I’m the father to three boys–the oldest of which is a freshman in high school. The drama between the three is often so intense that it ends in fighting, tears, or both. The most recent drama surrounds video games. A new game, Super Smash Bros, came out yesterday and the boys have been fighting over who gets to play, who gets to pick maps, and every little point of the game. Here is what it actually boils down to:
Each of the boys want recognition. They grew up in a culture of youtubers being praised for their success and a culture of instant fame. They want to be seen as ‘the first to win’ or be heralded as the one who unlocked everything. In other words, they want to be top dog and in control. They each want the others to look at them as best. This is intensified by the separation in years and grades and relative positions on the food chain in their respective schools. This is further intensified by the competitive and sports-based culture I’ve bred into them since birth.
How does this translate to the page, you ask? It all comes down to character motivation. I tend to borrow traits and dilemmas from the people I know in real life in order to develop fictional characters. The two race car drivers pushing against each other in order to be the one the owner notices is not far removed from two brothers fighting for supremacy. What works especially well in this instance is how much the boys are fixated on the newest thing. There is something to be said about fad and the importance of being on the crest of the wave — at least in their mind. That is a character trait/dilemma that works in any story.