There is a fair amount of manipulation going on throughout Naked Hero - The Journey Away. Some do it openly, others work behind the scenes, each with an agenda that is different but sometimes with goals that are shared... Lee Porter and Marie Clement being the prime example there.
It sounds pretty shocking, but in reality people are manipulated throughout their lives. It's just that we normally see it happen, or are at least aware of it. Children are manipulated by parents and teachers, but that is fine - they need to be. Teenagers have different sorts of pressures, and more cunning manipulation is required to control them. Adults face the same thing in relationships and are openly manipulated at work. And behind the scenes all sorts of games are being played by people, advertisers for example, trying to manipulate how we think and what we buy. It's a fact of life - from cradle to grave we are manipulated to varying degrees.
There is one scene in the first book that shamelessly embraces the concept of manipulation. It is when Marie Clement meets with Scott Taylor, supposedly to discuss Chantal Duboir's inner doubts, but in reality Marie is trying to open Scott's eyes. It was a delicate scene to write, because it had to be obvious to the reader what she was doing, but not to Scott - he has to arrive at the conclusion himself - a conclusion that Marie is seemingly trying to steer him away from when in actual fact she is leading him there. She's a crafty one is the lovely Marie, and I really liked her as a character.
Here's a snippet from her best manipulation scene...
Marie paused for a moment before responding. Appearing to choose her words carefully, she eventually replied, “I’m not disappointed... Please don’t take that the wrong way. I think that in most respects you would be an ideal coach for Lewis, there’s no one he would respond better to, but...”
“But what?”
Marie brushed it away with a wave of her hand. “No, it doesn’t matter. If you have decided to leave then the issue will never arise.”
“What issue?” asked Scott. “Come on, Marie, tell me... There’s a part of me that would like to take the job on. It would be good to know for sure that refusing would be the right thing to do. Lee Porter is a thorn in the side at present, but I suspect he’ll disappear after the tournament, and press
speculation would die down eventually. If there’s another reason for not getting involved, then I would like to know it.”
Marie gave him agitation – a woman in a quandary – a performance that would grace any Parisian stage. “It’s probably wrong of me to say anything,” she finally offered. “It’s only because I care for Lewis that I do so. I know I tease him, but I’m very fond of him. I don’t want to see him getting hurt... chasing a dream.”
“What do you mean by that - me backing off again?” asked Scott, looking equally agitated, although he was for real. “I would have to be sure of myself there. I couldn’t give any guarantees. Who
could?”
A hand reached out and gently touched Scott’s arm – a little intimacy that sold the next confidence. “There could be a problem even if you didn’t walk away,” said Marie, almost in a whisper. “Come on, Scott, you know about Lewis. Have you not considered how he might feel if he were to spend a lot
of time with you? It’s a common occurrence: player and coach. Only in this scenario, it would be one-sided.”
Scott froze momentarily, trying to control his reaction, before laughing out his reply. “I think that’s very unlikely!”
He covered it well, but Marie was too skilled an observer not to notice the interest she had excited, and took it as confirmation of her suspicions. She smiled sympathetically as if it was a lost cause. “Do you? That’s not how I see it... He already idolises you – and I mean that sincerely. And once Lee Porter is out of the picture, which may be very soon following the latest exposé on him today, then I think it would be very likely if you were still around.”
“Has Lewis said anything?” asked Scott overenthusiastically.
“Only with his eyes!” answered Marie with a shake of her head. “Poor Lewis! He would jump at the chance to have you coach him, or work part-time along with Jim, but he wouldn’t think through what might happen. ...Sorry, this hasn’t been easy for me, and I’m still not sure if I’ve done the right thing. I’ve been debating it ever since that meal. He seemed so desperate to find a reason to see you again after Melbourne.”
“Yes, it was a bit embarrassing. I hope I didn’t offend him by not saying anything.”
“No, he wouldn’t have been annoyed with you over that – Lewis would have been annoyed with himself for creating awkwardness. I fear he’s already smitten.”
Scott looked shocked. Marie gave a polite laugh and patted his arm. “Don’t be angry with him – he’s young, and can’t help his nature. And anyway - you should be flattered. He might be an idiot at times, but in many people’s eyes he’s quite a catch. Now please, say nothing of this. Lewis would
be furious with me if he were to find out I had interfered in this way. I could be wrong, but I wouldn’t have said anything if I believed that was the case. So please... be very, very, careful.”
“I will. Thank you for telling me.”
It sounds pretty shocking, but in reality people are manipulated throughout their lives. It's just that we normally see it happen, or are at least aware of it. Children are manipulated by parents and teachers, but that is fine - they need to be. Teenagers have different sorts of pressures, and more cunning manipulation is required to control them. Adults face the same thing in relationships and are openly manipulated at work. And behind the scenes all sorts of games are being played by people, advertisers for example, trying to manipulate how we think and what we buy. It's a fact of life - from cradle to grave we are manipulated to varying degrees.
There is one scene in the first book that shamelessly embraces the concept of manipulation. It is when Marie Clement meets with Scott Taylor, supposedly to discuss Chantal Duboir's inner doubts, but in reality Marie is trying to open Scott's eyes. It was a delicate scene to write, because it had to be obvious to the reader what she was doing, but not to Scott - he has to arrive at the conclusion himself - a conclusion that Marie is seemingly trying to steer him away from when in actual fact she is leading him there. She's a crafty one is the lovely Marie, and I really liked her as a character.
Here's a snippet from her best manipulation scene...
Marie paused for a moment before responding. Appearing to choose her words carefully, she eventually replied, “I’m not disappointed... Please don’t take that the wrong way. I think that in most respects you would be an ideal coach for Lewis, there’s no one he would respond better to, but...”
“But what?”
Marie brushed it away with a wave of her hand. “No, it doesn’t matter. If you have decided to leave then the issue will never arise.”
“What issue?” asked Scott. “Come on, Marie, tell me... There’s a part of me that would like to take the job on. It would be good to know for sure that refusing would be the right thing to do. Lee Porter is a thorn in the side at present, but I suspect he’ll disappear after the tournament, and press
speculation would die down eventually. If there’s another reason for not getting involved, then I would like to know it.”
Marie gave him agitation – a woman in a quandary – a performance that would grace any Parisian stage. “It’s probably wrong of me to say anything,” she finally offered. “It’s only because I care for Lewis that I do so. I know I tease him, but I’m very fond of him. I don’t want to see him getting hurt... chasing a dream.”
“What do you mean by that - me backing off again?” asked Scott, looking equally agitated, although he was for real. “I would have to be sure of myself there. I couldn’t give any guarantees. Who
could?”
A hand reached out and gently touched Scott’s arm – a little intimacy that sold the next confidence. “There could be a problem even if you didn’t walk away,” said Marie, almost in a whisper. “Come on, Scott, you know about Lewis. Have you not considered how he might feel if he were to spend a lot
of time with you? It’s a common occurrence: player and coach. Only in this scenario, it would be one-sided.”
Scott froze momentarily, trying to control his reaction, before laughing out his reply. “I think that’s very unlikely!”
He covered it well, but Marie was too skilled an observer not to notice the interest she had excited, and took it as confirmation of her suspicions. She smiled sympathetically as if it was a lost cause. “Do you? That’s not how I see it... He already idolises you – and I mean that sincerely. And once Lee Porter is out of the picture, which may be very soon following the latest exposé on him today, then I think it would be very likely if you were still around.”
“Has Lewis said anything?” asked Scott overenthusiastically.
“Only with his eyes!” answered Marie with a shake of her head. “Poor Lewis! He would jump at the chance to have you coach him, or work part-time along with Jim, but he wouldn’t think through what might happen. ...Sorry, this hasn’t been easy for me, and I’m still not sure if I’ve done the right thing. I’ve been debating it ever since that meal. He seemed so desperate to find a reason to see you again after Melbourne.”
“Yes, it was a bit embarrassing. I hope I didn’t offend him by not saying anything.”
“No, he wouldn’t have been annoyed with you over that – Lewis would have been annoyed with himself for creating awkwardness. I fear he’s already smitten.”
Scott looked shocked. Marie gave a polite laugh and patted his arm. “Don’t be angry with him – he’s young, and can’t help his nature. And anyway - you should be flattered. He might be an idiot at times, but in many people’s eyes he’s quite a catch. Now please, say nothing of this. Lewis would
be furious with me if he were to find out I had interfered in this way. I could be wrong, but I wouldn’t have said anything if I believed that was the case. So please... be very, very, careful.”
“I will. Thank you for telling me.”