Inconsistant Rarity

[Kendrick]

So I am writing a fan fic over on FimFiction (Shameless Plug) and found writing for Rarity very hard. I even went so far as to spend a lot of the evening looking at Rarity clips on YouTube trying to "find" her character. Everypony else seems to have some baseline that I felt I could work from without being too trope with them.

Rarity on the other hand is all over the map. And I personally feel like there is a big difference between S1 Rarity and S2 Rarity. Her dramatics and style are consistent, but it feels like her moral compass is spinning wildly.

Is this just me or does anypony else see this?

I know that Rarity had a solid following. Can somepony point out some solid ground with her for me?

[weesh]

Is the problem that she is the most complex character? Or that the writers seem to disagree more about her than the other the others?

She is hard to peg because there are more contradictions present for her.

Well maybe not contradictions, but swinginess between her highs and lows. No other pony goes from 0 to 100 or back as fast as she does. That makes it hard to figure out what 50 (baseline) is, and even to know that if 50 could be pegged, would it be too simple a version of her. Maybe she is hard to write for because there is no baseline that does her justice.

[Kendrick]

I had actually considered the possibility that she, in all reality, has the most realistic personality. I think that fits with what you are saying about complexity.

[RarityDash]

Writing Rarity can be hard, even when you do a lot of it, as I do.

Her personality is kind of hard to pin down. What I do is just go off of my own base interpretation of her core character and just try and incorporate as much show-inspired dramatics as I can for flourish.

[weesh]

It certainly isn't appropriate to average the behavior of an individual suffering from bipolar disorder.

But don't mistake complexity for realism. There may not be significant correlation between realism and complexity.

And don't mistake the above to be commentary on Rarity's realism. Only Applejack's realism is an issue for me.

Writing Rarity can be hard, even when you do a lot of it, as I do.

Her personality is kind of hard to pin down. What I do is just go off of my own base interpretation of her core character and just try and incorporate as much show-inspired dramatics as I can for flourish.

Ah! I was eagerly awaiting your participation Phil.

But can you define for us your interpretation of her core character?

[Thoth]

I tend to find that I don't include Rarity often in fics.

I can agree she's most complex, as her highs and lows come in diversity, and her goals are always changing. Her character is hard to peg, and when writing fanfiction you need to have a definitive character to write for, or else you're firing darts randomly at a board when writing a character.

I personally think the best course of action is to perhaps watch Rarity episodes, like "Sweet and Elite", "Suited for Success" and "Sisterhooves Social", and take notes of her complexity of character. Doing so, you'll realize what you know will work and won't for her character. Dialogue will be challenging, but more often than not it's about basing what you know about the character and how they would react.

It's tough, but sometimes you just need to sit down and study a character before you can write for them. When I was a huge fan of the film "Rio", I had to see the film FIVE TIMES in theaters to fully appreciate and pin the characters down for fanfiction I was writing. Believe it or not, I'm now considered one of the best writers of that particular fandom (Not meaning to toot my horn, simply stating that it DOES work). You just need to take notes, and eventually the character will come into full view.

[RarityDash]

Ah! I was eagerly awaiting your participation Phil.

But can you define for us your interpretation of her core character?

My core Rarity is a kind and generous, eloquent adult mare. She's very career first, a perfectionist who covets fame and attention and has big and vivid dreams, all of which does lead to some dramatics. At her core, however, she is good and responsible friend who enjoys nothing more than making others happy.

[RandomUser]

I believe the inconsistency was caused by a change up in writers.

One person, however, stated that Rarity's dream to become a part of the higher class among Canterlot being crushed by Blueblood may have contributed to why she seemed a lot less nice and more quick to anger in Season Two, which is an interesting thought.

[RarityDash]

The writers really didn't change much between seasons. Sure, a couple were dropped and one was added, but for the most part they stayed with the same core group.

I don't really see much of a difference between her during the seasons personally though. It seems roughly the same to me.

[ping111]

I personally have issues writing Rarity into my work, because she just has so many body language signals and quirks you need to research from existing episodes in order to write a dictionary of sorts for them. Also, I tend to overplay her neurosis a LOT, so she ends up a mane-chewing maniac.

Don't ask me why.

[FermataTheBasse]

Rarity, more than any other character possibly, is open to interpretation. You could almost say that her fitting 'baseline' is that she's conflicted and has many facets of personality to show.

But for me, all of the characters are open books. Otherwise, fanfic would be unreadable for me.

[MysticMasquerade]

When I first saw her in the show, I thought: Bipolar. Though I soon learned that, that was not the case.

The thing about Rarity, is that she endeavours not only to keep her shop open and producting high-quality clothing: Artistic/Work-a-holic/Tenacious

She makes time for her friends and enjoys the joy that her hard work brings them: Friendly/Generous/Courteous

.... among many other things. Its just that she is a very complex character, and though it is hard to incorporate a character like that in Fan-Fiction, it leaves a spectacular challenge to study this character, and many fans who enjoy both her antics and flavorful attitude will have a rewarding time trying to add her to their own story in Equestria.

[Bellosh]

What I don't understand about Rarity is why she never moved to Canterlot in the first place. She makes designs that cater mostly to their tastes, she wants to be part of their social circles; why then does she bother staying in the provincial town of Ponyville?

[MysticMasquerade]

What I don't understand about Rarity is why she never moved to Canterlot in the first place. She makes designs that cater mostly to their tastes, she wants to be part of their social circles; why then does she bother staying in the provincial town of Ponyville?

Probably the same reason why we don't up and move from one place to another on a whim. Many factors contribute in this: Family, Work, Friends, Community, Economy, etc.

[TheColtofPersonality]

Yeah its her complexity that makes me like Rarity, at first I hated her as she represented the frou frou girly girl fashionista but now is more fleshed out and quite complex.

[Ginger Mint]

hi hi

If I were looking for a realistic explanation for Rarity, my first guess would be that it is related to how our circumstances play a much bigger role on our mood and behavior than most people would like to admit. She reacts more strongly to what is happening around her than her peers, and that also fits in well with her knack for generosity, being more in tuned to things beyond herself.

[FermataTheBasse]

^ Good way of looking at it. Rarity could have a variety of behaviors because she feels the need to present herself differently to different people. Fits her character, and (at her best times, at her worst times it obviously backfires) the idea of Generosity. Being generous and gracious enough to show people what they want to see from you.