelot. I'd have to say that Sir Guy and Lancelot were villainous in their way but struggled against it.
Carry on. I'm off to work. I'll pop by later.
Thanks Terri for responding in my stead! You rock!
Kathy brings up a good point. I'm not sure this is what she meant, but celebrity has obliterated honor these days. Take the Chris Brown/Rihanna lunacy. First off, these are children who have been given great fame and large amounts of money. Allegedly (I'm trying to be good here) this boy put his hands on this girl and does her bodily harm. He flees, she's left looking like a fool, and within weeks, she's taking the blame and they're back together.
The one good thing I've seen about this was last night. Jamie Fox (I like him) gave an interview and made it clear that it is NEVER okay for a man to put his hands on a woman. Not when he's 8 on the playground, 18 in a fancy car, or 80 on a park bench. It's NEVER okay. See, that's honor.
I think I need to plead the 5th on who I model my heroes after. Esp since my current favorite hero is Lucifer--he just cracks me up. (Lucifer doesn't have a very conventional code of honor. He also has a very loose interpretation of following the "rules" and being truthful--though you can't exactly say he's NOT following the rules or telling the truth.)
Great blog, by the way, Santa! And a very favorite topic! I love talking about characters! (And dissing celebrity athletes. *LOL*)
I just finished One Silent Night (Sherrilyn Kenyon) last night. I put off reading it because the series was making me tired. But this one--I really enjoyed this one. And what I really enjoyed is that the hero for this book has been an ENEMY to the rest of the series. In fact, he still is. But in this book, you're pulling for him...you really are. And you're wondering, "Gee, how can we get all these guys to get along in the end?" because you don't want to lose any of these guys--but you can see both sides of the problem--and frankly, they both have a point here. Sure, the hero was an asshole, he's not denying it, but he has a reason to be. And he's not going to give up his agenda at getting back at his father--because you know, what none of us would. We're human...there is not a lot of us who just turn the other cheek and let it go. That's how we are. So it's interesting to watch these characters, all with valid points for being so pissed off, and you wonder: who is going to win in the end? Esp when you don't want to see anyone lose.
I have to correct Terri's quotation of the Robin Hood tagline. Mainly because it was the first movie I was absolutely apeshit over as a teenager. (I remember when I got it for Christmas--it was the ONLY thing I asked for, the ONLY thing I wanted and I even said, "If you're not going to get it, then I don't want anything." God I was a brat. But I did get it.)
"For the good of all men, and the love of one woman, he fought to uphold justice by breaking the law"
(I thought your quotation was a little too PC for the original.)
I knew the word "all" fell in there somewhere. But you have to give me credit for getting the rest right. Just because it's only wall doesn't mean I read it everyday. LOL!
I particularly love Bryan Adams' song for the Costner Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, Everything I do. This song gets me every time. Our hero is swearing that he'd give up his life for his lady love, that nothing would stop him from being with her. Ah, that's romance in it's greatest form. That song gives me goose bumps (or dare I say... shivers me timbers?)
Terrio- you have to wonder what our kids must be thinking. Boy hits girl, girl returns to boy, and the cycle repeats. Girl's think they can change boys or vice versa. Little do they know, the only person you can change, is yourself. I've tried to drill this home to my motley crew as they've dealt with these issues. My son's been having a terribly difficult time because of a break-up scenario. (You know, emotional abuse is even worse and starts at any age.)
It seems to be okay for bankers, entrusted with your money, to misspend. It seems to be okay for athletes to bend the rules to their gain. It seems to be okay to promise change but then never deliver (in relationships, politics, sports, media coverage, war). These are the mixed messages our kids are getting nowdays. At least, when you met a pirate, you knew what you were getting, eh?
Oh! I meant to add that I've always admired Jamie Fox. When we speak of celebrities, I don't mean to lump them all in one box. There are so many who strive to do good, George Clooney, Brat Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Bono, Elton John, and the list goes on. Funny how old Hollywood was all about showing celebrities doing good. Now our society is all about crumbling the pedestal we've put them on. ;)
Kathy - the funny thing is that celebrities of old didn't behave any better than the ones we have now. The media just took care of them. And now the celebrities play into the crumbling. I heard this morning that Chris Brown is tipping off photographers to get the publicity that they are back together. And those damn photographers can make THOUSANDS by getting the picture, so it's a vicious cycle.
And then we buy the mags... Makes one feel a little like an enabler, doesn't it? LOL!
You know who really impresses me? Gary Sinise! He's an incredible actor, remember Lieutenant Dan? But, he gives so much of his time to our servicemen and women. He's been to Iraq and Afghanistan at least 8 times bringing relief, greeting our soldiers, offering his unfaltering support. He's even started up some companies to help our soldiers' families. He says it's not about what you believe, but that we show our military that we will never forget.
*LOL* Clearly Kath and I were thinking the same. We SO enablers!
And we buy the magazines or read the articles...so we're feeding into the cycle. We always want to look up to the popular kids; we typically want to be like them. "Gosh, I wish I had a house on the beach..." or "Must be nice to spend that kind of money and never even blink."
In this I can claim innocense. I don't buy tabloids and never have. It's such a waste of time and money. But, to be fair, I do watch E!News from time to time. So I'm not completely out of the cycle. LOL!
Kathy - I LOVED that song. Swore I'd play it at my wedding someday. By the time the wedding happened, I'd forgotten all about it. LOL!
I'm dreading my daughter getting older. Dreading it! She said something to me last week that sent me over the edge. She has a crush on a friend of hers and while talking about him, she gets that goofy look on her face. Then said he asked her something in a pleading way and she just had to give in because he looked so cute and is so sweet and nice to her.
And so the cycle begins. If you hear screaming coming from the right coast, that'll be me....
Well, I have to admit I've taken to buying them lately. You see, I've only just realized with my latest book, that I love making a storyboard to plot my story. And upon it, I place pictures of a celebrity/model that best resemble my characters. Jared Padalechi and Hayden Panettieri were chosen for my pirate book. So in order to get pictures, I have been buying several mags and cutting out photos for future use. I don't really read the articles because I know it's all hogwash, but there again, I'm buying the pictures that paparazzi fight like demons to get. (sigh)
All in the name of art though... ;)
Join the screamer crew, Terrio!
Hello... my name is Kathy. I'm a screamer and I've been one for ten years.
I don't buy the Enquirer. I have standards, you know. But I do like the pictures...I like to do what Kathy does. I pic the look or style that best represents my character. A look on the face, or a shade of eye color.
There is a Clairol ad of a woman with red curls--that's SO Elizabeth. Wrong eye color though.
Actually, I don't buy the Enquirer, but the Us Weekly and OK mags. I have standards too. LOL! (And thank goodness for that)
The funny thing is, Jared's eyes are green and my heroes eyes are brown. Hayden's eyes are brown and my heroine's are green. Also, Jared's nose is not quite like my heros but he's got the tall, brawny body and the look on his face that draws me in.
I'm already planning my next book's H/H. The Mentalist's Simon Baker and Confessions of a Shopaholic's Isla Fisher.
Forgot to say...Simon Baker. HELLO!
Kathy - My screaming term is only just beginning. She'll be 10 in July. *sigh* I want so badly to lock her in her room for the next 10 years. I thought her height (she's over 5' already) would help, but this little boy barely comes to her elbow and she doesn't mind. Stupid equal opportunity child.
I don't typically do that match the celebrity face to the character thing. Though I did print out a picture yesterday of the dude who inspired the look of my hero. I've lost the pic of the chick. She's a no name I found online once in some Maxim or Tropicana contest. I can't remember, I just remember her name is Sophia and she looked JUST LIKE my heroine. I'm still trying to locate her again. I'm creating a montage of sorts on my bulletin board over my comp and I need her to complete the puzzle.
Love the blog, San!
Based on my experience with kids and their heroes, I'll say their choices might come as a surprise. When my freshman comp students wrote about their heroes, they wrote about their parents, their coaches, their youth pastors, and their peers who had overcome disability, disease, or tragedy. I rarely received an essay about a celebrity.
I also think that there have always been celebrities who lived lives of honor and celebrities who were bent on destruction. Look at all Paul Newman did, for example. Look at Audrey Hepburn's work.
I just have to comment on Wickham. I see him not as a bad boy but as a weak man. I think it is much easier for a writer to redeem a strong, deeply flawed character that to redeem a weak, self-absorbed one. Shallowness is hard to overcome.
Janga - That makes me feel a little hope for the future if the younger generation has a better perspective on heroes than we thought. Also very true about Wickham. Weakness is almost insurmountable. Trust me, I know from whence I speak. I keep dating (and marrying and divorcing) weak men. *sigh*
I just cannot find much to be excited about with celebrities or sport heroes. A lot of the actors I like are the older generation and treated women like...well, like their generation often treated women!
About the only time I buy tabloids is to look at the fashion critiques. Like after a big reward show to see what was worn. Since I didn't bother to watch in on the telly.
I like the idea of making a hero bend his own rules and then the heroine helping him overcome that. In my MS, he bends rules as a matter of pride, and it drives Miranda crazy.
Chance - I find myself asking all the time "How is that news?" I don't care who got a nose job, who has an alleged baby bump, or who stumbled out of the latest hot spot. Don't. Care.
He bends rules as a matter of pride? I like this guy! LOL!
Great distinction Janga - weakness isn't a flaw we overcome. Where as when genuine care for other people lies beneath your flaws, they are much more redeemable (i.e. Mr. Darcy! lol)
Well, he is a pirate! ;)
Janga - True. Shallowness is hard to overcome. I finally finished up Eloisa's books on the sisters and was pleased to follow the growth of Mayne to a man with depth... Nicely done...
There is much to be said for the strong, silent type, aka Mr. Darcy. Wickham was a flash that sparked too soon.
One thing that strikes me, we are only weak if we allow others to make us believe we are. Darcy wasn't concerned with what people thought of his actions. They were righteous and true. Wickham, however, knew Darcy's presence would forever slam doors in his face because he was the one with something to hide.
My hero disguises himself to get revenge. But must endure hardship in disguise in order to get to his goal. Unpleasant, but a necessary evil, and a debt he gladly pays to see justice done. However, exposed to this debauchery he almost loses his soul.
You ladies are bloody brilliant!
I couldn't agree with you more about the Paul/Rheanna debacle. It is NEVER okay for a boy/man/slobbering old fool to hit a woman. NEVER! It's a theme I repeat over and over again to my kids. Second to that, it is NEVER the woman's fault. NEVER! No one deserves that kind of treatment. No one ever does something wrong enough to warrent getting abused in any way.
The only plus - and there is only one - I see in their very public relationship is that it is public. I see it as an opportunity to teach young people how NOT to behave. And to provide young people with enough positive, honor bound role models to fashion themselves after.
Terri - I would love to shut my daughter away to keep her safe and secure. I find we are at loggerheads more often than not. My dh says it's because we are so alike both physically and emotionally. It doesn't help that we are at exact opposite ends in our life's journey as women. Sigh. Big drama on most days. Peace on every other one.
Janga, you bring up a very good point about Wickham. He is a weak, shallow man which makes him a perfect mate for Lydia. As a friend of mine always says, every pot has a cover, lol. And really, you can't do much with a shallow man.
Hell, I'd love to get to know Lucifer better. LOL, I never thought I'd say that.
2nd - For all Mayne's shallowness, he possessed a sense of honor even when we first meet him in 'Your Wicked Ways'. Honor bound, he even kept Imogen at arm's length. Sigh. I think I feel a series re-read coming on.
Off to violin!
Kathy - That hurts my head just to read. What the heck do you put that poor boy through?!
Santa - My kiddo and I are actually quite different. Unfortunately, she's a great deal like her dad. But it's so hard to know she's going to make the same mistakes I have (and most every women has) and not be able to do anything about it. So. Hard.
I heart Mayne. I haven't said that in a while so thought I'd throw that in. LOL!
I just finished Kiss Me, Annabel, where Mayne really begins to examine his life... I thought it brilliantly done. He was an honorable man, with his own set standards of what was honorable...but the sisters end up expecting more of him, so he delivers. And so leaves behind the shallowness of his life.
Happened with their guardian also. Women of honor expected more, so the men find themselves living up to that.
I liked the four books, though I read them out of sequence.
Santa, honor is very important to me. I like to think it is the foundation of all my heroes, not that they are all perfect, but they have to be honorable, even if the honor doesn't always show.
I love to redeem a villain, too. The "villain" of The Wagering Widow became A Reputable Rake!!
Hi Diane!
Redemption is also one of my favorite themes. I adored A Reputable Rake. You really put him through his paces in that one, lol.
Well, I'm home now and will be up for hours. Editing one of my deli thug's papers for school. Laundry. The usual stuff, lol.
I'm very big on honor (or Honour, as the case may be;). And since Janga mention weakness, I think that is what causes a person to behave dishonorably. On the converse side, it seems to me the one requirement of honor is courage.
It takes courage to say no when it's easier/more pleasurable to say yes. It takes courage to take accountability when you'd rather blame the man/the system/another. And it takes courage to do what is right even if it means risking your reputation.
I didn't used to have courage. I get more with every year I live.
But I have to say, I agree with Janga that Wickham was weak. We were probably--at least, those of us who saw it--more likely to forgive Wickham as played by the gorgeous Rupert Friend, but he was a terribly dishonorable character. Reminds me of the Reverend Dimmesdale from Scarlett Letter.
As to your questions, a resounding NO. Honor is NOT just for the books. It is a daily standard to which we should continuously strive.
I also agree with you, San, in that the most satisfying stories tend to be ones where the the hero has made the most honorable strides. That does beg the question, however: do we require more honor of men/heroes than women/heroines??
Fabulous blog.
In the last week we've had some great celebs of the writing world pop in. Thanks for coming by, Diane!
J - Maybe this is why my favorite endings are the ones where the heroine has to back and grovel to get the hero back. I'm all for a man groveling, but I like when it's the woman who admits she was wrong and has to talk the man back into her life.
Kind of like the end of Rumor Has It. Anyone seen that? Jennifer Aniston's character has cheated on her fiance and really hurt him and she goes to apologize and tell him she wants to spend her life with him. She says that line, "I can live without you, I just don't want to." I love that line. And he doesn't give in right away, he makes her sweat. I really like the end of that movie.
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