How does he interact with others in normal, day-to-day circumstances? How does he feel about people? How did he treat Mary as a wife before she became ill?
I bring this up for discussion because I think the game itself is rather vague. I think we're meant to assume he's a normal, "nice" guy, if a little off (It's kind of hard to tell with the voice acting), but James seems to actually be kind of an asshole at points.
I'm not referring him to running out on Mary during her illness, or even killing her. It's a horrendous situation to be in, and I would guess that otherwise perfectly decent men might be driven to do similar things. What I think is that James might be a cold guy in general, at least on the outside. Mary describes him in her letter as "a little surly, and he doesn't laugh much, but underneath that he's really a sweet person". In the Maria ending, when she coughs and he tells her to do something about it, his tone of voice makes it sound as though he'll punch her in the face if she doesn't.
At these times it seems like James is the kind of guy who's not necessarily physically or verbally abusive, but I can see him giving Mary the silent treatment when she does something "wrong", or acting passive-aggressive to the point of cruelty. He seems to have a low tolerance for frustration.
So, how do you think James acts as a person, and how do you think the developers meant to characterize him in terms of personality?
James' personality (SPOILERS)
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- Just Passing Through
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Re: James' personality (SPOILERS)
I've spent a lot of time thinking about his personality. A lot of these are just assumptions.
I think he is quiet in general, a wallflower in a group of people, speaks mostly when spoken to. Probably treats strangers with politeness but not much warmth. Has few friends, but those he has are close. Tends to withdraw when facing large problems, avoidant rather than proactive. Is not a coward but given to selfishness at times so strong it seems like he is. Is probably self-aware but lacks the willpower to correct the flaws he recognizes. Doesn't deal well with children, probably because he has little experience with them. Is probably capable of profound kindness, but also prone to hurting people, or coming off as cold and uncaring, without realizing he is doing so. Doesn't want to appear judgmental, or attract negative attention from others in any way. Probably enjoys sex, probably also has some taboos and takes it seriously, but isn't the crazily-repressed fiend some make him out to be. Probably imaginative and given to fantasies, also probably embarrassed to admit it. Doesn't have a lot of ambition.
I think he is quiet in general, a wallflower in a group of people, speaks mostly when spoken to. Probably treats strangers with politeness but not much warmth. Has few friends, but those he has are close. Tends to withdraw when facing large problems, avoidant rather than proactive. Is not a coward but given to selfishness at times so strong it seems like he is. Is probably self-aware but lacks the willpower to correct the flaws he recognizes. Doesn't deal well with children, probably because he has little experience with them. Is probably capable of profound kindness, but also prone to hurting people, or coming off as cold and uncaring, without realizing he is doing so. Doesn't want to appear judgmental, or attract negative attention from others in any way. Probably enjoys sex, probably also has some taboos and takes it seriously, but isn't the crazily-repressed fiend some make him out to be. Probably imaginative and given to fantasies, also probably embarrassed to admit it. Doesn't have a lot of ambition.
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- Just Passing Through
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Re: James' personality (SPOILERS)
Sounds plausible to me, and is largely consistent with the information we're given about his character.
- AuraTwilight
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Re: James' personality (SPOILERS)
I'm not entirely sure it even really matters, since the only screentime we have of him is when he's gripped in the throes of mind-shattering emotional trauma.
[quote="BlackFire2"]I thought he meant the special powers of her vagina.[/quote]
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- Gravedigger
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Re: James' personality (SPOILERS)
Yes i think there is at least a little possibility that the very mild personality we witness most of the time in the game might not be the whole truth. James is, like Aura said, pretty fucked up throughout the game. I think i read somewhere on this forum that earlier in the game's development there were plans to have a more aggressive alter ego for James called Joseph, kind of like Maria is the slutty version of Mary. I'm going to go ahead and conjecture they were going to have the factuality of killing Mary and the inability to accept that fact divide James in two extremes: a violent remorseless murdering psychopath that is the exaggeration of the truth and a man who would never do such a thing, in fact wouldn't hurt a fly, that is an overcompensating lie. Or something like that.
There are some notes in Brookhaven in the finished game about a violent mental patient named Joseph. Perhaps he's supposed to represent an aspect of James or something, who knows. And like you said Mary did use the word "surly", though it could just be a mistranslation or something.
Oh yeah and James carries an enormous knife and massacres hordes of near defenseless creatures.
There are some notes in Brookhaven in the finished game about a violent mental patient named Joseph. Perhaps he's supposed to represent an aspect of James or something, who knows. And like you said Mary did use the word "surly", though it could just be a mistranslation or something.
Oh yeah and James carries an enormous knife and massacres hordes of near defenseless creatures.
To me it sounded more like an ominous hint that he might have to pillow her again. I don't think he'd just punch a woman like that. He might use chainsaw though.Dr. Robotnik wrote:In the Maria ending, when she coughs and he tells her to do something about it, his tone of voice makes it sound as though he'll punch her in the face if she doesn't.
I can't believe i earned 10 Silent Hill cash for this.