putting Jesus in the picture/story

[cacian]

Characters are what makes a story and so characters taken from real life are best because one can recognise themselves in that character.
Most importantly they can identify with what the character sets out to do and perhaps learn from that and move on for the better.
Exploring characteristics and how one can put forward idealist characters is one of my specifics.
I wondered how would people feel about reading a story with Jesus as the main character.
The story would not be about Jesus the prophet but a story with him as a character religion set apart but not quite.
Of course it would be a modern twist on himself. The story would portray him in a differet light with different outcomes from the one he has had.

Any views are most welcome.

[hillwalker]

Characters are what makes a story and so characters taken from real life are best

That's a strange generalisation to make. There are literally hundreds of wonderful characters from fiction who sprang from their author's imaginations and inspired thousands of readers. It would be a sorry world if every story only featured a real life person.

A story about Jesus?
Why not Josef Stalin or Robbie Williams?
Unless you're thinking of writing a religious story (in a contemporary setting?) it would be rather pointless. Having Jesus feature in a murder mystery or chic-lit wouldn't work so well.

Most writers distill the characteristics they observe in real life into a new person of their own making. Since no one actually knows very much about Jesus (other than what's in the Bible - which gives little sense of his 'character') it would be difficult to portray him with any degree of accuracy.

H

[Jack of Hearts]

Didn't they do this with the DaVinci Code or something.

The thing about the Jesus character arc is we know how it ends!SPOILERS! he proclaims himself the son a deity and they kill him but he's like 'Haha, got ya, I meant to die the whole time!'

So the drama is played out. You'd have to take it 180 degrees and find the comedy in the Jesus character. Certain denominations are doing a great job at this already, though.





J

[Charles Darnay]

Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter: it's a thing.

[cacian]

That's a strange generalisation to make. There are literally hundreds of wonderful characters from fiction who sprang from their author's imaginations and inspired thousands of readers. It would be a sorry world if every story only featured a real life person.

Hello hillwalker and thank you for your post.
Sorry it is my fault I did not make it clear but what I mean by real life characters is 'human characters' 'real people'and not half human half beast/animal or superhuman.

A story about Jesus?
No. A story with Jesus is a character rather.


Why not Josef Stalin or Robbie Williams?

Good point. The answer is that Stalin and Williams are two normal people that became famous throught what they have achieved. I classify them as famous people.
Jesus however is a humble character that is said to be related to God.
He is almost mystical in that sense and would make for a great thriller character. The fact that he did not need to achieve stardom to become big is special. He just was.

Unless you're thinking of writing a religious story (in a contemporary setting?) it would be rather pointless. Having Jesus feature in a murder mystery or chic-lit wouldn't work so well.

I am still contemplating the plot. I would definetely say not religious because I wish to bring out a different side to Jesus.
Meaning I would like to give his character a real life context in which his wisdom and knowledge is modernised to fit a real life incident.
Definetely nit a do gooder preacher but more of a realistic down earth and practical personality.


Most writers distill the characteristics they observe in real life into a new person of their own making. Since no one actually knows very much about Jesus (other than what's in the Bible - which gives little sense of his 'character') it would be difficult to portray him with any degree of accuracy.
H


That is very true that there is little known of Jesus as a normal everyday person. I feel that although religion gathers many believers each one of us interpret it differently.
I mean that we all have a different personal image of Jesus.
I feel this could be an opportunity for me to explore Jesus's ideas my own way.
Accuracy is not without privacy meaning the story does not entail truth but more of private idea of what Jesus would have been like if I had met him.
One must imagine and write accordingly.


Didn't they do this with the DaVinci Code or something.

Hi Jack. I don't think they had Jesus as the character.

The thing about the Jesus character arc is we know how it ends!SPOILERS! he proclaims himself the son a deity and they kill him but he's like 'Haha, got ya, I meant to die the whole time!'
Sure but that is why I think having Jesus in a different story that will bring him to life and make him do things he would done if he had lived till his old age.
The story would give him more privilidges he would achieved had he lived longer.
I guess this is where the story comes in.
I am contemplating having his story changed into something like this:
He had escaped the romans changed his name and lived in a far away town.
He would then act do and say the things he would have said according to his beliefs.


So the drama is played out. You'd have to take it 180 degrees and find the comedy in the Jesus character. Certain denominations are doing a great job at this already, though.

J


Are you talking about Jesus Superstar the musical?

[Lokasenna]

Given that Stalin has been mentioned, what about the portrayal of Jesus (or Yeshua as he is called) in Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita? A man who may or may not be supernatural, intellectually brilliant but also cowardly and devious, a talented and well meaning manipulator who is both fascinated and horrified by the 'madmen' who follow him everywhere.

'Three Versions of Judas' is one of my favourite short stories by Borges, and explores the relationship between Christ and Judas, and comes to so interesting (not to mention heretical) conclusions.

[cacian]

QUOTE=Lokasenna;1166985]Given that Stalin has been mentioned, what about the portrayal of Jesus (or Yeshua as he is called) in Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita? A man who may or may not be supernatural, intellectually brilliant but also cowardly and devious, a talented and well meaning manipulator who is both fascinated and horrified by the 'madmen' who follow him everywhere.

I remember reading something about this story. I have have only skimmed here and there.
The descriptions given to various characters such as Joshua as being the 'mad philosopher' and Abadonna as 'the pale-faced, black-goggled angel of death' and Behemoth as the enormous black cat, capable of standing on two legs and talking reminded me of Les Fables de LaFontaine.
It is also interesting to see that Yoshua as a character is not does not pull throught as genuinely interesting, instead he comes across as someone with weaknesses.
His ending is the same of that of the bible which is repeptitive and does not bring anything new to the table.
It is almost like reading the bible with few bits here and there changed.


'Three Versions of Judas' is one of my favourite short stories by Borges, and explores the relationship between Christ and Judas, and comes to so interesting (not to mention heretical) conclusions.

I know nothing of this short story so will go and have a dig to see what I can find.

[hillwalker]

Stalin and Williams are two normal people that became famous through what they have achieved. I classify them as famous people.
Jesus however is a humble character that is said to be related to God.
He is almost mystical in that sense and would make for a great thriller character. The fact that he did not need to achieve stardom to become big is special.

Some people might disagree about whether or not Jesus is famous (though admittedly during his lifetime he was indeed humble).

I can't really picture Jesus featuring in a thriller unless it was set in Biblical times*. But I agree that I prefer to read about ordinary human characters than vampires or zombies.

*Perhaps you could start a new series of thrillers.
'The Lazarus Recovery' or 'The Leper Remedy'... you get the idea ;)

H

[Jack of Hearts]

Are you talking about Jesus Superstar the musical?

Uncanny. No, but was thinking about it while writing that very line.


Buddha, was he where it's at, is he where you are? Could Muhammad move a mountain or was that just PR?









J


EDIT: @ hill- The Born Again Identity?

[Jassy Melson]

Didn't Monty Python do a movie called The Life of Brian that had Jesus (or at least a character based on him) as the main character?

[Charles Darnay]

Follow the shoe!

[stlukesguild]

The idea of employing Jesus as a character in a fictional work is nothing new. Who can forget the Grand Inquisitor scene in Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov? Then we have Nikos Kazantzakis' Last Temptation of Christ and Robert Graves' King Jesus. Of course there are endless characters in literature that act or are employed as a surrogate Jesus figure:
Melville's Billy Bud, Simon in William Golding's Lord of the Flies, even Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings.

[Jack of Hearts]

The idea of employing Jesus as a character in a fictional work is nothing new.

lol







J

[cacian]

Didn't Monty Python do a movie called The Life of Brian that had Jesus (or at least a character based on him) as the main character?

They did indeed however the ending is predictably the same.
Of all the characters that have personified ended up dying either killed or other which brings one back full circle with the bible.


The idea of employing Jesus as a character in a fictional work is nothing new. Who can forget the Grand Inquisitor scene in Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov? Then we have Nikos Kazantzakis' Last Temptation of Christ and Robert Graves' King Jesus. Of course there are endless characters in literature that act or are employed as a surrogate Jesus figure:
Melville's Billy Bud, Simon in William Golding's Lord of the Flies, even Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings.

It is not new of course not but what isn ot even more new is his predictibality, the fact that his end is exactly the same of that of the bible.

I am writing up a different Jesus with a different ending a bit like fairytale where Jesus gets to live forever after. This will personify the fact that he is closer to God then never.
This can only be done through immortality just like a fairy tale again.
My idea is to put Jesus in the picture/frame of a story and give him that immortality which will then prove his character to be that of a true a prophet.
That is my aim.

[Bonsai Ent]

Jesus is also a character in The Master and Margarita...


My response to it would depend entirely on the writing.
I'd have no objection to the idea of him as a character.

[cacian]

Uncanny. No, but was thinking about it while writing that very line.


Buddha, was he where it's at, is he where you are? Could Muhammad move a mountain or was that just PR?









J


EDIT: @ hill- The Born Again Identity?

PR? what is that?

[xtianfriborg13]

It would be really risky and controversial writing about Jesus. It can either make you or break you as a writer. Consider the general reader's thoughts about religion and stuff.

[cacian]

It would be really risky and controversial writing about Jesus. It can either make you or break you as a writer. Consider the general reader's thoughts about religion and stuff.

I thought people thrived on controversial literature?
To shock is to write with diligence but conduct one with outmost intolerance.
Should we question some literature or isn't there no limit to what one reads?
Writing up a different Jesus death story is nothing compared to reading books written by adults that idolise a child in a non appropriate way?