posted
. . . with the ways in which adolescent boys (approximately 15 and 13) might crack each other up. The 13-year-old is the clown and uses laughter to defuse potentially dangerous situations. It's a second-world fantasy, so no technology greater thant he early 19th century (ie. no texting).
I need a few ideas for this and I'm laboring under two obstacles.
First, I was never an adolescent boy.
Second, this being the third day without running water due to a broken main, my sense of humor is stretched a little thin right now, anyway.
posted
Some would argue that I'm still more adolescent than adult. However, think of when you were an adolescent girl and remember all the stuff boys did that annoyed you. Those are the things they do to amuse, entertain, and challenge each other.
Imagine a couple of puppies tugging on a rope toy, testing each other's strength. That's what young teens do to amuse themselves. Everything is a challenge. I can't suggest actual scenarios without knowing the socioeconomic background of your characters. Their backgrounds might affect the kind of 'trouble' they might get into.
posted
13-year-old boys, from the POV of a mother of one who observes him and his clique of friends on a daily basis:
They think they know everything -- or at the very least, more than their parents and teachers. They frequently make all-encompassing statements about how the world works, without ever having had any experience with such. Most importantly, they do not think they are kids. They are the full equals of adults in terms of knowledge and emotional maturity.
posted
Jumping out to scare each other, taking a picture while the other is in an embarrassing situation, constant wrestling, As stated above: faces, farting, odd noises, talking in squeaky voices, or belching words. Acting like superheros, gangsters, rappers, zombies, vampires, aliens, etc. throwing food, playing with food, hiding clothes, pulling clothes down. Playing belly's, tops of heads, side's of mouths, and underarms as musical instruments. Daring each other to do the most stupidest thing you can every begin to imagine, it's happened, a parent can't stop it, it's a force of nature, and that's without puberty throwing it all into overdrive. Then times it by 100 on the stupid scale.
A few tidbits, hope it helps,
W.
[This message has been edited by walexander (edited July 22, 2010).]
posted
Hmmm. Kind of like when my brother tried to play baseball on a pogo stick? He's twelve years older than me, so I only have vague memories of some of his more spectacular stunts.
I don't think I have pogo sticks in this world, though. Thanks. I'm sure I'll be able to germinate a few ideas from what you've given me.
For the record:
These two are "students" of a man who purports to be able to teach them to use magic. The students are supposed to learn to control their emotions as preparation for this instruction (because untrained magic tends to escape uncontrollably with strong emotions). Actually, the "teacher" is more of a cult leader. He will kill anyone who really can do magic because he wants to be the only mage.
The older boy is a newcomer. The younger boy has been there longer than anyone and has a pretty good idea what's really going on. Whenever someone, especially someone too new to know better, starts to get emotional enough to lose control of their magic, he'll do something to make them laugh to release the tension more safely.
Backgrounds: The older boy would come from something like a frontier farmstead, only think of it as more of a community made up of a large extended family, working together. The younger boy comes more from a frontier town/craftsman background.
BTW: The water's back on. Finally.
[This message has been edited by Meredith (edited July 22, 2010).]
posted
Ohh dear. I'd love to help you, my beloved Cat Girl, but I'm not that great with humor in writing, and while I was an adolescent boy, I was SO totally different from your typical or stereotypical adolescent boy in so many monumental ways...
quote:They think they know everything -- or at the very least, more than their parents and teachers. They frequently make all-encompassing statements about how the world works, without ever having had any experience with such. Most importantly, they do not think they are kids. They are the full equals of adults in terms of knowledge and emotional maturity.
I've known more than one 13 year old who was in fact equal to many, many adults in these areas (in fact I was one, and not just in my own mind.) Likewise I have known at least 8,888 so called "adults" who are well below the worst teenage stereotypes in these areas.
People are people and age has a lot less to do with a lot of things than we're led to believe.
posted
It sounds to me like you need this 15 year old to resort to comedy when he sees one of his friends getting to close to magical breakthroughs?
Never underestimate the power of making fun of other people to teenagers. This could work very well and add to your characterization (what do the topics children make fun of in their master say about the master?) In other words, you could have them mock his appearance, behaviors, wise sayings, etc.
What does it say about the 15 year old that he uses humor (is it sarcastic or cruel?) to keep his friends safe?
posted
In this situation, perhaps one boy could do some pranks that are fake magic...might get him in trouble with the mage. Posts: 746 | Registered: Jun 2007
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posted
See, I never did like...any of the things anyone here mentions. Part of that is my personality and of course part of it was the fact that my mother would have killed me.
Actually the only thing I see here that I've actually done (well...some bodily things everyone does but you know what I mean) is "pretend to be a great mage."
It's natural enough that he might get in a little trouble, but no serious consequence. It distracts from something more serious, and even if done by magic for example making someone else sound like they belched or farted. It would go under the evil mage's radar.
Squeaky voice is used to imitate girls. Example: Josh cozied up next to his brother, and said in a high squeaky voice imitating Sally, "Oh, Sammy, I love you---I want to give you a big kiss!"
quote:Squeaky voice is used to imitate girls. Example: Josh cozied up next to his brother, and said in a high squeaky voice imitating Sally, "Oh, Sammy, I love you---I want to give you a big kiss!"
I can see that. I also thought that since the older boy's voice has already settled, and the younger boy is probably in that embarassingly unpredictable phase where his can easily slide half an octave if he gets excited, that the older boy might find that funny, whether the younger one does it intentionally or not.
posted
I have nothing to contribute but I just wanted to say how enlightening this topic has been. I love how honest the responses are.
Posts: 1993 | Registered: Jul 2009
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