The Beast

One of the most influential works for my upcoming novel, Out of the Gutter, has been Henry James’ short story “The Beast in the Jungle.”

One of the best things a writer can do is ask questions. “The Beast in the Jungle” asks one of the most perplexing questions of all: what is the “beast?” Ultimately, the “beast” is the fear of loving. This answer, of course, only leads to more questions.

Is the beast the fear of loving or the love itself?

Is the beast personified by the lengths we go to keep it at bay?

When we push people away or refuse to conduct internal examinations, are we the beast?

The beast is all around us. The beast is love and fear, and every person has a different relationship with it. Every character has a different relationship with it, and it colors their relationships with the characters and settings around them. While working on my newest draft, I took the time to write an essay on how each of my primary characters interacts with the beast. The result was a new understanding about the way my characters live and love. Like all of us, our characters contend with the fear of loving — the beast — in a different way.

So, how do your characters contend with the beast? How do you contend with the beast?

If you haven’t read “The Beast in the Jungle,” check it out. I also reccomend Bertrand Bonello’s 2023 film The Beast as a resource to get all of these questions swirling in your mind.

Maybe you’ll find that the beast is the unsung driver of your story.

Jot it down.

Maggie