The Dramatic Writer's Companion

by Will Dunne

  5. Explore the action. You may have discovered the spine of your character in the infinitive you just chose. Or, you may want to see if there is a more precise and descriptive way to express the root action. For example, suppose that the common denominator is "to protect." With the help of some imagination and a thesaurus, this action can be restated to highlight different ways to protect, from providing shade to providing safeguard to providing defense:

  Each of these is a more precise version of "to protect" and-literally and figuratively-may begin to suggest new traits, actions, and images for the character. George protects Lennie by teaching him how to act, rewarding good behavior, punishing bad behavior, and getting him to sleep at night by telling him the same bedtime story over and over. Though couched in the terms of migrant farmworkers, these are the kinds of things a parent typically does for a child. The way George protects, therefore, is "to father." His story decisions and actions all flow from this root action: he fathers Lennie, fathers their plans and dreams, and fathers solutions when their best laid plans go astray.

  In the same story, Lennie spends a lot of time trying to touch things that look soft and pretty, such as mice, puppies, rabbits, and the shiny blonde hair of Curley's wife. The root action or spine of the character Lennie might be "to pet." It is the primal source of his decisions and actions in the story. Curley, on the other hand, is not only the boss's son but also an ex-boxer who likes to pick fights, especially with those like Lennie who are taller than him. The root action or spine of the character Curley might be "to poke."

  What is the root action or spine of your character?

  TAPPING THE SPINE OF YOUR CHARACTER

  I. Use the spine to find new traits. Think more about the root action you just identified and the different traits that could literally and figuratively flow from it. If George's spine is "to father," for example, he might-like a loving parent-be a provider with beans for the hungry and dreams for the distressed. He might also have a tendency-like a frustrated parent-to be scolding and guilt producing when he feels disobeyed or let down. Try to find one positive and one negative new trait that could possibly flow from your character's root action or spine.

  2. Use the spine to find new actions. Think about specific character actions that are not in your story now but might be added because they could flow literally or figuratively from this same spine. If George's root action is "to father," for example, he might do such things as stop Lennie from drinking bad river water, speak for Lennie when he is being questioned by Curley, and warn Lennie to avoid Curley's wife after she flirts with him. See what new possibilities you can discover by identifying three specific actions-positive or negative-that could possibly be added to your story later because they flow from the character spine.

  3. Use the spine to find a new image. What new images of your character come to mind when you think about the root action within the specific world of your story? Many images in Of Mice and Men show us George as one who fathers. One of the most memorable is the early image of him flinging away the dead mouse that Lennie has reluctantly surrendered from his pocket. Find one interesting new image of your character that reveals the root action and could possibly be added to your story later. Describe the image in detail.

  WRAP-UP

  By identifying the root action of your most important characters, you have a simple way to understand who they each are and how they compare and contrast. You also have a new source of story ideas and a guide to steer your characters in the directions most appropriate for them.

  THE QUICK VERSION

  Use paradox to learn more about a character and find new story ideas

  BEST TIME FOR THIS

  After you have a working sense of who the characters are

  WHEN SOMETHING IS WHAT IT'S NOT

  A paradox is a statement that seems unbelievable or absurd, but is actually true. In short, it tells us that one thing is its opposite-that love is hate, that generosity is greed, that truth is a lie. Complex characters often embody a number of paradoxes because they thrive on contradictions. One could say, for example, that Macbeth embodies the paradox "success is failure." He shows this to be true by struggling so ruthlessly for success that he destroys himself. His success is his failure.

  The title character of David Mamet's play Edmond embodies the same paradox in reverse. He shows us that "failure is success." Edmond exits his marriage, enters a seamy underworld, commits murder, and ends up in prison where he is being assaulted by his cell mate, yet in this imprisonment finds his true place and salvation. His failure is his success.

  Because it appears to be a self-contradiction, a paradox is a mystery that needs to be untangled in order to be understood. This untangling occurs when we can finally see that the paradox is true in spite of itself-when we understand, for example, the failure of Macbeth's success or the success of Edmond's failure.

  ABOUT THE EXERCISE

  Try this first with your main character. Then repeat it later with other principle characters, one at a time. For best results, be flexible. Remember that paradox offers new ways to look at your character, and stay open to new possibilities as you explore and untangle the paradox you create. This is primarily an exercise in discovery. Complete each step before moving on to the next one. If you feel stuck, make up a quick answer. Even if it's not the best response, it may trigger valuable new ideas later.

  STATING THE PARADOX

  Create a paradox which your character could conceivably demonstrate to be true:

  i. Dominant characteristics. A multidimensional character manifests many different traits-both positive and negative-during the course of a story. These characteristics may be physical, psychological, or social. All are in some way important, but not equally so. Some traits dominate the mix so much that they define who the character is. Ideally we discover these defining traits not through explanations but through the inferences we make as we observe the character's behavior, especially in times of stress.

  Think about the dominant traits that your character exhibits in the story now. For example, a character may be ambitious, self-destructive, delicate as a flower, or clumsy as an oaf. Identify three of your character's strongest defining traits and try to include at least one positive and one negative among them.

  2. Defining trait. Think about the three defining traits you named. Choose one of them as the basis for a paradox that your character embodies-or could potentially embody-in your story. As you do this, keep in mind that you will be working with opposites. Circle the trait you want to explore further. For example, a character might be defined as "delicate as a flower in bloom."

  3. Root of the defining trait. Whether positive or negative, this defining trait is rooted in a general quality, condition, desire, or feeling. Depending on how you see the character, for example, you might trace the defining trait back to a

  • quality, such as honesty, cowardice, beauty, evil, or truth;

  • condition, such as freedom, injustice, friendship, chaos, or wealth;

  • desire, such as ambition, greed, hunger, revenge, or atonement; or

  • feeling, such as love, hate, anger, fear, or guilt.

  Identify the general root of your character's defining trait, express this root as a noun-try to find an interesting one-and be specific. For example, the trait "delicate as a flower in bloom" might be traced back to a condition of fragility.

  4. Opposite trait. A paradox shows that opposites are the same. Think about the noun you just chose, identify its opposite, and express it as a second noun. For example, the opposite of fragility is strength. Be sure you have a clear opposite. If you have trouble finding one, you may need to go back and rethink your choices so far.

  5. Paradox. A paradox is a statement with a subject and contradictory complement linked by "is" or "are." In the paradox "losing is winning," the subject is "losing" and the complement is "winning." Look at the contradictory nouns you chose for your paradox. One will be the subject and one, the compl
ement, but which is which? It makes a difference. For example, "fragility is strength" might produce a Blanche DuBois from A Streetcar Named Desire. However, if you reverse it to "strength is fragility," you could end up with Lennie from Of Mice and Men, an oaf who doesn't know his own power and inadvertently kills what he only wants to pet. State your paradox now.

  EXPLORING THE PARADOX

  Flesh out the terms of the paradox within the context of the story:

  i. Factors contributing to the defining trait. Whether it is now the subject or complement of the paradox, the first noun you chose reflects a defining trait of the character that may be inborn (a product of heredity) or acquired (a result of life experience) or both. For example, contributing factors to Blanche's fragility might include

  • a wealthy upbringing on a plantation where she may have been routinely pampered and protected from hardship by her parents;

  • genteel society of the upper-class 193os and 1940s South that expected her to act the role of a fragile belle with the grace and beauty of a flower; or

  • personal successes she achieved by being indirect and manipulative rather than forthright and honest, especially in the company of men.

  Name three factors that have contributed to your character's defining trait. Tly to include new material from your character's present or past.

  2. Actions that reveal the defining trait. We learn who characters are by observing what they do, particularly when they are under stress. In Streetcar, Blanche demonstrates her fragility when she

  • must gulp down whiskey to steady her nerves after discovering that her married sister's cramped, shabby apartment has little room for a third party;

  • takes long, steamy baths in the apartment's only bathroom to help herself recover from the "nervous exhaustion" she claims to suffer from; and

  • requires paper lanterns over the lightbulbs to shield herself from their harsh and telling glare.

  How does your character reveal the defining trait? Identify three specific actions that demonstrate this dimension of your character. If you can't find three actual examples from your story now, use hypothetical examples that could make sense if added later.

  3. Factors contributing to the opposite trait. Now look at the contradictory noun in your paradox. This may or may not describe an important aspect of your character so far. Either way, imagine that it does and that certain factors are responsible. For example, strength is the opposite of Blanche's fragility. Three contributing factors might be

  • her ability to pick up the pieces and go on with her life after the suicide of her young husband;

  • survival skills that she developed from having to fend for herself and endure a life of prostitution after losing her job and her home; and

  • the desperation that drives her to seek any refuge at any cost: she is at the end of her rope and it's a last call for strength in a cold, cruel world.

  Drawing from your story as it stands now or as it could become later, identify three factors that have contributed to your character's contradictory dimension.

  4. Actions that reveal the opposite trait. This other side of your character also can be revealed through behavior. For example, Blanche shows us her strength when she successfully

  • convinces Stella to let her move in despite the fact that Blanche will be physically and emotionally imposing on Stella's marriage to Stanley;

  • uses a facade of youth, refinement, and innocence to charm Mitch and manipulate him into asking her out on a date; and

  • repeatedly defends herself against Stanley's barbs, accusations, and threats instead of cowering before him.

  Identify three examples of how your character demonstrates the contradictory dimension. If you can't find three actual examples from your story now, use hypothetical ones that could make sense if added later.

  UNTANGLING THE PARADOX

  Think about the contradictory dimensions you have been exploring in your character. Ideally, the two opposites combine into one and the same thing revealed at one and the same time. In other words, at some point or at any number of points in the dramatic journey, the opposites coexist simultaneously as true, each itself and the other. These are the moments of enlightenment.

  In Streetcar, Blanche demonstrates that fragility is strength. She does this by using her southern-belle gentility and helplessness to impose herself on others and manipulate them to give her what she wants-whether it's a place to live, a date, a marriage proposal, or a stolen kiss from a young newspaper delivery boy. In each of these moments, Blanche is both weak and powerful at once-her fragility is her strength-and it is in these moments that the paradox is untangled.

  Sum up your work in the exercise by explaining how your paradox is-or could be-shown as true through what your character does. This is a simple explanation of how the two opposites could coexist simultaneously in one action.

  WRAP-UP

  Through this exercise, you may have discovered that your character already embodies a paradox. If so, be sure that your vision of the character is clear and that you have found the best ways to show us the paradox through dramatic action. For example, you may need to develop the character's contradictory side more fully.

  On the other hand, you may have learned that your character does not yet embody a paradox. If so, consider using this tool to continue exploring new material. You may create a more complex and fascinating personality, and a character who affects story events in ways we don't expect.

  THE QUICK VERSION

  Flesh out your story's least sympathetic character

  BEST TIME FOR THIS

  When a character seems like nothing more than an evildoer

  LEARNING TO LOVE YOUR CHARACTERS, ESPECIALLY THE BAD ONES To write any character, you need to put yourself in the character's place and see how the world looks and feels from that unique perspective. This approach is especially important when developing a character who has undesirable traits or does terrible things. If you do not fully understand the character's needs and motivations, you may find yourself with a twodimensional "villain" who fails to emerge from the page in an interesting and believable way.

  From Iago in Othello, to Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, to Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, drama is populated by characters whom we love to hate or fear. These often are the ones who engage us most as we observe their misbehavior and wait to see if they get their just deserts.

  Stock villains-such as the heartless landlord or evil stepsister-are the stuff of fables, but in a complex dramatic story they are the products of writers who did not know their characters well enough to write them. In the end, the antagonists whom we hate or fear most are often those whom the writer loved most.

  Some characters may be wicked, selfish, or ruthlessly bent on power, and their negative traits may rage openly or lie hidden behind a facade of beauty or charm. If you have such characters in your story, you need to get on their side long enough to write them. If you do not understand the problems they have suffered and the good they have in mind, their bad deeds may seem to us only like hollow plot devices orchestrated by the author.

  ABOUT THE EXERCISE

  Whom do you like least in your story? How well do you really know this character? How clearly have you experienced life through his or her skin? Use this exercise to find out more about an unlikable character whom you have already begun to develop. This character does not need to be a "villain," but simply one who seems to have no redeeming qualities and has become difficult to write. Exercise examples are from the Alfred Hitchcock film Psycho based on a novel by Robert Bloch and screenplay by Joseph Stefano.

  A DEEPER LOOK AT YOUR CHARACTERS PAST

  Choose a "bad guy" to explore-for example, Norman Bates-and begin to think about the traits and actions that make the character difficult to like. Focus first on the character's past and see if you can uncover any new facts or insights that may lead to a different understanding of the character's presen
t.

  i. Past misfortunes. Unlikable character traits and deeds often can be traced back to painful life experiences that have affected the character's physical, mental, and/or emotional development. When Norman Bates was only five years old, for example, his father died. After that, his mother became clingy and demanding. Then, after years of letting Norman diligently care for her as if they were the only two people in the world, she betrayed Norman by taking on a lover. Think about the misfortunes your character has suffered. What are the three worst things that have happened to him or her before the story begins?

  • Negative impact. Painful experiences often leave scars. The loss of his father forced Norman at the age of five to realize that death can strike at any time and take away those we love most. This awareness filled him with an anxiety that has never ceased and still brings a stutter to his speech. His mother's insatiable dependency forced him to lose contact with the outside world and grow up to be a friendless, socially awkward young man trapped inside the walls of his mother's needs. When one day he discovered her in bed with a strange man-a contradiction of all she had taught him-Norman was left with the devastating realization that even your own mother can betray you and that sex can be a dangerous threat to family intimacy.

  Think about your character's three misfortunes and identify a negative impact that each has made on your character.

  • Positive impact. Painful experiences also can lead to character strengths. The loss of Norman's father made him the "man of the house" at an early age and showed him the importance of responsibility. Caring for his mother and later the Bates Motel taught him the value of hard work and attention to details. The isolation that accompanied these duties has molded him into a resourceful young man who can entertain himself with solitary hobbies such as bird watching and taxidermy. The discovery of his mother's illicit affair helped him finally see the truth behind her hypocrisy and gave him the power briefly to escape her constant control. Think about your character's three misfortunes and identify a positive impact that each has made on your character.