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.