Keys to CharacterisationCopyright © 2004 Aspire2write.com
Far too many inexperienced writers create flat, stereotypical characters:
brave fireman, damsel in distress, strict schoolmistress. The best characters are those who evoke emotions within reader – fear, admiration, affection, laughter, horror… If writer fails to make us care about characters, no matter how ingenious plot, we will toss story aside without a second thought.
Every character should be unique. There are no two people in this world exactly same. Each of us has an individual personality; everything we do derives from governing aspects of that personality. The following factors contribute to our uniqueness: Names Appearance Possessions / props Speech Body language Habits Behaviour Background Major traits
These factors are best used in combination. For example, Charlie’s broken spectacles combine with his habit of tripping over things. Natasha’s boasting photographs of her new house combine with her loud voice that demands to be heard. A character who displays only one of these factors is nothing short of mundane. Let’s look at these issues more closely.
1) Names
Everyone needs a name. Names identify who we are; they can be associated with status, be notorious, unusual, or nondescript. Some beginning writers struggle over naming their characters. Names often hold symbolic association. Pip in Great Expectations is like a seed growing through childhood to adulthood. Lemuel Gulliver is ‘gullible’ in his travels through Lillput, Laputa and beyond. A character should not be given first name that pops into your head. It requires more thought than that.
2) Appearance
We do not remember every detail of someone’s appearance, but hone in to something that differentiates them from others. In Harry Potter, Ron Weesley’s distinguishable feature is his red hair. In Edmond Rostand’s play Cyrano de Bergerac, title character has a large nose. Appearance can be used to reveal personality moreover. For example, someone with dirty fingernails, besides being unclean, is far from a perfectionist; they are neither fussy nor obsessive. The relationship between appearance and reality has always fascinated authors. Appearances can be used to deceive after all. Frankenstein’s monster is inhumanly ugly and yet his natural impulses are benevolent. Oscar Wilde’s Dorian Gray is stunningly beautiful in everything but his soul, his reality, which is as foul as rotting canvas hidden out of sight.
3) Possessions and props
Appearance ties in closely with personal possessions (or props). Everyone has possessions, including their homes, clothes, books, and cars. Even a homeless beggar views street corner on which he sleeps as his own. Let’s look at more examples. Margaret never leaves house without her bulging handbag. Charlie wears a pair of broken spectacles fastened together with sticky tape. Natasha goes nowhere without a photograph album containing pictures of her new five-bedroom house. Such concrete objects reveal aspects of character. Margaret carries her handbag, stuffed with everything she could ever need, because she feels insecure without it. Charlie is so clumsy that he doesn’t bother to buy a new pair of spectacles for he will only sit on them again. Natasha’s photographs scream out, “I am a shameless show-off!”
4) Speech
Speech evokes personality, both what is said, content, and way in which it is said, manner. Nick is arrogant; his speech is long, loud, and self-interested. Emma’s occasional social shyness, on other hand, is mirrored in her short speeches. Sometimes she only utters a monosyllable in reply to a prying question. Content and manner, moreover, reflect social class. A university lecturer will use different language than a pub barmaid (even if talking about same subject.) Also note that people have their own set of speech idioms: Nick waffles, “etc, etc” at end of each sentence; Emma utters, “don’t you think” to engage her listener's approval.
5) Body language
Body language falls into two categories: voluntary and involuntary. We shake our head when we mean to say “no,” for example; we smile when we mean to be friendly. Voluntary body language, conversely, may be used to deceive. Sophie laughs loudly at her boss’s jokes even though they bore her to tears. Involuntary gestures are difficult to feign, however, as we tend not to realise we are making them. Sally rubs her left earlobe when she is nervous. Daniel folds his arms across his chest when he feels defensive.
