Heroes and Heroines Have Their Reasons - Justifying bad decisions

It's classic. In horror stories, there's always someone who opens the wrong door or goes into the basement are makes some other decision you, as a reader or in the audience, know is wrong. The same things happen in other stories, too. Even James Bond makes bad choices.

But he doesn't make stupid choices. He has his reasons. To keep an audience engaged (and especially to avoid "advancement of the plot by stupidity"), it must be clear why choices that turn out badly are made.

Yielding to temptation. There are heroes who have no flaws in fables, in some stories meant to demonstrate a good example, and in much of children's literature. But provided they are foreshadowed, a main character can have a craving that leads to bad choices and it d,oesn't come off as foolish. In fact, in an extended sequence, it can use to show character growth.

Curiosity. Wanting to know the answer can go too far. Most of us have asked the question we discovered we didn't want to hear answered. Inquisitive characters often meet unfortunate results, either because of what they learn, or because of what they do to get an answer. Since smart people are often curious, this usually does not create a rift with the audience. As long as they are "too smart for their good" or, minimally, there is a balance shown where the curiosity leads to important knowledge.

Naïveté. Many stories depend on this. Coming of age and other young adult stories, as well as stories of travel and adventure thrive on decisions made in the face of incomplete knowledge. However, in most cases, it is important to show that the character becomes more savvy with time.

Social expectations. Usually, this is used ironically. We know enslavement of other people is horrendous, but a character like Huck Finn, who lives in a time and place where slavery is justified by essentially all authorities (including moral authorities) cannot be judged for not being awake to such a crime. In more subtle ways, a story can show main characters opening their eyes over time to less obviously flawed perspectives — perhaps even views we share.

Dilemmas. When a character has to choose between what are apparently equally good and/or equally bad actions, readers and audiences struggle right along with them. Even if things turn out bad, they remain sympathetic characters.

Deception. Villains (or perhaps allies who have unfortunate ideas about doing something "for their own good" with an idea toward tough love) may lie directly or by omission, leaving the character to face a bad result based on incomplete knowledge. See Romeo and Juliet.

Timing. Many choices require deliberation. We take time to weigh our options, to imagine outcomes, and to consider the long view. But that's not always possible for us or for the characters. Fleeing a threat, facing a weapon, or even driving in bad conditions can all require snap decisions. It gets even more intense if the response is reflexive. I think most people feel empathy for a character under such circumstances (perhaps mitigated by earlier bad choices, such as drinking too much).

Distractions. This is a tricky one, but can be highly useful in a story. Attention is naturally limited. Observations are always restricted. Magicians, pickpockets, and others take advantage of this phenomenon, but it can happen in daily life, often through no conscious efforts of anyone. Life gives us a lot to absorb. The main caution on this is, if what occurs feels too random and contrived, the story itself will be questioned. And the "but this happened in real life" excuse never works.

Hidden intentions. People often act in bad ways when they are under stress or they can gain a big advantage or there's lingering, deep-seated anger. The reasons they give themselves for making the unfair choice may make sense and the real reasons may be lurking in the subconscious. This can make for wonderful storytelling, but only if it's set up correctly. It's very easy for it to appear to be a deus ex machina.

For any of these, the characters might excuse themselves. "I didn't know." "It was a matter of justice." "I needed to get even." "I needed to teach them a lesson." "It should have been mine anyway." "They should have known not to get in my way." "I was taking care of my own." "I had to do it." "He was the enemy." "I was only following orders."

The excuses are a normal part of a sequence of making a mistake and dealing with it. But they can be revelatory for readers. They also can build toward worse mistakes (or understanding for) the characters. Since they play an important part, it's good to consider carefully what excuses are given, to whom, and how they are phrased.

There are shadings all of the above. The character might be hiding a mistake or have approached a situation with poor expectations or lack of training. The choice may have been the only way to shift blame and avoid a horrible consequence. Sometimes, the character may simply want to conform or be carried away by a mob mentality. There can be cowardice, hesitation, and the failure to follow through. Or just a bias toward taking the easier path.

These mistakes need to be considered in terms of what they mean in the story and what they say about the characters. Saying the story is full of random occurrences is usually a bad idea. Saying the character is a full also can drive readers and audiences away.

The worst of all reasons are ones that make no sense. I think we have a real sense of when someone is acting out of character in the story. There are many egregious examples of characters who behave badly and, without sufficient prompting, see the light and give up their bad ways. The reasons for such a dramatic change need to be thoroughly justified in most cases. (Comedy being a notable exception.)

This is not to say that a behavior needs to be calculated with an intellectual justification. As Blaise Pascal said, "The heart has its reasons which reason knows nothing of.” It's fine to have decisions make emotional sense.

Ultimately, reasons must make sense to your chosen audience. They'll have different standards, and that needs to be taken account of. Sometimes, they'll like a character so much, almost any excuse will do. But in cases where the story critiques readers' own views, the author will have a lot of work to do to make things, no matter how reasonable they actually are, seem reasonable.