What makes for a good villain in children’s fiction? And there lies a paradox, because I don’t think that evil can truly be laid bare, but must be portrayed within the constructs of a safe environment. And how is that to be done?
- The villain of the piece should scary enough for the reader to think twice about turning off the light, but not so terrifying as to summon nightmares.
- A villain must be discovered, at first not being too obvious. They may be hidden in plain sight.
- A villain is manipulative and has power over other people and can control or influence events. There will be acolytes, inherent or recently converted.
- A villain must not be too complex, nor on the other hand be based on stereotypes.
- A villain must be original, but be rooted in recognisable archetypes.
- A villain must always be one step ahead until the very end and appear in surprising places, including daylight.
- They must be almost invincible, but in the end be defeated,
- Like the good they must contain the seeds of resurrection so there is the possibility of being terrified by them all over again.
Perhaps a touch of vulnerability, and even humanity, which can make a villain all the more believable...
ReplyDeleteYes, I thought about including that, but I couldn't make up my mind about children's lit as opposed to young adult literature.
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