Voldemort Must Not Win

Why Our Books Are So Important

There are antagonistic forces and then there are Antagonistic Forces. In the age of strong opinions on just about everything, I’ll die on this hill: antagonists like Voldemort must not ever win.

In a previous post on antagonists, I talked about how the antagonist does not change (thank you, Stephen Pressfield, for that insight) over the arc of story. When an antagonist does not change, when they are (by implication) irredeemable, they also must not win, and I believe this is especially true in books for young readers.

Master manipulators like Voldemort who would try to make themselves not only supremely powerful but also immortal personify the worst type of antagonistic force, willing to do anything, including kill, to maintain their status. It is important that as we construct our stories, we give our young readers hope that the protagonist prevails over the antagonist.

The Relevance of Good vs Evil

I grew up in a time of similar disharmony to what we’re experiencing in the world today. I was one of those college students who participated in protests. From my current vantage point it feels like déjà vu all over again, from antiwar sentiment, to the attack on the rights of women and underrepresented peoples, to avoiding the difficulties of climate change, to book bans. I had thought, oh dreamy me, for a little while, that we were past all that.

But Antagonistic Forces lurk in the shadows.

Times like these bring antagonists out of those shadows, and they are quite willing, feeling liberated by unrest, to be their worst selves and to drag others into their darkness. Which is why those of us who write for young readers must keep the goal firmly in mind: to write books that lift the heart and spirit and never let the antagonist win.

Which means constructing protagonists who exhibit the best in human nature, even when they have flaws, even when they struggle (which they must).

What does it mean to be good? Protagonists need characteristics like integrity, kindness, and selflessness. Behaviors like setting aside self for the good of others, willingness to talk, listen, and especially change – since change is, of course, what story is all about.

Echoes

If what I’m saying here echoes of things beyond writing…well, I won’t deny it.

I’ll just say that I write for young readers to present the best of character in my protagonists (even when they mess up) and that the antagonists in my stories never, ever win.

Updated Foundations Course

I’ve recently updated my foundational course in writing for children: my Six Day Story System. It’s inexpensive, an intro to everything you need to know to get started, with exercises and handouts. I hope you’ll give it a look!