• Welcome to the Fantasy Writing Forums. Register Now to join us!

Bullying in fantasy stories

Sadly, I'm not sure which is worse - the fact that bullying has become so commonplace that it's been reduced to a cliche or that it's become so commonplace that readers are starting to think "well what else is new....you were picked on as a kid - big deal - tell me something different."

Let's face it, the bullying aspect is something most of us have experienced (one way or the other). I may have bullied "enemies" of mine, but I was bullied my "friends" - though I think that was called "peer pressure" in my days - because your friends really shouldn't be "bullies." (Whatever - let's just call a spade a spade). But it was always about seeking real/imaginary approval/fear from someone.

The problem is most everything that drives a protaganist into action is a cliche. There's a tyrannical king, a prophecy was made, the protaganist's entire family was murdered, there's a great evil to overcome, etc. It's just as boring (nowadays apparently) to read about a person that was bullied as much as person who has had to overcome nothing and led a "perfect" life - where's the story in that?

If the bullying doesn't "help" your protagonist in anyway - then I would just skip it or at least explain why they can be so passive about being bullied, but be so vehement about something else. And remember, YA, is typically geared towards 12-18 years old - who are still in grade/high school. Bullying is part of their daily life (either as the bully or as the victim) and with so much emphasis on bullying (especially in the States), it's no surpirse that it has mingled in with fantasy storytelling.
 

Devor

Fiery Keeper of the Hat
Moderator
In my opinion, skip the commentary on bullies, and use just a few interactions to show us something about the character, if it's warranted. The bully is probably your character's first enemy, and it will show the reader how he deals with the bad guys. But I don't think it's worth too many words or protracted "How do I deal with this?!" conversations. The bully, even as your first enemy, is still just the muscle. I would have him throw a punch (maybe a metaphor, maybe not) and get his comeuppance in the course of a very few pages in order to save time for more complex and important social relationships.
 

Whytemanga

Dreamer
Oof, you make it sound so formulaic, Devor. Plot patterns are good for setting up expectations in your readers--so you can throw them off; surprise them. I don't know for what much else I'd like 'em for.

I'm dropping the "bully has problems at home" thing, 'cuz I think most bullying happens on the "doesn't realise s/he's bullying" thing or the "abuse of, possibly unearned, power" thang.

With those in mind, they act more as a "this PLUS SOMETHING ELSE" reasoning (like "family problems at home" does, but with these it's much less obvious what sorts of reasonings or forces (or natures) have shoved these kids (or adults) into a bullying nature.

The target also needs to be easily identifiable as "weak" also. Bullies can't just pick on anyone--especially the cool guy. Bullies are sure to pick on he or she who the others in the community wouldn't mind so much to see being bullied, you know?

That's what I think.

Oh! Also, bullying isn't just muscle! Much of girl-bullies and girl bullying is psychological, and in fact happens much more often that male-to-male bullying statistically speaking. It's a real problem!
 
Last edited:

CicadaGrrl

Troubadour
Pretty much everything is cliché. What matters is how you tell what you are telling, not what you are telling. The only way that it matters the what is that bullying is a major, serious issue in school. It's physical and emotional terrorism. It may be twenty or thirty years later, but all of us can probably remember exactly how and by who we were bullied. If you want to make bullying an important aspect of your story, by all means do. Frankly, it is sort of the hip thing to do right now as schools, parents, and child psychologists really come to the fore about how serious a problem bullying really is. If your character doesn't need that background and you don't want to make this an angle in your book, lose it.
 

98cafe

New Member
Bullying might be a bit cliche, but that does not make it any less valid in a story. I would hazard to say that, because of how prevalent bullying is in schools today, having a story involving children or young adults in a academic setting without some form of bullying could make it seem a bit odd. Bullying (in fiction...not real life) is also a good character building tool. How does the character respond to the bullying? Does he ignore it? Seek out a powerful ally/authority figure? Resort to bullying others himself? Or (the cliché) stand up by himself against the bullies' injustice?
 
As far as I'm concerned the problem with bullying is not that it is a cliche, but that a) the bully is completely two dimensional (people have talked about this already) and more importantly b) the bully is also completely inferior to the protagonist in every way and everybody knows it. To take the HP example used already, Draco bullies Harry, and is his social superior, yet at the same time Draco is also a useless little twerp; Harry has just as much money, more magical and flying talent, more guts and significantly has the favour of the Headmaster and most of the teaching faculty. Is it any wonder Draco gets the fangirls when the deck is stacked against him?

I think just presenting a bully who can present a genuine challenge to the hero would be a nice break from the pattern. Or, as mentioned above, make the hero the bully. I have a scenario where, in the backstory, the line between what the hero calls 'looking out for his little brother and protecting him from bullies' and what others might call 'taking out his psychotic rage on anyone who looked at his brother funnily' is very thinly drawn.
 

Dreamer

Dreamer
I agree that it does seem that most stories gearing toward a younger audience tend to go that route. I think in a way it is
supposed to help the adolescents to maybe feel a bond with possible personal struggles they face in reality. Maybe they have a
gift or express themselves in a way that others tend to make fun of them over, so there is kind of a way to feel like they aren't
alone, and at the end of the day that gift is special. I would like to see a story that shows an individual going through growing up and discovery and having friends and being popular only to find out that they have a gift, then trying to decide how to reveal it. I think I may have just got a new idea for my next story. Just goes to show you the creative moments can come from anywhere... :)
 

Emeria

Scribe
I tend to avoid overt bullying in the fantasy stuff I write (that's not to say *anything* about the "RL" stuff, though!), especially since it has been done a lot. It's not that characters haven't been bullied in the past (some of them have and it does have an effect on them), but I don't put anymore emphasis on "this person acts like this because they've been bullied by their peers" than "this person does this because ___" (fill in the blank with just about anything).
 

Amanita

Maester
That's a long lasting thread indeed. ;)
In my opinion, the situation between Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy is not bullying, but rivalry or enmity. With the exception of a few short episodes, Harry has the respect of the people in his house and dorm, only being in trouble with a few Slytherins. And to him, those Slytherins aren't people about whose approval he cares anyway.
To me, the term "bullying" implies that a person is disliked by all or at least most members of a given group and is faced with their hostility everywhere in the school/group. And this is a situation that isn't much more helpful for character-building than putting in a gratitious rape scene is. At least not, if the person is supposed to turn into a classical hero rather than going down some darker path to distance himself from the group or even get revenge.
The cliche that I dislike usually has hero being bullied by his shallow fellows until the plot moves on, the realises that these are a minor problem compared to saving the world and later saves one of the bullies and/or has them admit that they're wrong. This might be a wish-fulfilling fantasy for some people being bullied, but I don't think it works as part of a compelling story.

For my own story, I've decided by now that the main character will actually take part in bullying or maybe I should call it acting hostile against someone who's disliked by many people. He's acting against some of her firm moral beliefs mainly by making fun of things deadly serious to her. (And she's projecting things she dislikes about herself onto him.) During the course of the story, she and some of the others are going to realise that they're being way to self-rightous and change their behaviour, but than it's almost too late...
 
Last edited:

Aegle

Minstrel
I prefer complete adversary in writing. A challenge...especially female and male counterparts. The 'bullying' aspect is somehow channeling its way into other platforms, that I don't quite agree with. I simply don't buy into the created problems of society. -.-

As for writing - I'd sure as heck not limit my imagination by those that are sensitive about those mentioned 'created problems'.
 

Amanita

Maester
The 'bullying' aspect is somehow channeling its way into other platforms, that I don't quite agree with. I simply don't buy into the created problems of society.
Would you mind explaining what you mean by this? I don't really understand it. What are the "created problems of society" supposed to be?
 
Top