CharacterCharacter

According to Noah Lukeman According to Noah Lukeman

CharacterizationCharacterization

Must be consistentMust be consistent Must emerge from the action of the storyMust emerge from the action of the story

NamingNaming

Go beyond the ordinary, but don’t have overly exotic Go beyond the ordinary, but don’t have overly exotic namesnames

According to personality or rolesAccording to personality or roles Don’t switch between first and last names (John Smith Don’t switch between first and last names (John Smith

and then Mr. Smith)and then Mr. Smith) Sources: mythology, Bible, books of names, google Sources: mythology, Bible, books of names, google

names by origin, anagrams names by origin, anagrams http://wordsmith.org/anagram/http://wordsmith.org/anagram/

Consider ethnicity, locale, religion and social classConsider ethnicity, locale, religion and social class

DevelopmentDevelopment

Action reveals human beingsAction reveals human beings Other people’s impression or dialogueOther people’s impression or dialogue Make him or her unusual in some wayMake him or her unusual in some way Create a character sketchCreate a character sketch Get to know that Get to know that personperson No stock characters—make each one No stock characters—make each one

interestinginteresting

Names as DevelopmentNames as Development

Reveal your Reveal your characters through characters through action, not a name.action, not a name.

A gun-toting Western A gun-toting Western robber in a revealing robber in a revealing red evening dress red evening dress should not be Ann—should not be Ann—make her Annie “Get make her Annie “Get Your Gun”Your Gun”

Make Your Characters Make Your Characters UnusualUnusual

Cynical private Cynical private detectivedetective

Man with a broken Man with a broken leg who solves a leg who solves a mystery looking out mystery looking out his rear windowhis rear window

Describe Your CharactersDescribe Your Characters

Don’t stop the action to describeDon’t stop the action to describe Keep the pace and allow the description Keep the pace and allow the description

to emerge in action: he had to braid the to emerge in action: he had to braid the hair on his chest before he could hair on his chest before he could compete in the swim meet.compete in the swim meet.

Try comparison: his eyes were the color Try comparison: his eyes were the color of the tiles without [the blood] [the spit-of the tiles without [the blood] [the spit-up]—impact your descriptions with clues.up]—impact your descriptions with clues.

DescriptionDescription

Avoid “man in his forties, medium height Avoid “man in his forties, medium height and weight with brown hair and brown and weight with brown hair and brown eyes”—make your character unique and eyes”—make your character unique and then report actions that reveal detailsthen report actions that reveal details

Create a character we will care about Create a character we will care about (don’t want us to be put off by your (don’t want us to be put off by your protagonist!)protagonist!)

Dr. Lecter is likableDr. Lecter is likable

Alternative ways to Alternative ways to describedescribe

Describe details Describe details aboutabout the eyes: “His the eyes: “His eyes were sunken in his head, close eyes were sunken in his head, close together and so large they made him look together and so large they made him look like a ghoul.like a ghoul.

““His pale hair sat too far back on his His pale hair sat too far back on his head, prematurely receded for a man his head, prematurely receded for a man his age.”age.”

Joseph Conrad’s Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Heart of DarknessDarkness

““He had sunken cheeks, a yellow He had sunken cheeks, a yellow complexion, a straight back, an ascetic complexion, a straight back, an ascetic aspect, and with his arms dropped, the aspect, and with his arms dropped, the palms of hands outwards, resembled an palms of hands outwards, resembled an idol.” He describes cheeks, complexion, idol.” He describes cheeks, complexion, posture, aspect with words like “sunken” posture, aspect with words like “sunken” cheeks, “yellow” complexion; “straight” cheeks, “yellow” complexion; “straight” back, etc., that call to mind an idol—back, etc., that call to mind an idol—taking the description one step farther.taking the description one step farther.

Joseph Conrad’s Joseph Conrad’s Lord JimLord Jim

““He was an inch, perhaps two, under six He was an inch, perhaps two, under six feet, powerfully built, and he advanced feet, powerfully built, and he advanced straight at you with a slight stoop of the straight at you with a slight stoop of the shoulders, head forward, and a fixed shoulders, head forward, and a fixed from-under stare which made you think of from-under stare which made you think of a charging bull. His voice was deep, a charging bull. His voice was deep, loud, and his manner displayed a kind of loud, and his manner displayed a kind of dogged self-assertion which had nothing dogged self-assertion which had nothing aggressive in it.”aggressive in it.”

DiscussionDiscussion

This inaccurate height gives the narration style This inaccurate height gives the narration style and flourish. Why doesn’t the and flourish. Why doesn’t the narrator know how tall he is? narrator know how tall he is?

That he “advanced” at you and had a “stoop” of That he “advanced” at you and had a “stoop” of his shoulders besides a “fixed-from-under his shoulders besides a “fixed-from-under stare” deals with traits in a fresh way. Then he stare” deals with traits in a fresh way. Then he gives the impression of a charging bull (a gives the impression of a charging bull (a simile)simile)

Number of CharactersNumber of Characters

Protagonist (main actor)Protagonist (main actor) Antagonist (stands in the way of the main Antagonist (stands in the way of the main

character)character) No non-essential characters (even a No non-essential characters (even a

waitress should move the action forward)waitress should move the action forward)

WarningWarning

Don’t create characters in the service of Don’t create characters in the service of the plotthe plot

Create characters out of an emotion and Create characters out of an emotion and then let the story develop out of that then let the story develop out of that character’s actions. Both build together character’s actions. Both build together as you discover something new about the as you discover something new about the character (and yourself) and the story character (and yourself) and the story emerges.emerges.

Offer surprises—no stock charactersOffer surprises—no stock characters Have both your protagonist and your Have both your protagonist and your

antagonist do unexpected things.antagonist do unexpected things. Give your protagonist a friend or guide Give your protagonist a friend or guide

right away. Greeks had goddesses.right away. Greeks had goddesses. Never mention the name of someone Never mention the name of someone

who is not significant.who is not significant.

ProtagonistProtagonist

Appropriate nameAppropriate name Distinctive and unusual Distinctive and unusual

appearanceappearance Unusual speechUnusual speech Unusual walk or compulsive habitUnusual walk or compulsive habit Unusual habitUnusual habit Something that he/she wants and can’t Something that he/she wants and can’t

have.have.

In-class assignmentIn-class assignment

In a group of five, choose one of the stories we In a group of five, choose one of the stories we read for class tonight. As you read through the read for class tonight. As you read through the story, look to see how the protagonist is story, look to see how the protagonist is developed. developed.

Be prepared to tell the class where and how Be prepared to tell the class where and how the character is developed. What is his/her the character is developed. What is his/her inner landscape and how is that shown?inner landscape and how is that shown?

..