compare and contrast analysis

To compare the truth and fiction is the job of the creative mind, to devine the heart of something from both the real and the intangible.

Comparing and contrasting the fictional character Violet Marie Schultz, and her creator, Kristen Brianne Dennis, is the task I have set upon, and in doing so, i hope to better understand, and appreciate both creator and creation, both as myself, and as my own creation William James Talbot.

So now then, let us start at the very begining, the clear place to start.
The very first encounter between myself and Kristen was on a roll play, writing, and discussion forum called Gotham: City of Darkness, and the site premies was set on the recent Batman movies and other live action comicbook movies.

Over the course of several story arcs on the site, Violet and Will developed a strong friendship, and bond as partners and leaders of a group called the Outcasts. The biggest contrast between the two, was that Will had been raised and trained by his parents, to be a hero and law abiding citizen, whereas Violet had grown up on the streets as an orphan, and had risen to the place of a gang leader. But they did have a common moral stance, and while William was clearly a lawful good, & Violet neutral good, the balance struck between them, his rarely bending defense of the letter and spirit of the law, and her flexible but un-breaking defense of the higher moral standard and protection of life, with the great respect they held for one another, was the glue that held them together.

In the realms of the real world, via the internet, there was a shallow, but honest working relationship between myself and Kristen, and it was centered on writing, both on the site, and for our own respective personal projects. Until we migrated to a simlar site she owned, little in-depth personal info was exchanged, until enough timed passed that it was silly not to open up a more personal, if only casual friendship. However, in the web based fiction we where creating together, a new dynamic between Will and Vi was created, and it would in time become prophetic in the real world.

A romantic relationship, due to connections in history, powers, and personality, Will and Violet became working friends, then best personal friends, and then due to the level of connection, love blossomed between them...

Now that the backstory has been established, I shall dig into the relationship between William and Violet, and then the connections between Kristen and her creation.

By our own admisions, Kristen and I have based the core essence of our characters off of ourselves, and while there are clearly a number of traits and factors within both creations that are purely creative license, the basic templet is obviously patterned off of self.

Looking at Violet, the clear and direct traits that define her, are as follows:

1) she is a survivor, in all things, she survives no matter the circumstances, she finds a way to hold on even when There is no hope, she endures and lives to fight another day.

2) she is a protector, given the above, she also mannages to reconcile an almost paternal protective instinct, which is indicitive of her moral compass and leads into the next point,

3) she is self- sacrificing and upholds a high personal standard, even as a gang leader, the only crime she allowed in her gang, was theft, to provide food for the homeless members she was responsible for.

For Kristen, the same basic attributes can be seen; she has endured a number of personal upheavals, some, which would have bent or broken a lesser personality, she has remained steadfast in upholding her views, and protected others by her choices and actions, even at her own expense, and all of that has come from her inflinching adhearsion to her own moral standards, even when hypocrisy and ridicule has fallen upon her for her choices.

In both Kristen and Violet, there is a great deal of pain from betrayal and no-win circumstances, in both of them there is an unbending and steadfast belief in something better, and in the ideals of a greater good, and personal responsibility.

Both in herself, and in Violet, Kristen shows an overlooked strength in the ability to see things from multiple views, and to find a balance in things.

Both Violet and Kristen are attractive young women, but not in the glamorous or popular sense, but in the old fashion, wholesome and sensible way, due to the inner strength, insight and beauty.

Both are very complex and multifaceted women with a barely hidden duality, a strange mixture of feral strength, fragile beauty, formidably pointed intellect, and a smoldering spark of passion that is carefully hidden and contained, and an ingrained fear of self, of the power and duality that defines them...

It is that which binds myself, and William to them, the way we all fit together, is a wonderous mystery.
And it is why William loves Violet, and I love Kristen. As much as can be explained, there is an equal amount that cannot be explained. So I will not needlessly try. But then, its clearly never stopped me has it? ;)

~Caleb