Outside Reading Blog...Post Numbah Two.

In my novel, The Probable Future written by Alice Hoffman, the characters experience a lot of struggle and conflict. Will Avery especially goes through tons in his life. His personality is really self-absorbed and he tends to think only of himself. This trait leads him directly into trouble. Even Will's brother, Matt, declares, "He was so unused to giving of himself, so unable to place another's needs before his own" (104). When his own mother is dying, he can't even bring himself to visit her. He used "flimsy excuses" just to get out of the so-called obligation (104). Another perfect example is the number of news reporters that track Will down. He was put in jail for murdering a young woman. In truth, his daughter Stella saw how the woman was going to die (as it is her power, being able to see how someone will die) and made her father promise to tell the police. In doing so, this made him the perfect suspect. Once people found out, news reporters surrounded him day in and day out, wanting the scoop. When Will is all alone and down in the dumps, a Boston Herald reporter comes to the door and asks for an interview. The author says, "If he hadn't been such a greedy fool, his radar might have been out about this Ted Scott individual. It took one to know one, isn't that what people said? Well, not this time. This time he'd been blinded by a few dollars" (183). Will felt horrible about his naivety. He overlooked everyone's feelings but his own. He learns then and there that he had made many, many mistakes in his lifetime. When he decides he needs to make a trip to visit Stella, against court orders, he tells his ex-wife, "Baby, I made a mistake" (199). And to his surprise Jenny replies, "I understand completely" (199). At last he admits he had done something wrong, and he finally understands that he can be forgiven. It didn't have to be all about him. Will realizes how many stupid mistakes and decisions he has made, and how easy it was for him to make them. However, he has also learned that it is much harder to admit to those mistakes and ask for forgiveness. But when he finally does, it pays off. With interest.