Is Suzanne Simpson’s control over her massive corporate empire purely a defensive strategy against external threats like Fidelia, or does she harbor her own ambitions that make her a wild card? 85 Good question! It’s hard to imagine Fidelia breaking a life-long pattern of personal adaptation toward increased power and influence, but one never knows. Might there be a future life-altering event that shapes her outlook so dramatically that she shifts direction?
And then there is Howard Knight. He wants to break free once and for all from Fidelia’s control. Talk about the psychological struggles Howard Knight faces as he thinks about leaving Fidelia and her empire. Howard faces continuous turmoil with Fidelia. Their relationship is a long one but far more complicated than most. At the heart of Howard’s unease is the organized crime outfit she runs. While Fidelia was drawn increasingly toward the opioid of power, wealth and influence, Howard grew increasingly uncomfortable with violence, human trafficking, and treatment of people like useful prey for money and power. As he thinks about leaving, Howard must constantly balance his desire for freedom with a reality that Fidelia ultimately could end his life in an instant. “Contention” implies conflict or struggle. Who faces the most significant moral or ethical dilemmas in the story? Perhaps surprisingly, I think CEO Suzanne Simpson has to face the most significant moral or ethical dilemma. Both Howard and Fidelia are focused exclusively on their personal interests, without any consideration for the values most of us embrace. How does the tension between free will and determinism influence character choices and plot development? “Determinism”. Wow! We’re digging deep here today! As a novelist who loves adding twists and turns to his stories as often as possible, I think you’d find me in the camp that believes all actionsesult of free will rather than some preordained direction or external cause. More specifically, a writer’s imagination should create and drive tension, testing every character’s free will to the greatest extent plausible.
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