Earlier, I didn't think of one thing that I really hate: dependence on people being semi-implausibly stupid as a means of driving the plot of a story forward. There are a lot of situations in which stupidity or just poor decision-making on the part of a character is used to further the story, and I'm okay with a lot of them. But sometimes, the stupidity is so egregious, or the dumb behavior so inconsistent with the way it seems a character must be, that I just detest it.
I was reminded of this disfavored plot device this weekend when I was reading a children's fantasy novel in which the (adult) caretaker of a preserve of magical creatures (both neutral and malevolent) left the future of the world in the hands of his 11-year-old grandson who had already twice demonstrated a complete inability/unwillingness to do what he's told. On a special night when the creatures are allowed to roam widely and cause all kinds of havoc, he says to the boy, "Whatever sounds you hear going on outside, don't get out of bed, don't look out the window, and don't open the window!" The boy and his 14-year-old sister are thus left on their own to wait out the dangerous, mysterious-sounding night. Of course the boy hears noises, is overcome with curiosity, looks out the window, and is outwitted by an evil demon that tricks him into opening the window. Thus are the adults in the house rendered vulnerable to the demons and immediately abducted.
Hello? What kind of adult, esp. one with this kind of responsibility for managing evil beings and protecting humanity from them, tells a kid "hey don't look out there" and expects that to happen? I would have covered those windows with wood and a thousand nails. Hell, after the other stupid shit the kid had pulled by then, I would probably have tied him to his goddamn bed. The kid was just being a (particularly annoying, in my opinion) kid, but his grandfather was a total moron.
The grandfather also modeled extremely bad parenting technique by initially threatening the child with being stuck in his room for the duration of the vacation if he disobeyed and went into the restricted areas of the preserve, then backing down. (Argh! Thereby goes your credibility forever you idiot!) The second major disaster, when the kid captured a fairy, turned it into an imp (accidentally), and precipitated a falling out between the humans and the fairies, was also met with zero punishment.
If that demon had ended up killing the grandfather, I would not have been disappointed. The man is clearly too stupid to live.
Does this kind of thing drive you crazy, too?
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3 comments:
Yes. You know it's bad when you start rooting for the bad guy to kill off the supposed good guy, just to get rid of him so you don't have to deal with him anymore.
In the book you are talking about the sister also doesn't seem to take much responsibility for her annoying and stupid brother. I think I would have tied him to his bed if I were his sister just as a survival tactic or just in revenge for his being annoying and stupid.
Perhaps, naively, she didn't believe the grandfather about the seriousness of the situation.
It reminds me of the horror movies in which someone goes into the woods, scary house, etc. ALONE. Don't these people realize what happens in these situations? Haven't they seen horror movies before?
One of my peeves alon these lines is when characters, usually in a movie, get into more and more trouble because they didn't go to the police when some crime happened.
I also hate when couples have a simple misunderstanding that a few words could clear up and it causes a lot of trouble (like Shrek, though I can cut animated ogres a lot of slack).
The latter principle I carry out in my own life; I'd rather clarify something even when it's embarrassing than let my feelings get hurt if I'm not absolutely sure.
Him: It's over.
Me: ...
Him: I don't love you anymore.
Me: So, um, just so I'm clear. You're breaking up with me?
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