I've been reading a few books lately and toying with an idea or two that revolves around the plot of a love triangle. You know, that crazy, often sticky kind of relationship where one person is being pulled in two different directions...sometimes because of lust, sometimes love...either way, things tend to get messy when there's three instead of two.
It occurred to me that I don't really like that kind of plot device...it makes me anxious, and at times, angry. To be torn between two opportunities, to have to make a choice...it's hard on the heroine (or hero) and on the reader and on the writer. And yet I always get totally sucked in (have actually written a thing or two involving a triangle). So why the fascination? Why do we love the triangle scenario so much?
We are a society that tends to value monogamy right? We quest for the one true love. We want the happily ever after. I'm thinking about writing something that doesn't end that way. What if the heroine (or hero) makes the wrong choice? What if they don't realize what they had until it was gone? Then what? Can the damage be repaired? Broken hearts are hard to mend. They carry scars that are unforgiving.
I'm intrigued by the love triangle...you can thank Peeta and Katniss (and Gale) for this. They got me thinking. It's time to shake things up a bit. It's time to make my heroine bleed.
*Rubs hands together* Let's get to work. Insert evil laugh here.
I love the triangle. I love reading them and writing them, I think because there's uncertainty on how it's going to turn out (even though it's often obvious).
ReplyDeleteThe appeal may also come from wondering if there is just one person out there for us (the happily ever after person) or if we have options.
I've got something like that going on in my side WIP. I've never written something like this, so it should be interesting to see what happens.
ReplyDeleteThe love triangle is one of the most common literary devices, and for good reason - there is huge potential for drama, and most people have been confused and in love at some time. You won't go far wrong with this one Angie.
ReplyDeleteFortunately for me, I love all three of me equally - so I don't suffer too much in real life. ;-)