George RR Martin on Why He Kills Characters

Summary

In this video transcript, the speaker reflects on the emotional impact of character deaths in storytelling, emphasizing the importance of honesty in depicting war and its consequences. They discuss the influence of Tolkien's work on their writing, highlighting the power of unexpected deaths and the realism it brings to fantasy. The speaker aims to elicit strong emotions, including fear and grief, to create a vicarious experience for readers, allowing them to live through the narrative as if it were real.

Takeaways

• 📚 The speaker has a deep affection for their characters, including the antagonists, and even those they have killed off in their stories.
• 🤯 The speaker finds it important to treat war realistically in their writing, reflecting the harsh realities of life and death, as opposed to the often sanitized portrayals in other fantasy novels.
• 🎭 The speaker is critical of fantasy stories where the hero and their companions survive unscathed through great dangers, arguing that it lacks the visceral fear and peril that real war entails.
• 🌟 The speaker admires the impactful deaths of characters in Tolkien's works, such as Boromir and Gandalf, for their emotional weight and narrative significance.
• 😔 The speaker expresses disappointment when the emotional impact of a character's death is undercut by their resurrection, as it diminishes the sense of real danger and uncertainty.
• 🧐 The speaker emphasizes the importance of evoking genuine fear in their readers, akin to the fear one might feel in a dangerous, real-life situation, rather than the thrill of a rollercoaster ride.
• 📖 The speaker's goal is to create a vicarious experience for readers, where they not only read but also live through the emotions, sensations, and events described in the narrative.
• 🍽️ The speaker wants readers to fully immerse in the described experiences, such as feasts, jousts, and intimate scenes, to the point where they can almost taste, smell, and feel them.
• 💔 The speaker aims to make readers grieve for the loss of a character as they would for a loved one, highlighting the emotional depth they strive for in their storytelling.
• 🌐 The speaker believes that reading is about experiencing a multitude of lives and shaping one's identity through the absorption of stories and their emotional resonance.
• 🙌 The speaker thanks the audience for their engagement and the impact their work has had on them, emphasizing the transformative power of literature.

Q & A

What is the speaker's relationship with the characters they create, including the antagonists?

The speaker has a deep affection for all characters, including the antagonists like Ramsay Bolton, whom they describe as misunderstood due to a hard childhood.

Does the speaker enjoy killing off characters in their stories?

The speaker does not enjoy killing characters but believes it is necessary for the story, reflecting the harsh realities of life and war.

What is the speaker's view on the portrayal of death in fantasy novels?

The speaker believes that death is a part of life and should be reflected in art, especially in fantasy novels, to maintain a sense of realism and tension.

How does the speaker feel about the depiction of war in literature, particularly in comparison to J.R.R. Tolkien's works?

The speaker appreciates the honest portrayal of war in Tolkien's works, such as the deaths of Boromir and Gandalf, which they find powerful and influential.

What impact did Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings' have on the speaker's approach to writing?

Tolkien's work had a significant influence on the speaker, teaching them the importance of treating war honestly and the power of unexpected character deaths.

Why does the speaker dislike stories where the hero and their companions survive without significant loss?

The speaker finds such portrayals unrealistic and irritating, as they believe war brings out the beast in men and that anyone can die, regardless of their role as a hero.

What kind of fear does the speaker aim to evoke in their readers?

The speaker wants to evoke a visceral fear, similar to the fear one feels when their life is genuinely at risk, rather than the thrill of a rollercoaster ride.

How does the speaker describe the experience they want their readers to have when reading their work?

The speaker wants readers to live the experiences described in their work, feeling the emotions and sensations as if they were real.

What is the speaker's goal as a writer in terms of reader engagement?

The speaker's goal is to create a vicarious experience for the reader, making them feel as if they are part of the story and its events.

How does the speaker view the impact of literature on a person's life?

The speaker believes that literature shapes a person as much as real-life experiences, with memories of great books being as vivid as personal memories.

What message does the speaker convey to their readers at the end of the script?

The speaker thanks their readers for creating something meaningful for them, emphasizing the power of literature to provide a thousand lives of experience.

Outlines

00:00

📚 The Complexity of Character Love and Death in Fiction

The speaker expresses a deep affection for their characters, including the antagonists, and even those who meet a tragic end. They argue that characters, like Ramsay Bolton, are products of their circumstances and deserve understanding. The discussion moves to the necessity of death in storytelling, especially in the fantasy genre, drawing a parallel to J.R.R. Tolkien's influence and the realistic portrayal of war and its consequences. The speaker emphasizes the importance of honesty in depicting war's brutality and the mortality of all characters, heroes included, to create a sense of peril and engagement for the reader.

05:01

🎢 The Power of Fear and Emotional Depth in Storytelling

This paragraph delves into the importance of evoking genuine fear and strong emotions in readers through storytelling. The speaker differentiates between the thrill of fear on a rollercoaster, which is controlled and temporary, and the more profound, visceral fear experienced when one's safety is uncertain. They aim to replicate this intense emotion in their writing, wanting readers to feel the grief of a character's death as they would for a real person. The speaker also discusses the immersive experience of reading, where the reader lives through the characters' experiences, drawing a connection to the lasting impact of literature on one's life and identity.

Keywords

💡Characters

Characters are the fictional people in a narrative who drive the story forward. In the video, the speaker expresses affection for the characters they create, even the antagonists, highlighting the emotional connection a writer can have with their creations. An example from the script is the mention of 'Ramsay Bolton,' a character the speaker describes as misunderstood, showing the depth of character development.

💡Death

Death in literature is a narrative device that can evoke strong emotions and add realism to a story. The speaker discusses their approach to killing off characters, emphasizing that it should be done thoughtfully and not gratuitously. The phrase 'Valar morghulis' from 'Game of Thrones' is referenced, meaning 'all men must die,' illustrating the acceptance of mortality as a part of life and art.

💡Fantasy Novel

A fantasy novel is a genre of literature that features magical or supernatural elements, often set in imaginary worlds. The speaker mentions writing fantasy novels and the importance of reflecting life's realities, including death, in such works. The influence of J.R.R. Tolkien's work on the speaker is evident, as they discuss the impact of powerful character deaths in 'The Lord of the Rings.'

💡War

War is a recurring theme in literature, especially in epic fantasy, where it often serves as a backdrop for exploring human nature and conflict. The speaker talks about the prevalence of war in fantasy novels and the importance of portraying it honestly, reflecting the harsh realities and the 'beast in men' that it can bring out, as mentioned in the context of characters dying in wars.

💡Hero

A hero is the central character in a story who often overcomes obstacles and achieves great feats. The speaker criticizes the unrealistic portrayal of heroes in some stories, where they survive unscathed despite facing great danger. This contrasts with the speaker's approach, where even heroes can die, adding a sense of realism and tension to the narrative.

💡Emotions

Emotions are a critical aspect of storytelling, allowing readers to connect with characters and situations. The speaker emphasizes the desire to evoke strong emotions in readers, such as fear, grief, or excitement, through the experiences of the characters. This is exemplified by the speaker's goal to make readers feel the same level of fear a soldier might feel in a life-threatening situation.

💡Vicarious Experience

Vicarious experience refers to the process of experiencing something indirectly through the experiences of others, often through storytelling. The speaker discusses the power of reading to provide a thousand lives of experiences, shaping the reader as much as real-life events. This concept is central to the speaker's view on the impact of literature on readers.

💡Literary Influence

Literary influence is the impact that one writer or work has on another, shaping their style, themes, or ideas. The speaker acknowledges the influence of Tolkien on their writing, particularly in terms of character deaths and the portrayal of war. This influence is evident in the speaker's approach to creating tension and realism in their stories.

💡Fear

Fear is an emotion that the speaker aims to evoke in readers through realistic and dangerous situations in their stories. The speaker differentiates between the thrill of fear on a rollercoaster, which is expected and temporary, and the more visceral fear of being in a life-threatening situation, which they aim to replicate in their writing.

💡Writing Style

Writing style refers to the way a writer uses language to convey their story. The speaker discusses their desire for an immersive writing style that makes readers feel as if they are living the experiences described, whether it's a feast, a joust, or a sex scene. This style is intended to create a deep emotional connection with the reader.

💡Reader Engagement

Reader engagement is the level of involvement and interest a reader has in a narrative. The speaker's goal is to engage readers to the point where they are not just reading but living the story. This is demonstrated by the desire to make readers feel the emotions of the characters and experience the events as if they were real.

Highlights

The author expresses love for all characters, including the antagonists, and even those who are killed off.

Ramsay Bolton is described as a misunderstood character with a hard childhood.

Death is portrayed as a necessary part of life and art, particularly in fantasy novels.

The author emphasizes the importance of treating war realistically in fiction, reflecting its harsh realities.

The impact of Tolkien's work on the author, especially the deaths of characters like Boromir and Gandalf.

The author's irritation with unrealistic portrayals of war in fiction where heroes survive unscathed.

The desire to create a sense of fear and danger in readers, similar to real-life experiences.

The importance of evoking strong emotions in readers, such as grief over a character's death.

The author's goal to make readers live the experiences within the book, not just read them.

The comparison between the fear felt on a rollercoaster and the fear felt in life-threatening situations.

The author's aspiration for readers to experience the full range of emotions, including excitement and arousal.

The idea that reading is a vicarious experience that shapes individuals as much as real-life events.

The author's belief that books read in youth have a lasting impact and become part of one's identity.

The quote about a reader living a thousand lives before they die, emphasizing the power of reading.

A thank you to the audience for creating something meaningful through their engagement with the author's work.

Transcripts

do you love your characters or do they

drive you insane at times or yes both

both yeah I do I do love them even even

the bad guys even the ones I kill even

Ramsay Bolton Ramsay's a misunderstood

fellow what do we misunderstanding he

had a hard childhood yeah as a good

excuse do you like killing your

characters no I don't do it so much so

it's I do think it needs to be done big

fan of death up there okay you know

Valar morghulis all men must die I think

it's part of life and and art needs to

reflect life particularly if you're if

you're writing a fantasy novel an epic

fantasy you know certainly since the

days of Tolkien so many fantasy novels

have been about war I mean there's a war

at the center Lord of the Rings you know

they have Sauron and his great armies of

Orcs and and south wings and

easterling's and and other Ling's are

all moving out and the free man of the

West are fighting against them and of

course in my in my books there's a

considered it will be more complicated

war going on but you look at all of the

other writers who've been in between and

is there's Wars and wars and Wars now

I'm not saying you have to write about

war there many other interesting things

to write about

and I've written about some of them I

don't have a war in all my books but if

I'm gonna write about war if any writer

is gonna write about war then I want him

to treat war honestly and one thing I I

know about war from people who served in

Vietnam and served in other Wars is you

know it does bring out the beast in men

and anybody can die it doesn't matter if

you're the hero I think everybody who

died in any war thought they were a hero

right to the moment that the bullet blew

off the top of theirs ago so it

irritates me when I when I I'm watching

a movie and or reading a book and the

hero is going through incredible dangers

him and his six buddies and none of them

die you know maybe one of them gets

wounded at some point but they they will

survive pretty much untouched at the end

I mean and Tolkien which I read when I

was young and and at a pretty formative

age I think that book had an immense

influence on me and it does have some

powerful deaths in it it the death of

Boromir still resonates me that was that

was a powerful moment the death of

Gandalf in the mines of moria when when

the Balrog drags him down to the thing

and he says live fools and that's

enormous ly powerful because you know

especially at that point in the book as

Gandalf is the candle fits the father

figure Gandalf is the guy who has the

answers Gandalf is the one who knows

what they should do and how they should

do it and suddenly he's gone and the you

know down the hobbits are on their own

with Strider and Boromir and people they

don't necessarily trust because their

relationships are still fairly new at

that point and they're facing untold

dangers and they don't have Gandalf to

warn them of exactly what's around

next turn and Bend that's a hugely

powerful moment which I actually if it

had been me Gandalf or stayed dead I

think you know bringing him back as

surprising but it in some ways it

undercut the power of that moment and by

setting up those moments toki and also

set me up for the moment where it seemed

like frodo had died you know when when

i'm reading the end of the the two

towers and shelob's stabs him and he

seems to be dead and Sam took takes the

ring and then the book is over you know

and you have to wait for the next book I

really thought Frodo was dead

I thought token had earned his stripes

with me he'd killed Boromir he had

killed frettin now he killed Frodo my

god I really don't know what's gonna

happen this book anyone can die and it

became so much more exciting in that

point because anyone could die that

peril was real and that's the feeling I

want my readers to have that it if

you're gonna hear is the feeling you and

your rate is to have yes actually you

know in a word if you're gonna write

about fearful situations I want you to

have fear and the right kind of fear I

mean we we go on rollercoaster rides and

we're scared right that rollercoaster

rides are scary supposedly but we're not

really scared we know that we're gonna

get off the roller coaster after three

minutes and however high we go and then

we plunge down and there's a certain

thrill in a and I guess an adrenaline

rush or something like that so we like

to be scared in certain senses but

that's one kind of fear but there's

another kind of fear that you feel when

like you're all alone and you're walking

in a bad neighborhood and and suddenly

you hear footsteps behind you and your

turn and you see see some people come in

and you don't know who the hell they are

and you know that that's a moment or a

moment that a soldier or a policeman or

any

one fears when they're in a situation

where their life is on their on the line

and that's a that's a much more visceral

kind of fear and that's the kind of fear

I want to read her to feel I mean I

think writing is about strong emotions I

want you to to be afraid when I'm

putting the characters in a scary

situation when a character dies I want

you to grieve for that character as you

would for a friend or a loved one or a

parent and it's an entire you know

vicarious experience which is my goal as

a writer I want you if I'm gonna

describe a feast I don't want to just

say yes and then they ate a feast it was

delicious

I want you to I wanted you to smell the

food and taste the food whether it's

delicious food or bad food or whatever I

smelled the particular things if it's a

Gauss I want you to have the excitement

of getting caught up and who's going to

win the joust if it's a sex scene I want

you to get hot and bothered or I want to

I want you not just to read my work but

to live my work that's I know they're

giving away this book bags here that the

some of the I guess one with the VIP

tickets that says a quote I said a

couple years ago about a reader a reader

lives a thousand lives before he dies

the man who never reads lives only one

but I've always felt that I I think

reading is about vicarious experience I

look back on cocaine which I read I'd go

like I said when I was 12 and 13 and I

remember things that happened in the

book of you know from half a century

later as if I live them I don't remember

the actual things that I lived at that

time I have forgotten who sat behind me

in geography class and you know what I

was doing that June you know of my 13th

year and all that so much of this memory

is gone but but the the memory of these

great books that I read at that time not

just Tolkien but HP Lovecraft probably

how

Robert a Heinlein some of the books I

was reading for school and all that the

classics of literature Dickens and so

forth

Shakespeare those are very much part of

me and I think they're part of us all

all of us readers we absorb this stuff

and it shapes us as much as the real

events of our real lives so in that

sense it is real so I think for all of

us here you've created something that's

done that for us so thank you very much

[Applause]