The Dramatic Writer's Companion

by Will Dunne

  2. Bad deeds in the past. Ten years ago, when Norman discovered his mother in bed with a lover, he poisoned them both. Then, instead of giving his mother a proper burial, he hid her body in the house. As time went by, he began secretly to dress, speak, and act like her. Think about your character's backstory. Relatively speaking, what are the three worst things your character has done before the story begins? These actions may or may not be related to the past misfortunes you just identified.

  • Emotional and intellectual viewpoint. By exploring the emotional life that fuels a character's bad deed, you may gain a better understanding of why and how this deed occurs. It also is important to know what desire the character is trying to satisfy. Whether right or wrong, and regardless of how they may feel about it later, characters act for one basic purpose: to acquire or achieve something that they perceive to be good at the time, just as a liar may be seeking protection. Or a sadist may be seeking pleasure. Or a suicide may be seeking peace.

  Each of Norman's past actions stemmed from a unique emotional and intellectual viewpoint that reflected his life experiences up to that time. The double murder was fueled by jealousy and the need to release the unbearable stress of knowing that he had been betrayed by his closest ally. Hiding his mother's body was an action born in guilt and love, and shaped by a desire to keep her near. His assimilation of her personality mixed the love of his mother with the fear of losing her, and the need to keep her alive in whatever way he could. Try to see the world from your character's unique emotional and intellectual viewpoint. For each of the three bad deeds from the past, how did your character feel? What "good" was he or she pursuing at the time of action?

  • Negative traits. We get to know who characters really are by observing their behavior-particularly under stress-and making inferences about what we have seen. Ultimately, what characters do is more telling than what they say, especially when their actions contradict their words.

  Bad deeds imply character traits or qualities that are negative. Norman's murder of his mother and her lover shows that Norman has not only a rabid jealous streak but also a violent side. Hiding her corpse suggests that he cannot face her death or his guilt for causing it, and that he has made a habit of living in denial. His assimilation of his mother's personality suggests that he is psychotic. Think about your character's three bad deeds. What negative traits or qualities do they imply?

  • Positive traits. If bad deeds can be triggered by a desire for good, they also can imply character traits or qualities that are positive. You may need to search deeper to find something positive within the character's negative behavior. Norman's murders were heinous acts, but suggest a good son who has heeded his mother's teachings about justice, family, and traditional sexual mores. Keeping her corpse implies that, despite his transgressions, he can be loving and loyal to the end. His assimilation of her personality shows that he is creative (he has devised a unique way to preserve her) and generous (he is willing to give up half of himself to keep his mother alive). Think about your character's three bad deeds from the past. What positive traits or qualities do they imply?

  A DEEPER LOOK AT YOUR CHARACTER IN THE STORY

  Now think about your same character after the story starts. Continue to look for new facts or insights that may help you find the sympathy or empathy you need to write a believable character who can add power to your script.

  i. Misfortunes in the story. Dramatic characters tend to find themselves in trying situations that test their limits. In Psycho, Norman's mother half viciously scolds him because he found a motel guest attractive and invited her up for supper. Much to his horror, Norman later discovers that the jealous mother has murdered the motel guest in the shower. Later, despite his meticulous disposal of the criminal evidence, Norman finds himself being interrogated by a detective named Arbogast who has come in search of the missing woman. Think about what your character experiences in your story. Relatively speaking, what are the three worst things that happen to him or her?

  • Negative impact. Besides interfering with Norman's supper plans, the scolding from his mother makes him feel guilty for having betrayed her. It also makes him feel dirty for having had "cheap erotic" thoughts. The discovery later of Marion's body in the shower upsets him on different levels: not only has an innocent person died violently, but her murder, if discovered, could lead to disastrous consequences for his mother. The detective's unexpected arrival is a frightening disruption in Norman's life and a very real confirmation that his relationship with his mother is at risk. Norman ends up confused, stuttering, and lying badly. Think about your character's three worst experiences in the story and identify a negative impact that each makes on your character.

  • Positive impact. Norman's scolding from "Mother" stirs up a healthy desire to rebel against her oppressive rules and befriend a hungry woman who has come in from the rain. Norman serves supper to her in the privacy of the motel office, where they have a heartfelt exchange about the traps in which they each live. Later, after Norman learns of his mother's crime, his love for her proves to be unconditional. With exacting care, he cleans up the evidence that could incriminate her. The detective's grilling tests Norman's love even further and confirms that he will do anything to preserve the sacred bond with his mother. For each of your character's three worst experiences, identify a positive outcome.

  2. Bad deeds in the story. The mother in Norman murders Marion Crane while she is taking a shower in her cabin. Next, Mother murders Arbogast, the detective who has come to the Bates Motel searching for Marion. Then Mother attempts to kill Marion's sister Lila who also has come looking for her. What are the three worst things that your character does during your story? These actions may or may not be related to the misfortunes you just identified.

  • Emotional and intellectual viewpoint. When Norman murders Marion, he is acting as a mother who feels jealous about the "strange young girl" in her motel and wants to protect her son from the woman's "ugly appetite." When Mother kills Arbogast, it is not jealousy but fear that drives a desire to protect herself from harm. When Mother attempts to kill Lila, it is again fear that motivates the attack and the desire to preserve the status quo. For each of your character's three bad deeds, identify the character's unique emotional and intellectual viewpoint.

  • Negative traits. The murder of Marion Crane shows that Norman cannot handle his own sexual appetite, that his emotions are still dangerously out of control, and that half of him remains capable of extreme brutality. The murder of Arbogast and the attempted murder of Lila reflect these same traits and also show an escalation of Norman's obsessive need to hide and deny the truth. While the murder of Marion is a crime of passion, the subsequent attacks are more the acts of a cold-blooded killer eliminating enemies. Think about your character's three bad deeds from the story. What negative traits or qualities do they imply?

  • Positive traits. Behind Marion's gruesome death is a loving mother who will do anything to protect her son from sexual depravity, and a devoted son who will do anything to keep his mother happy. Behind Arbogast's murder is a protector determined to guard her home from a dangerous intruder. Behind the attempt on Lila's life is a fighter with the courage and stamina to stand up to two more intruders Lila in the house and her accomplice Sam in the motel office. Think about your character's three bad deeds from the story. What positive traits or qualities do they imply?

  REEVALUATING THE CHARACTER

  You've been exploring different sides of your character, past and present, with a focus on finding good among his or her bad traits and behaviors. Continue to look for new character information as you address these summary questions:

  i. In Norman's life, perhaps the most unfair thing that happens to him is the death of his father. This early loss is what shapes the rest of Norman's existence and traps him in a symbiotic relationship with his mother. Past or present, what is the most unfair thing that happens to your character?

  2. One of Norman's most endearing
qualities is the kindness he sometimes shows to others-whether it's a mother in need or a hungry stranger on a rainy night. What is your character's most endearing trait or quality?

  3. Perhaps Norman's most admirable trait is his sense of duty. He will do everything it takes to fulfill his responsibilities, from tending to a mother who "goes a little mad sometimes," to changing the unused beds in the motel every week to avoid dampness in the sheets. What is your character's most admirable trait or quality?

  4. One of Norman's most fascinating traits is his dual personality. What is your character's most fascinating trait or quality?

  5. From a certain angle, Norman's discovery of Marion's murder might be viewed as one of his saddest moments in the story: he has been left alone again in a cruel world with a mother who is out of control. As you look at the world of your story, what do you see as the saddest moment for your character?

  6. One of Norman's most forgivable faults is the mental illness that now prevents him from distinguishing between illusion and reality. What is your character's most forgivable weakness or fault?

  7. One of Norman's most generous acts in the story is to befriend Marion when she first arrives at the motel in distress. In fact, it is his homespun wisdom that leads to her change of heart about the cash she stole in Phoenix. What is your character's most generous or loving deed?

  8. One of Norman's most courageous acts in the story is to stand up to the aggressive private detective and attempt to get rid of him in order to avoid further violence. What is your character's most courageous deed?

  9. The greatest good that Norman pursues in the story is the safety of his mother. He is literally selfless in his quest to keep her alive and well. What is the greatest good that your character pursues in your story?

  io. What's most at stake for Norman in the story is survival: his mother's and his own. What is personally most at stake for your character?

  WRAP-UP

  If you cannot see a character as anything but a "bad guy," you have made a judgment that can override many other story possibilities-often important ones-and result in a character who feels flat and predictable. Remember to love your bad characters as much as the good ones, and try to see the world of the story from each character's unique perspective.

  THE QUICK VERSION

  Identify what matters most about an important character

  BEST TIME FOR THIS

  After you are well into the story

  WHO EXACTLY ARE THESE CHARACTERS?

  How are your characters each universal? How are they each unique? What matters most about them? Ideally, the principle characters in your story are both empathetic (they have universal traits that we understand at a gut level) and engaging (they have unique traits that set them apart from the crowd). As you write and particularly as you rewrite, it's important to know which traits best define each character and to show us these traits through the action of the story.

  ABOUT THE EXERCISE

  Try this exercise with your main character first. You may wish to repeat it later with your other principle characters one at a time so that you can see how they compare. For best results, remember to honor the exercise word limits. Their purpose is to help you gradually sharpen focus on the character. Exercise examples are based on an interpretation of Berniece from The Piano Lesson by August Wilson.

  KEY CHARACTER FACTS

  To begin, think about these character elements:

  I. Most important onstage relationship. In The Piano Lesson, Berniece interacts onstage with her uncles Doaker and Wining Boy, her eleven-year-olddaughter Maretha, her would-be suitor Avery, her brother Boy Willie, and his friends Lymon and Grace. While Berniece is closest to her daughter, the onstage relationship that commands most of her attention is that of Boy Willie, whose return after three years summons up the ghosts of the past and threatens all that she holds dear. Think about your character's onstage relationships. Identify and describe the most important one.

  2. Most important offstage relationship. One of the most important people in Berniece's backstory was her husband Crawley, who was killed by sheriff's men three years ago while he was helping Boy Willie gather some stolen wood. She is still in deep mourning over this loss. Her grief and anger keep her at a distance from almost everyone around her now. Think about relationships from your character's offstage or past life-such as family members, old friends, or old rivals-who have had a profound influence on your character's development and worldview. Identify and describe one of the most important of these offstage relationships, including how it still affects your character here and now.

  3. Strengths. In The Piano Lesson, we discover that Berniece has the courage to stand up to her brother, who wants to sell the family piano that they both own and that she wants desperately to keep. Identify one of the greatest strengths that your character will demonstrate in action during the story.

  4. Weaknesses. In The Piano Lesson, we also discover that Berniece is afraid of ghosts, whether it's the one who appears to be haunting her upstairs room, or the ancestors whose images have been carved into the family piano and may be conjured up if she were to play it again. Identify one of the greatest weaknesses or vulnerabilities that your character will demonstrate in action during the story.

  5. Universal traits. How is your character like the rest of us? Most dramatic characters have universal needs. These translate into a core set of physical, psychological, and social traits that define characters as human and enable us to empathize with them-even if we sometimes disagree with them. Among Berniece's universal characteristics is the need to guard the legacy of her family. Identify one of your character's universal traits and look for the most significant and profound example.

  6. Unique traits. How is your character least like the rest of us? All characters have certain physical, psychological, and social traits that define them as distinct individuals unlike anyone else in their story. Berniece has the power of a priestess who can conjure up the ghosts of her ancestors by playing the family piano. However, she has not touched the piano since her mother died years ago. In a few words, describe one of your character's most unique characteristics.

  7. Most important values. What matters most to your character in life? Right or wrong, our values are the product of our experiences and often explain why we feel and behave the way we do. In order of importance, for example, here are three things that Berniece values and that often motivate her behavior: (I) her family's past, (2) her daughter's future, and (3) her independence. In order of importance, what are three things that your character most values and that most motivate him or her during the story?

  8. Least important values. What matters least to your character in life? While many characters manifest common human values, they may have low regard for some of the things that most people tend to hold in esteem. This disinterest or disdain may motivate them to pursue unusual courses of action. Here are three commonly valued things that are not valued by Berniece: (i) brotherly ties, (2) what other people think, and (3) marriage. What are three things that your character least values during the story?

  9. Backstory experiences. How does the past influence the way your character thinks, feels, and behaves in the present? Many of the character's decisions and actions during the story, especially during times of stress, can be traced back to significant experiences that he or she had before the story begins. Whether positive or negative, these experiences were key turning points that helped shape who the character is now. One of the most significant experiences from Berniece's past is the loss of her husband three years ago. This has redefined her relationship with her brother Boy Willie, whom she holds responsible for her husband's death. It was Boy Willie who orchestrated the robbery that led to the fatal shooting. Briefly identify one of the most significant turning points from your character's past and its impact on your character in the present.

  io. Contradiction. Great characters often embody contradictions. Here they seem one way. There they seem the
opposite. For example, Berniece treasures family, yet does not hesitate to threaten her brother's life. Name two contradictory traits or behaviors that your character manifests-or could manifest-during the story.

  i i. Comparison. Similes and metaphors are poetic comparisons that enable us to communicate a lot in only a few words. For example, Berniece is like a sacred piano that has not played music in many years. Write a poetic comparison-either simile or metaphor-that captures the essence of your character.

  12. Change. If a dramatic journey matters, it has a significant impact: it changes something fundamental about the character who drives it. Berniece starts out as one who can guard her family's past, but not build upon it. She ends up as one who has accepted the role handed down to her long ago by her mother: to carry the family legacy into the future. Briefly describe how your character changes because of what happens or doesn't happen in the story.

  SIX NARRATIVE PORTRAITS OF YOUR CHARACTER

  You have now explored your character in some detail. This has been a warm-up to help you write a few narrative descriptions of the character. Keep in mind that these will be personal portraits and not plot summaries.

  First portrait. Describe your character in about ioo words. As you do this, you can repeat any of the details you found during the first part of this exercise and add whatever new information feels appropriate. Remember to honor the word limits. They are designed to pull focus on what matters most.