Creating Characters

by Lauther, Howard

  Of course, when a writer asks one question about a character, he or she is invariably led to ask even more. There is not, however, an established sequence of questions to be asked in every instance; the questions obviously depend upon the psychological nature of the fictional character, the situation into which the author places that character within the story, and the overall nature of the story itself. Every situation is different.

  But here, for example, are a just few of the questions that you may wish to consider:

  When does it become clear to the character what he wants, doesn't want, or needs?

  Or does it ever? Will it, for instance, remain a secret between the writer and reader, or does the character know as well? If the character does not know what he wants or needs, will it be one of the things that concerns him during the story? And if the character does know, is that knowledge available to him at the beginning of the story or later?

  Does the character always want or need the same thing, or will it change?

  The wants or needs of a major character often change during a story. Take the hilarious screenplay of Tootsie: the main character is an out-of-work actor who starts out by simply wanting a good acting job. But because his agent tells him that no one will hire him, a second "want" is added: he wants to prove that his agent is mistaken. He masquerades as a female, auditions for the part, and gets it. As new circumstances are introduced into the plot, new "wants" replace old ones, and some "don't wants" are added as well.

  Does the character need the same thing that he wants?

  If he doesn't, the writer is going to have to decide which one the character will get. If a character is given what he needs, the odds multiply in favor of a happy ending. But if a character is allowed to achieve what he wants—or thinks he wants—he may still be miserable because it is not compatible with what he actually needs. A character may get several things he or she wants, yet still be unhappy.

  If the character wants or needs something, why does he? And if he doesn't want something, why doesn't he?

  The answer to either of these questions may be important in determining the character's motive. If, for instance, Sally wants to marry Bob, is it because she loves him or because he represents a way out of her predicament? And if she doesn't want to be his wife, is it because she is in love with someone else or because she's afraid of something?

  Does the character want something impractical?

  This is a question that only the other characters in the story can answer. Suppose a girl in a Nebraska farm town wants to be a high-powered New York businesswoman, and the writer proceeds to make that wish come true. At the outset her family and friends may well believe she is being totally unrealistic. On the other hand, the writer may have other plans and elect to hit her with a strong dose of reality by keeping the dream far from her reach.

  Where can the character get what he wants or needs? And who or what stands in his way?

  These are plot-development questions.

  The first one establishes the target. If, say, a rancher in the Southwest wants a bigger ranch to raise his cattle and he finds out it can be had in Montana for just a dollar an acre, the writer may pack the rancher and his family into their wagons and move their herd in that direction.

  But it's always the second question that truly cranks up the plot. So the writer dreams up things to place in the rancher's way—obstacles such as cattle thieves, bad weather, Indian attacks, the death of a trusted cowhand, a prairie fire, and so on.

  Who can help the character get what he wants or needs?

  Another plot-building question, a follow-up to the preceding one. If someone like this exists in the story, he mayor may not be a major character; regardless, this individual acts as a door-opener, a conduit. Suppose a father expects his son to take over the business. But the mother may know it is the last thing the son wants, that he wants to pursue something more dear to his heart. The question is, what will the mother do to relieve her son of the responsibility his father has placed upon him?

  Is there someone else who wants what the character wants?

  Still another plot-building question, obviously. If two people want the same thing, a rivalry is established in the story. Stories about power struggles, for instance, often use rivalry as part of their equation. So do love stories.

  To get what he wants or needs, is it necessary for the character to give up something?

  Wants and needs often come with a price tag. For the love of a woman, a king of England had to give up his throne. Likewise, fictional characters often find themselves forced to give up something they would like to keep, so they can acquire something else they want or need. Thus the politician may achieve the high office he desired, but lose his treasured privacy in the bargain. And a husband may need to admit to his homosexuality, yet at the same time face losing the respect of his family, friends, and coworkers.

  Following this introduction are the categories. They are in alphabetical order, and most of the attending information is in the form of questions. The questions are few in number, more like starting points than anything. Indeed, the mind of a good writer will generate far more questions than this book could ever possibly offer.

  Finally, no effort has been made to be specific; that is, you won't find such clear-cut "wants" as, say, wanting to buy a car or be chosen as the prom queen. Instead, what you will see in this section are mostly broad concepts, under which the specifics your character desires can be relentlessly pursued. If you do not already know what your character wants, doesn't want, or needs, this section may draw you closer to that knowledge.

  Now, here are the categories.

  ADVENTURE

  Does the character have a thirst for excitement? Does the threat of danger attract him? Does he like taking risks, doing something just for the hell of it, surprising or shocking others, or making them stand in awe? What will happen if the character is deprived of adventure or if the adventure turns deadly?

  Doesn't want: boredom, monotony, the commonplace.

  AFFECTION

  What kind of affection does the character want or need? Friendship? Sexual love? Public adoration? Has he previously been denied it? Did he have it and then lose it? Where does he think his chances for affection lie, and is he right? And what will happen if he doesn't get it?

  Doesn't want: unfriendliness, solitude.

  ATONEMENT

  What wrong does the character think he has committed that leads him to want to relieve his conscience? What can he do to achieve that end? Does he wear his guilt openly, or is it hidden? And what will happen if he feels he has not gained atonement?

  Doesn't want: condemnation, resentment.

  BEAUTY

  Does the character want to be beautiful himself? Or does he want to surround himself with beauty, e.g., lovely home, attractive furniture, fine artwork, sleek automobile, a good-looking spouse, cute children, etc.? How does he define beauty or ugliness? And what will he do if beauty eludes him?

  Doesn't want: plainness, ugliness.

  CHANGE

  Does the character want to transform? Improve? Regenerate? Convert? Reform? Rehabilitate? Revolutionize? Or substitute something? Is his desire for change rather constant—that is, is he always unhappy with the way things are and tinkers endlessly with things—or has he only become dissatisfied with one thing? Who stands to benefit from the change, and who does not? Is it a cosmetic change, or something deep and reverberating? And what will happen if the change doesn't take place as he likes?

  Doesn't want: the status quo.

  COMFORT

  If the character wants comfort, how does he define it? Is it being free from financial worry? Is it a job that does not cause stress? Is it a marriage in which he or she is the recipient of the spouse's devotion? Is it the satisfaction that comes with knowing that he has achieved great things? Is it just an easy chair, a good book, and a drink alongside? Perhaps a conversation with old friends? And what will happen if no comfort is reali
zed?

  Doesn't want: discomfort.

  COMMITMENT

  From whom does the character want or need a commitment, and what will this commitment entail? Why is it so important? Is a promise that will affect a great many people, a small group, or just the character and the individual making the commitment? What will happen if he cannot get a commitment, or, if he does, the commitment becomes broken?

  Doesn't want: unwillingness, hesitation, diffidence, indecision, irresolution, capriciousness, indifference, spiritlessness.

  COURAGE

  If courage is desired or needed, is the character afraid that he will not display it at the appropriate time (like the main character in The Red Badge of Courage, who was fearful that he would run when thrust into battle)? Does he desire courage to satisfy himself or someone else? Will this courage be required for an extended period of time, during which time his resolve will be tested again and again, or does he want it to visit him in a burst of undeniable glory? Does he want this courage to replace his cowardice? Is it needed to burnish an ego?

  Doesn't want: cowardice, dishonor, self-hatred, timidity.

  DESTRUCTION

  What does the character want to destroy? A life? Several lives? A way of life? Evidence? A few rules? Customs? Inequality? Does he seek destruction because he is malevolent, or does he see himself as having a high moral purpose? What will happen if he becomes unable to be destructive? Besides himself, who wins and who loses if he is successful? Unsuccessful?

  Doesn't want: preservation, restoration.

  EQUALITY

  If a character wants equality, does he want it for himself or for others?

  That is, does he envision himself as a torchbearer for broad-ranged justice, or does he just want what he believes his background and performance merit? Is his desire for equality born out of a concern for all human beings, or is it narrowly focused? And what will happen if the equality he cherishes is not forthcoming?

  Doesn't want: inequality, prejudice.

  EVASION

  Who or what is the character trying to avoid, and why is he making the effort? Is he a fugitive from the law? Is there a certain subject he doesn't want brought up? Is there something he doesn't want others to know? Does he want to avoid someone from his past? His in-laws? The press? His boss? Is he a recluse who would like to evade people altogether, and will this pique their curiosity? And what if he encounters the very person or thing he wishes to avoid—and at a time that is quite inopportune?

  Doesn't want: challenge, confrontation.

  A FAMILY

  Does the character want to be married? To be a part of large unit of in-laws? Perhaps experience the joy of being a parent, with all the responsibilities that entails? If so, does this mean pregnancy or adoption? Is a male or female child desired? Is a male child needed to carryon the family name? Is the child wanted because another child has died? What will happen if no child is forthcoming? What if marriage never occurs?

  Doesn't want: bachelorhood, barrenness, childlessness, impotence, spinsterhood.

  FORGETFULNESS

  Who or what does the character wish to forget, and how old is the memory? Is it something he regrets or a moment filled with sorrow? If he has seen, heard, or experienced something that he wishes would fade with time, will that memory be so obliging or will it remain to haunt him? And what will happen when he is reminded?

  Doesn't want: to remember.

  FREEDOM

  From whom or what does the character seek freedom? Incarceration? A social class? A marriage? A commitment? An unsatisfactory job? Guilt? The past? Or does he even know? If he does know, will he continue to endure an intolerable situation because he does not have the courage to actually pursue this freedom? To what lengths will he go to secure this freedom? Will he fight alone or seek someone's help? For a story to focus upon a character who does not want freedom would be unusual, although certainly not unthinkable.

  Doesn't want: confinement, dependence.

  GOOD HEALTH

  If the character is in pursuit of good health, is it because he has been deprived of it or because he is afraid of losing it? If he is sick, does he seek a cure? If he is healthy, does he attempt to keep illness away by exercising and eating nutritiously? Is he afraid of pain? Of dying before "his time"?

  Doesn't want: poor health, death, pain.

  GOOD LUCK

  In what situation will the character be placed where he finds the need for (and, indeed, will pray for) a little good luck? This luck need not be logical; it need only come at the right time. Thus the farmer may wish for rain; the gambler may dream of a royal flush; a player on a losing football team may pray for the other team to fumble. And what will happen if the good luck doesn't come? On the other hand, what if it does?

  Doesn't want: bad luck.

  HELP

  What kind of help does the character want or need, and who is capable of providing it? Does he want help for himself or someone else? Is he too proud to ask for help? Is the character in trouble? Incapacitated? Lost? Confused? Is he trying to improve himself? Does he need, perhaps, someone to exert a little influence in his behalf? And what if he does not get the help he requires?

  Doesn't want: rejection, indifference.

  JUSTICE

  What kind of justice does the character want, and does he want it for himself or someone else? Is the character driven by ethics or retaliation? If he achieves justice, will it benefit a great many people or only him? To what lengths will he go to achieve justice, and how long is he willing to wait to get it? In his search for justice, is he being impartial? Fair? Realistic? And what will he do if he fails to get the justice he desires?

  Doesn't want: acquittal, injustice.

  KNOWLEDGE

  What is the nature of the knowledge sought by the character? And why does he want it or need it? Does he want to acquire broad information, or is he pursuing something quite specific, such as the cure for a disease, the truth about what happened on the night of the murder, or the latest tidbit of neighborhood gossip? If he acquires the knowledge, what will he do with it? And if he doesn't get it, what will he do?

  Doesn't want: ignorance.

  LEISURE

  Does the character want leisure because he is essentially lazy, or does he wish to take a respite from what he has been doing? If he is lazy, does he have a penchant for sleep, or for watching television and sunning himself on the beach? If, however, his desire for leisure comes after a grueling period of work, does he want an extended break or just a brief interlude? Whether he is lazy or not, what will happen if the leisure he wants is not forthcoming?

  Doesn't want: exertion, stress, strain.

  LOYALTY

  From whom does the character want loyalty? Why is it so important to him? What position does he hold that allows him to demand or expect it? And what will happen if he does not get it?

  Doesn't want: disloyalty, double-dealing, faithlessness, mutiny, sedition, treachery.

  MISFORTUNE

  It is entirely possible that a character may actually need misfortune to visit him. One who is inflated with his own sense of superiority, for instance, may need his perspective changed by a situation where he not only does not get his own way but is forced to endure the same kind of indignities that others have suffered at his hands. But mostly, characters want misfortune to befall someone else—a desire almost always bred from such emotions as envy, jealousy, and anger. But what will the character do if this desired misfortune does not occur? Indeed, what will he do if it does?

  Doesn't want: good luck, prosperity.

  MONEY

  Not wealth (see Power)-just enough money for a certain situation. If money becomes a priority for a character, how much money does he want and why does he want it—or need it? Is he broke? Did he lose it? Is he being bribed?

  Does he want to help someone out of trouble? To get what he wants or needs, what options does he have? Will he, for example, borrow it? Steal it? Beg for it? Dig into
his savings? And what will happen if he can't get the money?

  Doesn't want: indigence, nonpayment.

  PEACE

  If a character relishes peace, does he wish it would descend upon his own life, or does he want it to be broader and affect the lives of many? Who is preventing the peace from occurring, and what steps can the character take toward it? Does he seek harmony in general or in a specific sense? Does he want peace to simply satisfy his own life, or is he being altruistic? And what if peace is not forthcoming?

  Doesn't want: agitation, antagonism, commotion, conflict, contention, disaccord, friction, infringement, interference, opposition, turmoil, violence.

  PERFECTION

  If the character seeks perfection, does he already assume that he is perfect and that others are not? Or does he restrict this high level of idealism to those things that only concern himself? Does he see imperfection everywhere but in himself, or does it depress him to know that he too must be included? Does he, perhaps, accept imperfection in all areas, except one which is vitally important to him? In striving for perfection, will he antagonize others? And what will he do if perfection eludes him?