What are these People Doing in these Places?Creative Writing Club

Characters can be…Major and

MinorDynamic and

StaticRound and Flat

StockProtagonistAntagonistAnti-heroFoilSymbolic

Source for CharactersImaginaryObservedAutobiographicalArchetypical

How they are presented Direct presentation (or characterization) - This refers to

what the speaker or narrator directly says or thinks about a character. In other words, in a direct characterization, the reader is told what the character is like. When Dickens describes Scrooge like this: "I present him to you: Ebenezer Scrooge....the most tightfisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner!" - this is very direct characterization!

Indirect presentation (or characterization) - This refers to what the character says or does. The reader then infers what the character is all about. This mimics how we understand people in the real world, since we can't "get inside their heads". In other words, in an indirect characterization, it's the reader who is obliged to figure out what the character is like. And sometimes the reader will get it wrong.

Ten (Direct or Indirect) Ways in which a Character Can Be Revealed1. By psychological description.2. By physical description.3. By probing what s/he thinks.4. By what s/he says.5. By how s/he says it.6. By what s/he does.7. By what others say about him or her.8. By his or her environment.9. By her reaction to others.10. By his reaction to himself.

Character Archetypes The Bully - Intimidates others The Creature of Nightmare - Threatens the hero’s life The Damsel in Distress - The hero rescues her The Devil Figure - Tempts the hero Dreamer - Wants to be something else The Evil Genius - Seeks revenge and hates all Friendly Beast - Assists the hero The Hero - Main character who may fulfill a task or bring justice The Initiates - Need training to become heroes Martyr - Willing to die for a cause Mentors - Train and counsel the initiates The Outcast - Exiled for a crime and becomes a wanderer The Star-Crossed Lovers - The pair usually meet tragedy Survivor - Never gives up and always pulls through The Temptress - A beautiful woman who seduces the hero Tyrant - Wants to be in charge Wizard - Has special powers Etc.

Ideas for Creating a CharacterGive them a talent.Give them an ambition.Give them a deep dark secret.Give them a best friend.Give them an archenemy.Give them some things they carry with

themselves.Give them something to lose or to

have lost.Give them a name.

Description

SettingCan provide for a conflictCan provide for character descriptionCan provide for creating a mood of

the narrative

Genres usually have a typical setting◦Break it?◦Keep it?

Holes – Louis SacharThere is no lake at Camp Green Lake. There once was a very large lake here, the largest lake in Texas. That was over a hundred years ago. Now it is just a dry, flat wasteland.There used to be a town of Green Lake as well. The town shriveled and dried up along with the lake, and the people who lived there.During the summer the daytime temperature hovers around ninety-five degrees in the shade— if you can find any shade. There's not much shade in a big dry lake.The only trees are two old oaks on the eastern edge of the "lake." A hammock is stretched between the two trees, and a log cabin stands behind that.The campers are forbidden to lie in the hammock. It belongs to the Warden. The Warden owns the shade.

Setting Archetypes The Garden - Symbolizes love and fertility The Forest - Can be a wild place with dangers and beasts. It

can also be a place to reconnect with nature. The River - Water symbolizes life and the river can show

life’s journey or boundaries. The Sea - Can be both good and evil, with dangers and

treasures. It can also show infinity. The Island - Symbolizes isolation The Mountain - Climbing up can represent a spiritual journey. The Wasteland - A place for cleansing and finding inner

strength The Tower - Represents worship or power The Small Town - This is where everyone knows everyone

and judges them, so it represents intolerance. Etc.

PlotBeginning > Middle > End ???Dilemma > Confrontation >

Resolution ???

Make your own pattern that serves a purpose

IMORTANT:◦Have a problem to be resolved

Situation Archetypes Battle of Good and Evil - Good ultimately triumphs Death and Rebirth - Shows the circle of life Innate Wisdom vs. Educated Stupidity - A character will

have intuition and knowledge that is better than those in charge

The Initiation - A character matures and takes responsibility The Journey - The hero confronts trials along the way The Magic Weapon - The hero has the ability to use this to

be successful in the quest or to prove he or she is the chosen one

Nature vs. Mechanistic World - This has nature as being good and technology as bad

The Quest - The search for someone or something The Task - Something that must be done Etc.

REMEMBERCHARACTERSETTINGPLOTNARRATOR

INTERRELATED!

Symbolic Archetypes Light - Hope or renewal Dark - Despair or ignorance Water - Birth and life Haven - Safety Wilderness - Danger Fire - Knowledge, rebirth Ice - Death, ignorance Black - Evil, mystery Red - Passion, blood Green - The earth, growth White - Purity, peace, innocence Three - Trinity; mind, body, spirit Etc.

Thanks guys!Assignment:

◦Write a short story (around1000 words in length) about this person. :D