I can't speak for other authors, but the symbolism is a big part of my writing process. Jorge Hernandez brings a whole collection of symbols that relate to the world around me. Whether he's stabbing someone in a fit of rage or telling the Canadian prime minister what to do, my protagonist is demonstrating (in a very literal sense) what many of us think the super-powerful do in the real world.
Jorge Hernandez's approach to life may seem brutal and exaggerated to those who read my books, but this often represents the more subtle ways that someone in his position may affect the average Canadian. For example, Jorge Hernandez may kill someone (literally) in my books. In the real world, it may be the actions that someone powerful takes that cause death. Let's say they created a product that hurt people or made a decision that had a tragic effect on citizens.
Getting back to what I was saying, Jorge Hernandez often takes a very literal approach to what the elites may not as boldly demonstrate in the real world. For example, he openly talks about controlling the government. Although we may not doubt that the super-powerful do control the government, chances are you aren't going to get many of them admitting it. Then again, we are following his character around and are aware of his many private conversations where he talks about things we like to believe is just the arrogance of a dramatic character, but don't we kind of think this happens behind closed doors?
One of the best examples is my latest title, Psychopaths Rule the World. Although it sounds like a powerful title that may be a tad exaggerated, many people might be inclined to agree. The cover for this book has two men shaking hands with blood dripping off them which says it all, wouldn't you agree?
