dominant behavior in the scene to come. Early in The Best Revenge there is a scene in which the hero, the Broadway producer Ben Riller, whose current play is in severe financial difficulty, goes to see Aldo Manucci, the moneylender Ben’s father used to go to many years earlier. In the scene, done from Ben’s point of view, Ben is in the position of pleading for money, and Aldo presumably has the power to save him. Therefore, in characterizing Aldo on his first appearance, I gave him a variety of weaknesses:
At last she wheeled him in, a shrunken human stuffed by a careless taxidermist. He was trying to hold his head up to see me, an eye clouded by cataract. He took an unblinking look, then let a rich smile lift the ends of his mouth as his voice, still bass though tremulous, said, “Ben-neh!” which made my name sound like the word “good” in Italian.
A common fault in fiction is the portrayal of characters as all good or all bad. Therefore, when introducing a character who will be in a position of power in a scene, suggest that character’s vulnerability before the character exercises power. Conversely, when introducing a character who will be hurt emotionally or physically in the scene to come, show the character’s strength at the outset.
In a short story there is usually time for only one event or episode. A character comes to life, the event takes place, the story’s over. There is room for a change of attitude toward something specific. Most often there isn’t room in a short story for a character to experience enough to cause a profound change.
In a novel it is common and desirable for the principal character to change by the end of the book. If the protagonist is a risk taker, he may step into adulthood by learning that some kinds of risks are foolhardy. If the protagonist accepts certain conditions as a part of life, he may have learned that some of those conditions can change. And the protagonist who at the start is a pessimist about human nature may discover that a single human being can make a difference for a large number of fellow humans.
These are just a few examples of how a character might change in the course of a novel. The writer has to ask, is the change consistent with the character as portrayed? A change can be surprising, but it should not seem out of sync with what we know about the character.
Somerset Maugham said, “You can never know enough about your characters.” When you have trouble improving a particular characterization, you need to know more. The remedy may lie in viewing your character from a different perspective.
Another way is to have your character complain bitterly about something. In life, complaining is more effective when it is done in a normal voice, the words speaking for themselves. However, bitter complaining connotes an emotional overload. At such times, your character is speaking, as it were, from the gut or the heart rather than the head. Listen to the character in that state. It will help you with the part of characterization that is normally hidden from public view.
Imagine your adult character secretly dressed in children’s clothes. Why is he doing that? What you want is not your answer, but the character’s answer to that question. The child in an adult character may have a poignant memory of a lasting hurt. Or a marvelous secret to reveal.
Yet another way is to visualize your character as suddenly rather old. How would that change her appearance, dress, walk? Is there anything that you can incorporate in your characterization at your character’s present age? Some people preserve characteristics of their childhood, others seem prematurely old in some way. So do some characters.
Imagine your character in an armchair talking to you. Ask your character questions that are provocative. Let your character challenge you. Disagree with your character. Let him win the argument.
Unfetter your imagination. Can you see your character flapping
At last she wheeled him in, a shrunken human stuffed by a careless taxidermist. He was trying to hold his head up to see me, an eye clouded by cataract. He took an unblinking look, then let a rich smile lift the ends of his mouth as his voice, still bass though tremulous, said, “Ben-neh!” which made my name sound like the word “good” in Italian.
A common fault in fiction is the portrayal of characters as all good or all bad. Therefore, when introducing a character who will be in a position of power in a scene, suggest that character’s vulnerability before the character exercises power. Conversely, when introducing a character who will be hurt emotionally or physically in the scene to come, show the character’s strength at the outset.
In a short story there is usually time for only one event or episode. A character comes to life, the event takes place, the story’s over. There is room for a change of attitude toward something specific. Most often there isn’t room in a short story for a character to experience enough to cause a profound change.
In a novel it is common and desirable for the principal character to change by the end of the book. If the protagonist is a risk taker, he may step into adulthood by learning that some kinds of risks are foolhardy. If the protagonist accepts certain conditions as a part of life, he may have learned that some of those conditions can change. And the protagonist who at the start is a pessimist about human nature may discover that a single human being can make a difference for a large number of fellow humans.
These are just a few examples of how a character might change in the course of a novel. The writer has to ask, is the change consistent with the character as portrayed? A change can be surprising, but it should not seem out of sync with what we know about the character.
Somerset Maugham said, “You can never know enough about your characters.” When you have trouble improving a particular characterization, you need to know more. The remedy may lie in viewing your character from a different perspective.
Another way is to have your character complain bitterly about something. In life, complaining is more effective when it is done in a normal voice, the words speaking for themselves. However, bitter complaining connotes an emotional overload. At such times, your character is speaking, as it were, from the gut or the heart rather than the head. Listen to the character in that state. It will help you with the part of characterization that is normally hidden from public view.
Imagine your adult character secretly dressed in children’s clothes. Why is he doing that? What you want is not your answer, but the character’s answer to that question. The child in an adult character may have a poignant memory of a lasting hurt. Or a marvelous secret to reveal.
Yet another way is to visualize your character as suddenly rather old. How would that change her appearance, dress, walk? Is there anything that you can incorporate in your characterization at your character’s present age? Some people preserve characteristics of their childhood, others seem prematurely old in some way. So do some characters.
Imagine your character in an armchair talking to you. Ask your character questions that are provocative. Let your character challenge you. Disagree with your character. Let him win the argument.
Unfetter your imagination. Can you see your character flapping
Similar Books
