How can show that my cold hearted character is coping with grief?

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I have a little contradiction in my story that may well be fatal.



In my high sci-fi setting, one of my main characters is an android. Let's call him Bob. Bob is efficient, cold and straight-to-the-point: we may as well say that he is heartless. To give you an example: in a scene I'm planning, he will willingly let 30 people die without flinching because their death will maximize the chance of him getting his goal.



Now, Bob is supposed to be a cold bastard, you got the point. But by definition, in my setting androids like Bob are only built in couples - partners, let's say - with matching functions and synergies. The bond between those partners escape logic and can be as well an equivalent of unyielding, hard-coded love.



Sadly enough, Bob's partner, Alice, has been destroyed some days prior to the start of the story (in my prologue). Bob knows this very well.



And now I've got an heartless character who, supposedly, should be dealing with grief.



I can't let Bob falter or mourn: he still has to move on and try to reach the goal. Yet, I wonder if I could (or should) show something.



Is this possible, or have I written myself into a corner from the very start?



In short,



how can I show a heartless character coping with grief?










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  • 2




    Many aspects of profound grief are neurological. Like forgetfulness. Check out all the ways that our brains fail to work during grief and create a software analogy for your droid. Also, he might set up a shrine. He might take some of her hardware and store it somewhere.
    – DPT
    4 hours ago















up vote
2
down vote

favorite












I have a little contradiction in my story that may well be fatal.



In my high sci-fi setting, one of my main characters is an android. Let's call him Bob. Bob is efficient, cold and straight-to-the-point: we may as well say that he is heartless. To give you an example: in a scene I'm planning, he will willingly let 30 people die without flinching because their death will maximize the chance of him getting his goal.



Now, Bob is supposed to be a cold bastard, you got the point. But by definition, in my setting androids like Bob are only built in couples - partners, let's say - with matching functions and synergies. The bond between those partners escape logic and can be as well an equivalent of unyielding, hard-coded love.



Sadly enough, Bob's partner, Alice, has been destroyed some days prior to the start of the story (in my prologue). Bob knows this very well.



And now I've got an heartless character who, supposedly, should be dealing with grief.



I can't let Bob falter or mourn: he still has to move on and try to reach the goal. Yet, I wonder if I could (or should) show something.



Is this possible, or have I written myself into a corner from the very start?



In short,



how can I show a heartless character coping with grief?










share|improve this question



















  • 2




    Many aspects of profound grief are neurological. Like forgetfulness. Check out all the ways that our brains fail to work during grief and create a software analogy for your droid. Also, he might set up a shrine. He might take some of her hardware and store it somewhere.
    – DPT
    4 hours ago













up vote
2
down vote

favorite









up vote
2
down vote

favorite











I have a little contradiction in my story that may well be fatal.



In my high sci-fi setting, one of my main characters is an android. Let's call him Bob. Bob is efficient, cold and straight-to-the-point: we may as well say that he is heartless. To give you an example: in a scene I'm planning, he will willingly let 30 people die without flinching because their death will maximize the chance of him getting his goal.



Now, Bob is supposed to be a cold bastard, you got the point. But by definition, in my setting androids like Bob are only built in couples - partners, let's say - with matching functions and synergies. The bond between those partners escape logic and can be as well an equivalent of unyielding, hard-coded love.



Sadly enough, Bob's partner, Alice, has been destroyed some days prior to the start of the story (in my prologue). Bob knows this very well.



And now I've got an heartless character who, supposedly, should be dealing with grief.



I can't let Bob falter or mourn: he still has to move on and try to reach the goal. Yet, I wonder if I could (or should) show something.



Is this possible, or have I written myself into a corner from the very start?



In short,



how can I show a heartless character coping with grief?










share|improve this question















I have a little contradiction in my story that may well be fatal.



In my high sci-fi setting, one of my main characters is an android. Let's call him Bob. Bob is efficient, cold and straight-to-the-point: we may as well say that he is heartless. To give you an example: in a scene I'm planning, he will willingly let 30 people die without flinching because their death will maximize the chance of him getting his goal.



Now, Bob is supposed to be a cold bastard, you got the point. But by definition, in my setting androids like Bob are only built in couples - partners, let's say - with matching functions and synergies. The bond between those partners escape logic and can be as well an equivalent of unyielding, hard-coded love.



Sadly enough, Bob's partner, Alice, has been destroyed some days prior to the start of the story (in my prologue). Bob knows this very well.



And now I've got an heartless character who, supposedly, should be dealing with grief.



I can't let Bob falter or mourn: he still has to move on and try to reach the goal. Yet, I wonder if I could (or should) show something.



Is this possible, or have I written myself into a corner from the very start?



In short,



how can I show a heartless character coping with grief?







creative-writing characters character-development






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edited 4 hours ago

























asked 4 hours ago









Liquid

2,299325




2,299325







  • 2




    Many aspects of profound grief are neurological. Like forgetfulness. Check out all the ways that our brains fail to work during grief and create a software analogy for your droid. Also, he might set up a shrine. He might take some of her hardware and store it somewhere.
    – DPT
    4 hours ago













  • 2




    Many aspects of profound grief are neurological. Like forgetfulness. Check out all the ways that our brains fail to work during grief and create a software analogy for your droid. Also, he might set up a shrine. He might take some of her hardware and store it somewhere.
    – DPT
    4 hours ago








2




2




Many aspects of profound grief are neurological. Like forgetfulness. Check out all the ways that our brains fail to work during grief and create a software analogy for your droid. Also, he might set up a shrine. He might take some of her hardware and store it somewhere.
– DPT
4 hours ago





Many aspects of profound grief are neurological. Like forgetfulness. Check out all the ways that our brains fail to work during grief and create a software analogy for your droid. Also, he might set up a shrine. He might take some of her hardware and store it somewhere.
– DPT
4 hours ago











2 Answers
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The heartlessness you describe is "externally facing" -- the actions he takes and the way he interacts with others. That doesn't mean there's no heart at all in there; it just means he doesn't allow it to influence his actions.



You can show signs of Bob mourning in his thoughts (if the story is first-person) or in brief private moments. Bob might keep looking at the portrait of the two of them in his quarters, or might carry something that had significance for the two of them. In first person he might think "this is how Alice would have solved this" or "I wish I could talk with Alice about this" or even a direct "my partner is gone and I feel incomplete" (or whatever your android would say along those lines).



You have given your android intelligence, and that invites the complexities of emotions. Think of your android like a Vulcan, not like software that the programmer fully controls.






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    What you've got to answer for yourself, very clearly, is what emotions your android experiences, and to what extent.



    You mention your android has an attachment to another android. Can they form other attachments, at all? You mention the android has a goal. What guides him - why this particular goal? What does it mean to him?



    The first example that comes to my mind for an emotionless android is Data, from Star Trek. He is explicitly mentioned, multiple times, to experience no emotions. All the same, he forms attachments, that is friendships. He knows camaraderie, he talks of gratitude, he is curious, he has a clear moral code.



    Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep is different - it's all about empathy. While it's "stated" that androids are incapable of experiencing it, it is strongly suggested that they do feel empathy towards one another, at least.



    Depending on the story you want to tell, you can decide whether your android is incapable of experiencing any emotions at all, or experiences them only towards certain subjects, or is simply Machiavellian in his thinking. Once you've decided, however, it is important that you remain consistent with the characterisation.





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      2 Answers
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      The heartlessness you describe is "externally facing" -- the actions he takes and the way he interacts with others. That doesn't mean there's no heart at all in there; it just means he doesn't allow it to influence his actions.



      You can show signs of Bob mourning in his thoughts (if the story is first-person) or in brief private moments. Bob might keep looking at the portrait of the two of them in his quarters, or might carry something that had significance for the two of them. In first person he might think "this is how Alice would have solved this" or "I wish I could talk with Alice about this" or even a direct "my partner is gone and I feel incomplete" (or whatever your android would say along those lines).



      You have given your android intelligence, and that invites the complexities of emotions. Think of your android like a Vulcan, not like software that the programmer fully controls.






      share|improve this answer
























        up vote
        3
        down vote













        The heartlessness you describe is "externally facing" -- the actions he takes and the way he interacts with others. That doesn't mean there's no heart at all in there; it just means he doesn't allow it to influence his actions.



        You can show signs of Bob mourning in his thoughts (if the story is first-person) or in brief private moments. Bob might keep looking at the portrait of the two of them in his quarters, or might carry something that had significance for the two of them. In first person he might think "this is how Alice would have solved this" or "I wish I could talk with Alice about this" or even a direct "my partner is gone and I feel incomplete" (or whatever your android would say along those lines).



        You have given your android intelligence, and that invites the complexities of emotions. Think of your android like a Vulcan, not like software that the programmer fully controls.






        share|improve this answer






















          up vote
          3
          down vote










          up vote
          3
          down vote









          The heartlessness you describe is "externally facing" -- the actions he takes and the way he interacts with others. That doesn't mean there's no heart at all in there; it just means he doesn't allow it to influence his actions.



          You can show signs of Bob mourning in his thoughts (if the story is first-person) or in brief private moments. Bob might keep looking at the portrait of the two of them in his quarters, or might carry something that had significance for the two of them. In first person he might think "this is how Alice would have solved this" or "I wish I could talk with Alice about this" or even a direct "my partner is gone and I feel incomplete" (or whatever your android would say along those lines).



          You have given your android intelligence, and that invites the complexities of emotions. Think of your android like a Vulcan, not like software that the programmer fully controls.






          share|improve this answer












          The heartlessness you describe is "externally facing" -- the actions he takes and the way he interacts with others. That doesn't mean there's no heart at all in there; it just means he doesn't allow it to influence his actions.



          You can show signs of Bob mourning in his thoughts (if the story is first-person) or in brief private moments. Bob might keep looking at the portrait of the two of them in his quarters, or might carry something that had significance for the two of them. In first person he might think "this is how Alice would have solved this" or "I wish I could talk with Alice about this" or even a direct "my partner is gone and I feel incomplete" (or whatever your android would say along those lines).



          You have given your android intelligence, and that invites the complexities of emotions. Think of your android like a Vulcan, not like software that the programmer fully controls.







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered 3 hours ago









          Monica Cellio♦

          12.7k22673




          12.7k22673




















              up vote
              0
              down vote













              What you've got to answer for yourself, very clearly, is what emotions your android experiences, and to what extent.



              You mention your android has an attachment to another android. Can they form other attachments, at all? You mention the android has a goal. What guides him - why this particular goal? What does it mean to him?



              The first example that comes to my mind for an emotionless android is Data, from Star Trek. He is explicitly mentioned, multiple times, to experience no emotions. All the same, he forms attachments, that is friendships. He knows camaraderie, he talks of gratitude, he is curious, he has a clear moral code.



              Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep is different - it's all about empathy. While it's "stated" that androids are incapable of experiencing it, it is strongly suggested that they do feel empathy towards one another, at least.



              Depending on the story you want to tell, you can decide whether your android is incapable of experiencing any emotions at all, or experiences them only towards certain subjects, or is simply Machiavellian in his thinking. Once you've decided, however, it is important that you remain consistent with the characterisation.





              share
























                up vote
                0
                down vote













                What you've got to answer for yourself, very clearly, is what emotions your android experiences, and to what extent.



                You mention your android has an attachment to another android. Can they form other attachments, at all? You mention the android has a goal. What guides him - why this particular goal? What does it mean to him?



                The first example that comes to my mind for an emotionless android is Data, from Star Trek. He is explicitly mentioned, multiple times, to experience no emotions. All the same, he forms attachments, that is friendships. He knows camaraderie, he talks of gratitude, he is curious, he has a clear moral code.



                Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep is different - it's all about empathy. While it's "stated" that androids are incapable of experiencing it, it is strongly suggested that they do feel empathy towards one another, at least.



                Depending on the story you want to tell, you can decide whether your android is incapable of experiencing any emotions at all, or experiences them only towards certain subjects, or is simply Machiavellian in his thinking. Once you've decided, however, it is important that you remain consistent with the characterisation.





                share






















                  up vote
                  0
                  down vote










                  up vote
                  0
                  down vote









                  What you've got to answer for yourself, very clearly, is what emotions your android experiences, and to what extent.



                  You mention your android has an attachment to another android. Can they form other attachments, at all? You mention the android has a goal. What guides him - why this particular goal? What does it mean to him?



                  The first example that comes to my mind for an emotionless android is Data, from Star Trek. He is explicitly mentioned, multiple times, to experience no emotions. All the same, he forms attachments, that is friendships. He knows camaraderie, he talks of gratitude, he is curious, he has a clear moral code.



                  Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep is different - it's all about empathy. While it's "stated" that androids are incapable of experiencing it, it is strongly suggested that they do feel empathy towards one another, at least.



                  Depending on the story you want to tell, you can decide whether your android is incapable of experiencing any emotions at all, or experiences them only towards certain subjects, or is simply Machiavellian in his thinking. Once you've decided, however, it is important that you remain consistent with the characterisation.





                  share












                  What you've got to answer for yourself, very clearly, is what emotions your android experiences, and to what extent.



                  You mention your android has an attachment to another android. Can they form other attachments, at all? You mention the android has a goal. What guides him - why this particular goal? What does it mean to him?



                  The first example that comes to my mind for an emotionless android is Data, from Star Trek. He is explicitly mentioned, multiple times, to experience no emotions. All the same, he forms attachments, that is friendships. He knows camaraderie, he talks of gratitude, he is curious, he has a clear moral code.



                  Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep is different - it's all about empathy. While it's "stated" that androids are incapable of experiencing it, it is strongly suggested that they do feel empathy towards one another, at least.



                  Depending on the story you want to tell, you can decide whether your android is incapable of experiencing any emotions at all, or experiences them only towards certain subjects, or is simply Machiavellian in his thinking. Once you've decided, however, it is important that you remain consistent with the characterisation.






                  share











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                  answered 9 mins ago









                  Galastel

                  17.1k34499




                  17.1k34499



























                       

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