Tragic Jim

I have been informed that Jim has not been developed very well as the tragic figure he is in my mind. I didn't think this was terribly important before but now I see how this really adds to the story, making him deeper. He is a tragic figure in that he loves Isi, though he is an alcoholic thanks to the poison he procures from the army, and Isi will never love him because not only is he a mess but she is absolutely in love with the general.

So I have made changes in the story to reflect this tragedy. This is the entire list of scenes in the Isi/General/Jim storyline.

1. Description of Choctaw community

2. General Beech and Isi Meeting 1: Do they know each other already? Yes.

3. Introduce Jim, interaction/friendship with/confidant of Isi. He is clearly obssessed with her. But he's a mess and she tells him so (without realizes that she is hurting his feelings or realizing that he loves her and believes/takes everything she says to heart) She mentions his ragged appearance, his breath (alcohol), and then casually leaves after having met him by a stream and not really saying much but getting the "white" peoples' clothes she asked him for (she is using him unconsciously), a dress and shoes. He is very disappointed, he had expected to be able to talk to her in return for his gifts...

4. Contact tells Nina of her worries about her granddaughter, Isi, and who she chooses to spend time with. She asks Nina to speak with Isi, try to show her a better path to take so she does not turn out like her mother.

5. Jim shows up looking for Isi in her grandmother's home (he wants to tell her something, that he loves her, that he has changed). Nina, who is visiting the grandmother, tells him to leave Isi alone.

6. General Beech's ailing mother pressures him to be successful in military, politics, to marry well, etc..for her sake or as a sort of dying wish (she says she is dying).

7. Isi tells all her hopes and dreams of being with the General to her friend, Jim. She doesn't realize that Jim is in love with her and she doesn't notice how he has tried to change himself for her, cleaning up and leaving the bottle for the day at least. (His hands are shaking from withdrawal.) This makes him angry and he doesn't spare her feelings in telling her how stupid he thinks she is to love the General, that he will only hurt her, leave her like she is nothing...that she *is* nothing to the General. She is angry, tells Jim that he is so wrong, pouts. He pulls her to him and then leaves before losing control. with her crying and confused...

8. Suitor has come to "visit his mother" and they all end up having a discussion about a number of topics (interviewing for marriage) including (because of a comment she has casually made) about the Indians. She thinks they are all savages. He argues that perhaps they could be reformed...."Goodness," she says, "What a missionary soul you have!" She is surprised by his impassioned views on this topic. There is some mention of President Jackson's opinions (perhaps by his mother to support her and suitor's opinions).

9. Heroine speaks with Isi, tries to get her to see the evil of her ways. Isi admires Nina's independence of the elders/community but is not convinced to change.

10. Isi hears of the General's suitor from her drunk friend, Jim, and is deperately trying to think of a way to win the General back when she sees Nina going to speak with her grandmother and she gets inspired.

11. Isi tells General of Hero's escape plans.

12. Isi begs the general to stay with her/take her with him. He angrily refuses. He will not give up, cannot give up his prospects for an Indian "heathen". He calls her a heathen but she would accept his religion. She is cast aside/left/abandoned in tears.

13. General dreams Isi is a white woman and she gets along fabolously with his mother. He wakes in a cold sweat.

14. Isi goes to church meeting (wants to stop being a heathen in the General's eyes). Is happy in being able to earn his love (she thinks).

15. General's second meeting with his suitor (this or subsequent meetings are reported to Isi), General agrees to marry her (asks her in a non-romantic, all business way) in order to secure the posiiton of political power (she is daughter of some bigwig and lets him know that while she can be very pleasant, she is not to be trifled with and if he isn't certain then he would do best not to ask her again...but he does, with more feeling now than the first time - has he perhaps convinced himself?) that has been slipping our of his grasp and to make his ailing mother happy. Perhaps we don't see the proposal but only him telling his mother about it.

16. Isi hears of engagement from Jim but doesn't believe it and lashes out, telling him that she hates him for trying to break them apart.. She goes to find the general and prove to herself that this isn't true...

17. Jim (in hysterics) tells Nina that Isi is in the barracks. It's too late.

18. General (coming out of the building) makes decision not to savet Isi at final moment. It's a split second decision, the building is coming down on them after the explosion and he turns and sees her reaching out to him, crying out in a panic but he leaves her. This finalizes their story. His prioriities are now apparent and no longer in question. "Isi was fun but not worth taking any risks." This scene is in slow motion, General steps out not a second before the explosion occurs behind him. He turns and there she is some distance behind him, trapped or blocked by something ....Isi's eyes are directly on his as he makes an imperceptable movement toward her and then turns and leaves..


My apologies for mistakes...not operating on any sleep right now.

Note: I have 48-49 scenes now so I only need 11 more before writing this baby up.