Stream of consciousness writing is a narrative style that explores how people think and feel and can often be confusing to understand. How does your emotions influence the narrative when writing in stream of consciousness?
For me, a stream of consciousness is a state of change. It's really hard to define it through polarized emotions because the character - and the audience as a result of the narration style - is just feeling and thinking everything. A character's hopes, fears, and sorrows all blend together and come and go as the narrative demands. But just as we can't keep a thought straight in our heads sometimes, the character's thoughts and emotions are all sort of fragments that come together to make a whole picture. If I'm making any sense. XD
For me, a more melancholy stream of consciousness would be more engaging, be it because the content is darker (which I just tend to prefer) or because the commentary the character would make about their circumstances would likely be more sardonic than the happier character (which, again, I just tend to prefer). But that's a matter of personal preference, really. I just tend to write darker.
A more melancholy stream of consciousness certainly does provide a greater depth of character development since there's no self-censorship. A character may be more honest and expressive of their fears and doubts when their thoughts are narrated in stream of consciousness.
Sad but it really depends. I would say it's better for complicated characters, ones who lie to themselves sometimes, ones who might be happy at odd times, and sad during moments when others would be happy.
I think there are different levels of stream of consciousness in their intensity. I tend to write in stream of consciousness, conveying the character as sarcastic and/or ironic. In Faulkner's As I Lay Dying, there are numerous narrators all using stream of consciousness, and this shows a huge contrast in characters and even age/maturity. I wouldn't say happy or sad is a way to describe these characters, especially since it's Faulkner, and every character is built with complexity.
So, I guess to answer the question in my own opinion, I'd say, rather than a happy or sad character themselves, I'd think more along the lines of their tone in their stream of consciousness narration.
Sad, I think a stream of consciousness can reveal a lot about a sad character. The reader, and the writer, gets to pick up on clues to piece together what went wrong.
I agree; I think stream of consciousness lends itself to sadder characters since sorrow often fosters more introspection and withdrawn behavior. It feels chaotic and confusing, which can be representative of how sadness feels.
Personally, I think that stream of consciousness can come out of a large array of different emotions. One of my favorite authors, Ali Smith, will often use stream of consciousness with characters that are perpetually fascinated by the world and by language and who aren't, all that often, sad. The fun thing about stream of consciousness for me is how the thoughts flow throughout a person's mind, like they'll think about one thing on page three, think about something else on pages four through 6, then think about the first thing again on page 7. Stream of consciousness is chaotic, but there is usually a certain rhythm to it that I love finding.
A really good book which uses stream of consciousness narration is Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. At times it felt like I was reading my own thoughts. It was an interesting reading experience. I don't think I have ever written in this style, but I would love to try it!
I am terrified to read what might come out of my head in a stream-of-consciousness session. I've never tried it, partly because I'm ADHD so my thoughts are already scattered, but partly because I don't know what's in there. I'm constantly thinking or working on four different plans at once and I don't have that many hands. I guess emotions would play into the narrative somewhat but I have to assume since we're deeply connected to our characters, we'd be writing their consciousness instead of our own... this is a heavy topic.
For me, a stream of consciousness is a state of change. It's really hard to define it through polarized emotions because the character - and the audience as a result of the narration style - is just feeling and thinking everything. A character's hopes, fears, and sorrows all blend together and come and go as the narrative demands. But just as we can't keep a thought straight in our heads sometimes, the character's thoughts and emotions are all sort of fragments that come together to make a whole picture. If I'm making any sense. XD
For me, a more melancholy stream of consciousness would be more engaging, be it because the content is darker (which I just tend to prefer) or because the commentary the character would make about their circumstances would likely be more sardonic than the happier character (which, again, I just tend to prefer). But that's a matter of personal preference, really. I just tend to write darker.
A more melancholy stream of consciousness certainly does provide a greater depth of character development since there's no self-censorship. A character may be more honest and expressive of their fears and doubts when their thoughts are narrated in stream of consciousness.
Sad but it really depends. I would say it's better for complicated characters, ones who lie to themselves sometimes, ones who might be happy at odd times, and sad during moments when others would be happy.
I think there are different levels of stream of consciousness in their intensity. I tend to write in stream of consciousness, conveying the character as sarcastic and/or ironic. In Faulkner's As I Lay Dying, there are numerous narrators all using stream of consciousness, and this shows a huge contrast in characters and even age/maturity. I wouldn't say happy or sad is a way to describe these characters, especially since it's Faulkner, and every character is built with complexity.
So, I guess to answer the question in my own opinion, I'd say, rather than a happy or sad character themselves, I'd think more along the lines of their tone in their stream of consciousness narration.
Man, I hope this makes sense 😅
Sad, I think a stream of consciousness can reveal a lot about a sad character. The reader, and the writer, gets to pick up on clues to piece together what went wrong.
I agree; I think stream of consciousness lends itself to sadder characters since sorrow often fosters more introspection and withdrawn behavior. It feels chaotic and confusing, which can be representative of how sadness feels.
Personally, I think that stream of consciousness can come out of a large array of different emotions. One of my favorite authors, Ali Smith, will often use stream of consciousness with characters that are perpetually fascinated by the world and by language and who aren't, all that often, sad. The fun thing about stream of consciousness for me is how the thoughts flow throughout a person's mind, like they'll think about one thing on page three, think about something else on pages four through 6, then think about the first thing again on page 7. Stream of consciousness is chaotic, but there is usually a certain rhythm to it that I love finding.
A really good book which uses stream of consciousness narration is Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. At times it felt like I was reading my own thoughts. It was an interesting reading experience. I don't think I have ever written in this style, but I would love to try it!
I am terrified to read what might come out of my head in a stream-of-consciousness session. I've never tried it, partly because I'm ADHD so my thoughts are already scattered, but partly because I don't know what's in there. I'm constantly thinking or working on four different plans at once and I don't have that many hands. I guess emotions would play into the narrative somewhat but I have to assume since we're deeply connected to our characters, we'd be writing their consciousness instead of our own... this is a heavy topic.