Help with writing a character snap

Question

In my story, the main character is being sexually abused by her teacher. Her life is severely screwed up from no father, mother being too busy for her, etc. The inciting event is when the a new girl in her school gets the attention from the teacher in a way that makes the main character jealous.

I want to make the main character snap after multiple small events that make the main character feel insecure about her relationship with the teacher.

Any advice on how to build up anger, tension, and envy to eventually make the main character snap and kill the other girl?

By snap, as in you mean by like a scream or a turning heel point? or its like a trigger? — Crimsoir, May 16 '22 at 11:08
I assume more like a trigger? It is just when the main character's hatred increases by a rapid rate and is so annoyed by the past events, she decides to kill the other girl — fern, May 17 '22 at 03:02

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered May 23 '22 at 13:57

Considering my own problems within my life, there are few times I was close. Let me tell you that it's not a pleasant experience. First it starts off with horrible thoughts, the possible ending of the annoyance bringing and peace in the ending. When that happened to me, I hid away for months and tried to hide contact to keep that feeling from coming back. In the end, the way you want to break your character is by causing a great annoyance where the other character makes her life a living hell and slowly go from there. Let the girl go too far to the point where main follows her or some other event and kills her in a gruesome way. I'll leave you to the rest if this helps. Good example:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holidays_(2016_film)#Valentine's_Day (Look specifically at valentines day if you want to watch it)

Perhaps read how Stephen King worked up how Carrie snapped at the end. — Steve, Jun 22 '22 at 21:18

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 22 '22 at 16:48

This is largely asking us how to write your character. Do you want her to break down suddenly and for no outward reason (Think Riley in "Inside Out" when she starts crying in front of her new class. The audience can clearly see the weight of leaving her old home is finally hitting her for the first time after trying to ignore it and failing.). It could be a non-offensive action that the person breaking down takes an offense too ("Inside Out" example again: During dinner following the above scene, Riley's parents try to figure out why she's upset and Riley, who's already had an emotional break down snaps at her father who has nothing but her best interests at heart even if he has no clue about the problem.) A "Straw that Broke the Camel's Back Option A, if you will.

Or is it something that is actually intended to be offensive by the new girl and MC is going to "Give the B what she deserves." A "Straw that Broke the Camel's Back Option B". In this one, she's been taking the abuse of New Girl like a champ, but now that is over. Think Bugs Bunny any time he says "Of course you know, this means war!"

Help with writing a character snap

2 Answers2