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Fictional Narrative Basics - Character
Unit Completion Date: End of Week 5
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In the "Character" section of the class craftbook, you will find examples provided by your classmates of the central desire of the main character in the selected stories ("Beginning" Exercise 5). Read through these examples. In the act of choosing each example, your fellow students have located some section of the story that illustrates not just what the character's want is, but how the author chose to communicate that want. One of the best ways of learning how to create and communicate character is to pay attention to how other writers do it.
Most writers won't directly tell you what a character wants (e.g. "John wanted to break his engagement with Mary."), or if they do they'll be very quick to show John act in some way or perform some behavior that indicates that he is actively pursuing his desire. The reader will also get an idea from the nature of his actions how badly John wants to break the engagement. The author might also provide objects in John's environment that indicate to the reader what it is John wants. Perhaps John has left a picture of an old girlfriend out on his desk, or the receipt for the ring to remind him of its cost. These tangible acts and objects provide the reader with evidence of the characters want, much in the way that a thesis in an expository essay is supported by evidence.
For each of the examples provided, as well as for your own selected story, write out the character's want as your classmate has identified it (or as you see it, if you disagree). In a brief list or sentence, identify the information or evidence in the excerpt provided that illustrates this desire, and tell how this evidence develops the character's central desire. This exercise will not be posted to the course site, but should be placed in the "Character" section of your craftbook.
Character Exercise 2 (Opt.) - Submit Response
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