These ideas are inspired by How To Read Literature Like A Professor.
I am going to try and cover a different tool each day.
Marked For Greatness
1. Physical shape tells a lot about the inner character
2. In Shakespeare and most fairytales, ugly means bad, evil character
3. In Greek stories scars show atonement for past sins
4. In modern stories scars show wisdom gained by experience, set a character apart from normal, and create 'a mysterious history' to be unraveled
5. Deformities and scars usually point to a theme the author wants you to see clearly
A few examples of scarred villains in modern films are Scar from The Lion King, Scarface from Scarface, Crater Face from Grease, Freddy from the Nightmare movies and the list could keep going. Since a movie has a very short time to get you to see who is 'good' and who is 'bad' it uses the visual clue of scars or deformities all the time.
Soldiers, cowboys and cops with scars are usually seen as extra capable or brave. Survivors with scars, slaves, concentration camps, abused relationships, or serious accidents seem to immediately get our trust and compassion. However, we are wary of characters with birth defects, tattoos, or burns.
My favorite marked character is Hester from Scarlet Letter. Her A, marks her, but it also becomes part of her. It allows her to know herself, to be one in mind, body and souls. This self-knowledge is very important in her development of into a mature woman. Without the self-knowledge she would have remained a 'child' or puppet of others.
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