Forum / Looking for Two Stories

  • Smith_adam.thumb
    A. Pseudonym
    Nov 21, 07:32pm

    Hi all - when I'm not writing fiction, I'm writing non-fiction. My field is political theory, specifically politics and religion, and I'm currently working up an article that addresses the "Charter for Compassion." (just google it).

    One of the central arguments is that narrative is more conducive than theory to inter-religious peace, and I need some examples. Specifically, I'm trying to find two types of stories:

    - the first shows two characters who "believe" in the same thing - say, the same religion, the same idea - but "act" very differently. The important thing is that the characters act in OPPOSITE ways for the SAME reasons. For example, two Muslim fundamentalists; one reads the Qu'ran and treats his neighbors with respect; the other reads the Qu'ran and becomes a terrorist. It doesn't have to be as obvious as that, and in fact the more subtle the better.

    - the second shows the reverse - two characters who "believe" different things, but "act" in the same way. In this case they are doing the same thing but for different reasons. What they do can be good or bad. For example, a committed atheist and a committed evangelical Christian both being compassionate, or both being cruel.

    The "point" of the stories is that HOW we believe is different from WHAT we believe.

    Can anyone suggest anything from literature you know, whether it's well-known or not, that fits into these categories? Of course, if one of your own stories does the job, I'd especially love to read that.

    Thanks for serving as my army of unpaid research assistants.

    -A. Smith

  • Photo_on_2012-05-10_at_10.25.thumb
    Susan Gibb
    Nov 23, 07:30am

    The concept has been at the forefront of my mind these days in the middle of politics and reform debates. It just seems like all want the same end result but argue about the paths. However, no stories have come of it yet.

  • Raven.thumb
    Andrew Bowen
    Nov 24, 04:46pm

    That's a good point, Susan. We are all rivers flowing to the same ocean, just in different lands.

  • Cover_saving_jane_austen.thumb
    Daniel Curzon
    Dec 11, 02:57pm

    I am not absolutely sure, but some of my beastly fables show "animals" acting differently from their professed beliefs. Is this the same thing?

  • Untitled.thumb
    Christian Yetter
    Dec 14, 01:37am

    Uh... The Chronicles of Narnia gets into the 'different believes acting the same' for about... 1/2 a page, albeit in a pretty offensive way (in the last book, whatever it's called... SPOILERALERT: The one where everyone dies).

    Regarding same-goal, different-actions, Lord of the Rings? The whole, "Zomg, let's use the ring." "No you idiot, that's a bad idea." thing book 1.

    Sorry. I'm on a vintage fantasy kick.

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