Scratch - Can she turn chaos into redemption?

[Travis Sutak]

"Scratch"
"Prison"
"Villain"
"Instances"
"Story"
"Durai's"
"Lizzy"
"Instance"

/Grammar Nazi

Sorry had a very long day

[Anavrin]

"Scratch"
"Prison"
"Villain"
"Instances"
"Story"
"Durai's"
"Lizzy"
"Instance"

/Grammar Nazi

Technically, spelling Nazi. But they're both great things to be.

[Osiris]

Technically, spelling Nazi. But they're both great things to be.

Instants vs instance is a grammar issue.

[Osiris]

Sorry had a very long day

It's ok, budrick. I was mostly being a dick.

[Anavrin]

Instants vs instance is a grammar issue.

'For a few instants, he stood thinking about what he had done.'
'In that instance, he didn't know what he had done.'

I guess I can see how that could be a grammar issue, because they're completely different words, and cannot be used to mean the same thing. But, if the person writing had the intention of using the correct word, and just spelled it the wrong way, I think that's a spelling issue. ....I'm confusing myself.

[Osiris]

'For a few instants, he stood thinking about what he had done.'
'In that instance, he didn't know what he had done.'

I guess I can see how that could be a grammar issue, because they're completely different words, and cannot be used to mean the same thing. But, if the person writing had the intention of using the correct word, and just spelled it the wrong way, I think that's a spelling issue. ....I'm confusing myself.

That would have been written "For an instant he stood thinking about what he had done." Instants would be poor pluralization and shoddy word craft. In the offending post it is a matter of context. The intent is obvious, the execution is dubious.

[Anavrin]

That would have been written "For an instant he stood thinking about what he had done." Instants would be poor pluralization and shoddy word craft. In the offending post it is a matter of context. The intent is obvious, the execution is dubious.

Please explain to me poor pluralization. What you said would indicate only one instant, and I wanted to indicate more than one instant. I suppose if there truly is a poor pluralization, then I could have said 'a long instant'.

[Osiris]

Please explain to me poor pluralization. What you said would indicate only one instant, and I wanted to indicate more than one instant. I suppose if there truly is a poor pluralization, then I could have said 'a long instant'.

Instant is a measure of time.
Instance is proof or an illustration of an occurrence.

Citing Scratch's momentary lapses of "evil" would fall into the category of instance in the context of the post. In the context I cited, "For an instant he stood thinking..." conjures the image of a man standing idle, pondering an event. That instant can last as long as the reader feels it should. If the writer wanted to convey a greater passage of time there are far better word groups that are less clunky and ambiguous:

"He stood for a time, thinking about what he had done."
"For a long while, he thought on the events that lead him here."
"Too long he considered the past."
"In that instant he remembered what he had done and it weighed on him, slowing the hands of the clock on the night stand."

[TheThingThatDarknessFears]

She is unquestioningly my least favorite character, yet I have seen so many listing her as their FAVORITE character. I have to imagine something outstanding happens with her in the 3 or 4 chapters I have to listen to to be caught up with you all?

I don't know. I can't imagine retroactively forgiving her for how many times that voice screeched into my ears so hard it actually caused pain. No exaggeration there was ripping out of earbuds involved. I started getting jumpy and nervous that at any second she'd come blasting out of nowhere. LOL.

[LiamKerrington]

Hi there.

IF Scratch really is capable of doing something good, THEN redemption will be possible. I don't buy it that many or most of her deeds are basically rooted in what Durai wanted them to do. Ok, the first approaching of the Tower was part of the major plans of his.
But with the death of John/ Latch the majority of her actions against the Tower-folks was driven by her own exagerated wrath.
Many times her actions are packed with brutality, defiance of others and deceiving - just few examples: the killing of a Maller-guard after having forced him to take responsibility for the so-called "theft" of the tanker-rig, taking Hannah hostage to force Kalani into spying and lying like crazy without giving any guarantee, later the order to kill Hannah after having exploited the major blunder by Saul, killing the best doctor in The Colony etc.

There are very few moments that 'scratch' the surface of this near perfect evil mad-woman - saving Lizzy from being raped, following the call of Bricks to stop torturing Burt for now, probably her real good-will about Lizzy and the baby. And in the latter I see some potential for redemption in the way that Scratch saves Lizzy from some kind of dark fate - or, if the story spans some more months - the baby. the more I think of it, the more this would be a mad, but incredible twist in the story.

Other then that: No. No redemption possible.

One might say: She saved Angel. She did this either by the code of the Family or by hoping to find how where the Tower-folk flew to, but really not because she had her "good moment".

All the best!
Liam