Brown-eyed Girl
Ahh, Van Morrison, that Irish singer with the immortal voice . . . and his hit . . . Brown-eyed Girl.
Being a said brown-eyed girl, I always liked the tune. Too many drunk boyfriends sang it to me . . . but none so well as Van Morrison, of course. And I have to say the song summed up what I thought a character was--way back in high school when I was first writing. I thought the most important things to tell your reader about a character were no more than a police suspect sketch--you know, brown eyes, average height, scar by the left eye, whatever. The exterior details were what made up my characters, and I assumed that was how readers would remember them.
HA! Okay, so now I know better. Character is so much more that my previous beliefs are really silly. Character is soul. It what makes us who we are. It's why I have been up since 1:30 a.m.--the way my mind ticks . . . it's what makes ME tick. I live for my children, for my garden, for my friends and my dogs. I cry at the St. Jude's Children Hospital commercials. I abhor the hatred and racism and intolerance that threads through our society. I pray throughout the day in a running conversation with God. I like to read about quantum physics. And even all that really doesn't let you know who I am. It's just a "character sketch" and you would have to spend years--or a book--getting to know me.
In thinking about it . . . I realize now that when I recall the characters I loved best in literature, I cannot tell you what they look like. Can't tell you what color their eyes are or if they are short or tall. Atticus Finch and Scout. Jo in Little Women. Lady Brett in The Sun Also Rises. It's them, their reality or their being that I recall. Atticus' decency. Jo's spunk. Lady Brett's charisma and underneath-it-all broken nature. Somehow, the authors made them come to life.
So how about you? Favorite characters? What made them stand out? And what about your main character in your work-in-progress?
Being a said brown-eyed girl, I always liked the tune. Too many drunk boyfriends sang it to me . . . but none so well as Van Morrison, of course. And I have to say the song summed up what I thought a character was--way back in high school when I was first writing. I thought the most important things to tell your reader about a character were no more than a police suspect sketch--you know, brown eyes, average height, scar by the left eye, whatever. The exterior details were what made up my characters, and I assumed that was how readers would remember them.
HA! Okay, so now I know better. Character is so much more that my previous beliefs are really silly. Character is soul. It what makes us who we are. It's why I have been up since 1:30 a.m.--the way my mind ticks . . . it's what makes ME tick. I live for my children, for my garden, for my friends and my dogs. I cry at the St. Jude's Children Hospital commercials. I abhor the hatred and racism and intolerance that threads through our society. I pray throughout the day in a running conversation with God. I like to read about quantum physics. And even all that really doesn't let you know who I am. It's just a "character sketch" and you would have to spend years--or a book--getting to know me.
In thinking about it . . . I realize now that when I recall the characters I loved best in literature, I cannot tell you what they look like. Can't tell you what color their eyes are or if they are short or tall. Atticus Finch and Scout. Jo in Little Women. Lady Brett in The Sun Also Rises. It's them, their reality or their being that I recall. Atticus' decency. Jo's spunk. Lady Brett's charisma and underneath-it-all broken nature. Somehow, the authors made them come to life.
So how about you? Favorite characters? What made them stand out? And what about your main character in your work-in-progress?
Labels: character development, favorite characters
posted by Erica Orloff at 4:19 AM
11 Comments:
The mysterious, misunderstood misfits are among my favorites. The sympathetic villains.
The Frankenstein monster. Boo Radley. Hannibal Lecter. Tom in The Roofer. Flint Marko (The Sandman) in Spiderman 3...
While their acts are sometimes horrendous--and understandably not tolerated by "normal" society--their goals are ultimately noble.
One of the characters in my book currently on submission is sort of like that. You guys'll just have to read it when it comes out to see which one. ;)
Hmm. Great comment. Yes, I like all of those, too. Tom, in The Roofer, to me, was such a sacrifical lamb . . . definitely misunderstood.
I would also group in there the misunderstood geniuses.
E
Ooh, yes, the villians, for sure.
A Vacch's Burke descriptions and a lot of his actions make him sound ugly...yet I find him tres appealing.
You didn't give Tom much in the way of physical description that I recall, but for some reason I easily pictured him with one of those sad-eyed, soulful smiles that make me feel like crying.
lainey:
I ADORE Burke (and Vachss).
And Tom was rather like Ava--dark haired and blue-eyed (I pictured Jim Caviezel--sure I am spelling the name wrong), very lanky. When I picture him, though, I picture that sort of lost soul, too. Just deeply damaged.
E
I have to put a vote in for Hanibal too....I think the characters I love are enigmatic -- one of the reasons I love Lynn Viehl's Darkyn series is that her characters are very much (very differing) shades of grey. I also like the reluctant hero (ala early Koontz).
In my current wips one hero is older (unusual for me) complete with some grey hair and tattoos (and kind of edgy)--it gives him character, but he's still down to earth enough to be chastised by his grandmother, while the heroine is an absolute blast to write. She could have easily come off very victim-y but instead she's a bit gung-ho to do what she needs to do (even maybe a bit too gung-ho) and take control of her life.
The hero in my other wip...it's definitely HIS story and it's a new genre for me but it's been really exciting watching him wake up to the world around him and take an active part (he was drugged) and make some difficult choices. I guess he's a bit of a reluctant hero too =)
Amie:
Yes, reluctant heroes appeal, too. Ordinary people pulled into extraordinary situations.
E
I love strong, memorable characters also with a little humor. That's probably why I enjoy the JD Robb series and the Evanovich series. You have the unique characters you grow to care about and the funny aspects that crack you up. :)
My characters always build over time, all the way to the final draft. I first give them a character sketch of looks and personality traits and then they just evolve as I write. It's always a neat experience.
Hi Kelly:
I am the total polar opposite. My characters are really totally set before I even write the first word. Completely developed. And then I have the plot unfold and generally don't know what I am doing until I am into it.
E
Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse was one of the first contemporary characters to hit me in the gut with realism and relatability. (Funny that it's an urban fantasy series. lol.)
I grew up in Oklahoma, lived in Arkansas, and now reside in Texas. Charlaine really gets southern humanity.
And of course, To Kill A Mockingbird is my favorite book ever. Wonderful cast.
that should read, "the southern experience."
It's been a long morning. ;)
Hi Heather:
I got it. ;-) And I feel that way about some writers who "get" New York.
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