Curses allow for a lot of creative flexibility in how they are implemented and what they force upon the characters and the world. It’s a classic tool for writers to initiate the plot and start the story, either an outcome or the cause of the inciting incident. Sometimes it can be more of a metaphysical concept like the burden of responsibility thrust upon an unwilling protagonist. There are many ways to apply such a story tool however it’s important to establish the general rules of what curses are and how best to use them to their fullest extent.
Curses are conceptually negative effects that hinder the characters in some way, shape or form. Often it is something that is hindering their lives either directly or indirectly and, as a result, can work as a main plot focus of what needs to be cured. In fact, it works quite well in the archetypical hero’s journey as it’s the reward at the end of the quest that fundamentally changes the character or their world as a whole. A curse in some respect can be considered like a disease. In human history it was often thought that certain illnesses were curses magically or divinely put upon the person. There’s quite a bit of superstition throughout the ages and some very unfortunate history in that regard, but a curse within a story that acts as a disease often becomes a vehicle for the story to progress depending on the nature of the curse.
In some stories, the curse or curses that the main character faces can be cured and that becomes to focal point of the overarching plot. Often the objectives to fulfill and obtain the cure are so monumental that it allows for a fully fleshed out story to take place. Perhaps there’s a long journey required, several rituals that must take place, or a diverse and complicated ingredient list to fabricate the cure. Most importantly, the fact that this is a curse that can be cured allows for a degree of optimism, hope and perseverance that can be shown throughout the story as we see the protagonist confront their curse as they work towards the cure. I think it’s one of the main reasons I really like the character Meg Raspberry in Once Upon a Witch’s Death. Even though she’s cursed to die in a year’s time unless she gathers one hundred tears of joy, there’s still a hopeful perseverance in her that she can achieve this goal and still help everyone around her. It’s a very sweet and inspiring story of how Meg still focuses more on helping others even though she’s on such a tight and foreboding schedule.
But then there’s the cases where the curse is incurable and becomes a constant hurdle for the characters to endure. One way to view an incurable curse is similar to how people handle chronic illnesses. Of course this varies with the severity of the curse and does require a bit of careful consideration in how the characters are treated and how they view their own lives as a result. It is very important to consider how, as a writer, you approach writing an incurable curse as it can be a very sensitive topic depending on how a reader can interpret the curse as an allegory for a real world disease. It’s a very difficult thing to write and it’s good to see how other writers tackle such things if you’re concerned. While not exactly a direct use of curses, one of my personal favorite series of stories is Arknights. Many of the stories deal with the overarching issue in the world of Terra which is the treatment of those infected with Oripathy. In Arknights, Oripathy is a terminal illness but when an infected person dies their body rapidly decomposes and disintegrates, turning into dust that can infect other people as well. Because of this, they are seen as cursed by the rest of society and ostracized. With such a terrible fate looming over those infected, it’s easy to lose hope and fall into despair and many of the stories in the game explore that reality. There are also stories of hopeful and resolute characters that work to still pursue their dreams and make a better world for the infected.
Curses allow for a lot of creative storytelling that can explore different aspects of life. It depends on what kind of story that you as the writer want to tell. It could be a story about hope and perseverance or a maybe a more somber and contemplative story. Ultimately it depends on the themes you would want to explore and if a curse can be used as a way to tell that kind of story effectively.
Raph's Cozy Musings 