i'm writing a suicide scene right now, very tragic, very dramatic. as i have it now, the character slits her wrists in the tub. gets the point across, but maybe a little cliche? anyone have any ideas on maybe something a little more original, and yet still poignant? sorry if this is a little morbid, but it's an important scene.
Sits in the bath, takes some sleeping pills, puts a plastic bag over her head and dies. Makes for some really weird visuals.
Depends on your setting really. If it's at home, you could go very emotional and have the character break something in rage, pick up a glass or ceramic shard and slit their neck. Wrists are pretty cliche, but something out of passion with an object easily accessible would be both striking and not make the reader think, "Yeah, that would happen." Also I hear a large kitchen knife to the heart will do it.
More importantly you have to ask: how would the character kill themselves?
Is it in this person to slit their wrist, because that's a very committed suicide, it sends a message to whoever finds her, it isn't easy, it hurts, it's messy.
Pills are quiet, silent, no mess and half accurate. Pills can be if your not truly committed to the idea and maybe harbor a hope someone will find you or rescue you. Someone cares.
A gun is desperation, rage, committed. People with guns want it known want it shown that they had the strength to do this. Maybe they've been underestimated for a long time.
Hanging. Ah, there it is, dangling feet. Sad. Struggling. Simple. Visual.
I've always wanted to have a character cry in front of a mirror, and then just start smashing their own face into the glass. Just kinda, grab hold of the edge of the sink and smash, smash...
*Spoilers ahead*
The only suicide scene that stands out in my mind as 'emotionally jarring' is from The Royal Tenenbaums, because I really care about-- and somewhat understand-- the character.
The worst suicide I've ever seen, meaning: terrible, no emotional impact, laughable, etc. was from The Rules of Attraction. Incidentally, they slit their wrists in a bath tub... :roll: But then, in the same movie, the hanging scene is wonderfully disturbing. I feel the main difference is, we know a great deal about the one character (Van Der Beek), and nothing about the other.
With the bathtub scene, all of a sudden, this character we've never met (only in 'letters') is presented through montage-style suicide. Horribly NOT effective. I just didn't give a shit.
The hanging scene is also great because there's no music, it's just happening before you. Very creepy. But then, in Tenenbaums, the music is very very effective, and goes a long way in creating the desired effect. Both examples are wonderfully inspired.
You gotta do what feels right, I suppose... I hope the examples help.
I agree with michael. If you aren't sure how your character should kill himself/herself, maybe you shouldn't write the scene yet. Keep writing around it and developing the life of the character until you find something that makes sense.
If you still can't think of anything that you are completely happy with, maybe you shouldn't be killing the character. I know you think this might completely change your story, and it will, but really think about it. Being careless with the lives of your characters can often lead to a story where no one gives a shit about any of the characters you've created.
Obviously this might not apply in your case, but I'm just stating my very general opinion on the subject.
head through tv.
stung by killer bee
Raped by a dolphin.
must rhyme in time last word first line...
to repeat:
head through tv...
stung by killer bee...
blah blah blah gee...
whiz kid rock candy cane lane changing into something happened on the way way back to the moon over and over and out of his mind your own business proposition...
seriously tho:
u want to kill sum character off in an original way?
because you worry a bath tub rub of the wrist might seem cliche?
what needs to get kilt is your external mind my friend...
advice:
lock yourself in a closet...
dont eat sleep fuck laugh shit piss work play write read or be for 48 hours plus then take that empty depraved spirit begging to masturbate while sipping bourbon and enhaling double bacon cheeseburgers while watching sum whack ass director talking dvd commentary about how the dolly move made artistic sense only to him and the voices in his head...
and crucify it...kill that bitch in the first way that cums on to your empty pale head...
ten sense per verse
Walk up to the mail box near the beach, and take off your shoes. Put each shoe into two seperate boxes, with notes saying "This is your fault. I hope you're happy." Wrap the boxes in brown paper and tie them with string, addressing them to your two worst enemies [or, alternatively, to each of your parents].
Then take off all your clothes and swim out to see and don't come back.
very freudian my little piano
I thought it may have been.
"Multimedia psychotherapy. Projecting the darkness of my soul. You learn to cope with shit like this."
"It's still not a real duck."
so there we have it, she commits suicide by getting dolphin raped. but more seriously, i think i'm just going to keep it as is, she slits her wrists in the tub. it just fits. thanks for the input though. mindfuck and michael, very good points about knowing the character well enough to kill her off. i thought a lot about it and i think that slitting the wrists fits. thanks.
Glad to have been of some help. Keep the swimming out to sea one in the back of your mind, howeverm [minus the dolphin rape and shoes in parcels and so on], because once again, it makes for some really beautiful, if not creepy, visuals.
definitely, it's the kind of thing that looks so peaceful, and yet is terribly disturbing. very moving imagery i think.
Jumping off a suspension bridge at night is always good...with the lights of the bridge, shawdows against the gorge walls, and darkness of the eh-bis. The slow walk on the bridge until the victim reaches the middle. Then a happy couple walks by, breaking the tension for a moment. Then the victim thinks about the couple, that one last glimmer of hope, but decides its time to go.
Alternatively, a raccoon could break their fall. Its been known to happen.
Quote from: markums2kThe worst suicide I've ever seen, meaning: terrible, no emotional impact, laughable, etc. was from The Rules of Attraction. Incidentally, they slit their wrists in a bath tub... :roll: But then, in the same movie, the hanging scene is wonderfully disturbing. I feel the main difference is, we know a great deal about the one character (Van Der Beek), and nothing about the other.
With the bathtub scene, all of a sudden, this character we've never met (only in 'letters') is presented through montage-style suicide. Horribly NOT effective. I just didn't give a shit.
you didnt give a shit? neither did most of the school, and nobody will ever know why she did it either. im sure avary is delighted that youre proving his point.
another way of killing yourself is locking yourself in the garage with the car running.
good job cecil dude.
i think ur (and by 'ur' i mean whoever started this topic) concentrating too hard on how this character of urs should kill himself instead of why, which trully, is more important.
How's this for original?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10889896&dopt=Abstract
ouch.
shit
Quote from: Cecil B. Dementedim sure avary is delighted that youre proving his point.
And thus, he proves
my point. If his goal was to create a scene that totally removed from the movie and made me roll my eyes (like so, :roll: ), then, bravo...
Whether he meant it to be like that is not relevant to this thread. I think you and I agree that the scene in pretty ineffective, intentional or not. Yes?
Anyways, I think the posts that suggest suicide isn't a great idea are probably the best ones. After all, there's more drama in living than dying.
i actually think it is very effective, and a gutsy move on his part.
Quote from: Cecil B. Dementedi actually think it is very effective, and a gutsy move on his part.
Okay. So we don't agree. :-D I'd be interested to know why you think it's a gutsy move. I didn't take it that way at all. I don't want to debate it, I'm just genuinely interested.
well the fact that there is no (or hardly any) investment with the character before she kills herself. basically everything you said before is true, but i felt it worked.