Tag: character
-
Showing Up…
Should the protagonist not appear, in court when summoned, the judge renders a default in favor of the opposing character, whether they be defendant or plaintiff. The character has failed to present and/or make her or his case for a story. And so has the author. All forward motion of plot ceases. No story exists,…
-
Symbols: Talismans of Endeavors, Memory and Emotion
Large amounts of exposition leave readers weary and if not carefully positioned breaks the dream spell ideally evoked at the outset of a novel. Mining your fiction enriches your protagonist’s journey for the reader. They also serve as markers serving as point of identification that allow readers to touch upon the protagonist’s struggle.
-
Yearning for Change
The Trickster archetype wants change. The character who carries this role operates like a court jester. Seen as a fool whose words were spoken in jest, the court jester of medieval times addressed taboo and controversial issues, topics about which common citizens, lacking freedom of speech would and could not dare speak.
-
Hark, the Herald Angels Sing!
Much like Paul Revere announced the British were on their way to do battle in Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, the Herald archetype in storytelling announces change and transformation to the major character. The Herald places the protagonist on a state of alert, tells him or her how to read the signs, “One if by land,…
-
Archetypes and Story
Much like the gods and goddesses of Hinduism and Yoruban spirituality reflect the forces of the human mind and heart, archetypes display aspects and dimensions of character and personality. They show the various degrees of evolution of the human soul from birth to death.
-
Fuel for Change
“Summoned or not, the god will come.” –motto on the door of Carl Jung’s home. Archetypes help writers clarify a character’s function and role in the way of plot development and the evolution of personality regarding the protagonist. Stories are about growth and change. And archetypes carry energies.
-
Conflict and Desire
Conflict arises from a character seeking to achieve a goal and encountering an obstacle along the way. Another way of looking at this is CHARACTER + GOAL = CONFLICT. It is most helpful, when writing a story, if you can define the character’s goal in physical terms. But what if your protagonist desires love?