Character and Other Fictional Errors

"I thought he had no character."
"How could he have one when you assassinated it for him?"

Ages ago, I wrote a microfiction titled Casanova. It was the story of a man who deliberately taints his reputation as a womanizer, apparently for a good cause. When my brother, an incredible writer himself, read it, he said, "I thought you would decode the psyche of a Casanova. I so wanted the piece to explore drive rather than reputation."

That was one of the first instances when I was pushed to approach things less with judgment, and more with curiosity. And I realized, it’s a difficult recalibration, considering how delicious a good snap judgment can taste.

A decade later, I was reading a novel in which the protagonist shared similar traits. As if connecting the dots from the past, it delved into his reasons for being a Casanova. The take was interesting. I couldn't label it right or wrong, though. It was just very intriguing.

In the complex labyrinth of each human mind, lie countless unique narratives. Within the same flesh and blood we all share, live so many contradictions and idiosyncrasies. Imagine what an adventure it is to explore such vivid individualities in the world.

But alas, we remain obsessed with the dull discovery of what makes us the same.