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So far, we've learned how to create characters from scratch and from a basic story idea. But the characters we have made are not at all developed. In most cases, they are identified by no more than a vocation, name, relationship, or activity (such as The Blacksmith, Mary Jane, Passenger on the Train, or Don's Boss). In this lesson we're going to begin the process of Character Development by adding the first of several attributes to the characters we've already created.
Characteristics, Traits, and Attributes
It is important to differentiate among characteristics, character traits and character attributes. Characteristics describe the dramatic functions a characters fulfills in a story's structure, such as being the Protagonist or Main Character. Traits are the human qualities that give each character a personality, such as being generous or introspective. But Attributes are the physical qualities of a character and the situations in which it is involved.
The reason we are going to start our character development with attributes is that they enable us to build characters that are integrated into the scenarios of our story. They also help us establish a feel for a character's personality from the inside out. For example, by determining what kind of clothes a character wears can tell us a lot about the kind of person he is. And sometimes, we may even be inspired to choose a personality that runs counter to the clothing, such as a sly detective who presents a slovenly appearance.
In the sections that follow, we'll focus on a few key attributes, then explore a plethora of additional attributes in lessons to come.
At first blush it might seem that names are nothing more than identifiers. But names can be so much more. Jules Verne, for example, named the captain of the Nautilus, Nemo, which means "nobody" in Latin. Disney, which made the popular movie based on that story, built an animated movie around a young fish named Nemo, thereby gaining immediate audience recognition and interest in the marketing of the film.
The Harry Potter novels employ names like Kreacher which sets up a mental image, and Moaning Mable (similar to Mumbling Murdock in our lesson on creating characters from scratch.)
Sure, names can be as simple as Sam, Joe, and Sally. But also consider the sound of the name, its meaning in another language, and how the name may hint at a character's nature, foreshadow its role in the story or even its fate at the end of the story.
Even if you can't think of a name you are happy with, at least assign a temporary moniker to each character, to serve as a handle so you can better organize your cast in your own mind. Then, keep yourself open to potential names that may come up as your story develops, just as people often attract nicknames after they have become familiar. Even if you have finished your final draft of a story, take the time to go back and reconsider all of the names you used. You might be surprised at the alternatives that practically leap out of the material, once your story has become an integrated whole.
Although there is practically an unlimited number of considerations you might use to take into account when naming your characters, here are a few common techniques you may wish to apply:
Backwards Names
In a script I co-wrote, we wanted a name for a fat slob of a female character who was high-born. So, the name needed to be beautiful in contrast to her appearance. Plus, we wanted this script to be filled with hidden references so, should it become a "cult classic," there would be all kinds of "Easter eggs" for devoted audiences to discover. (Wishful thinking on our part!) We ended up naming this character "Diohrromeh" (pronounced Dee-aura-may) - a very feminine and graceful sounding name, until you realize it spells "Hemorrhoid" backwards.
Phonetic Commentary
Sometimes the sound of a name can evoke an emotional response in the reader or audience that forms an almost subliminal attitude toward a character. Star Wars uses the sound of names to convey an initial impression of a character's nature. Note the sinister feel of Darth Vader (and the near thought of Death Invader) as well as the sound of flourish in the overly prissy C3PO (Seethreepio) - sounds vaguely Shakespearean! "Gilligan" certainly evokes the image of silliness, and "Hoss" embodies the feel of the character's physical and mental qualities in Bonanza.
Commentary on Characters
In another of our scripts, we had another female character who was short on intellect, but long on sex drive - the stereotype of the dumb, loose, cheerleader. We named her "Bobbie Head." In the television series, CSI, the emotionally somber character Sara Sidle is a near phonetic for Suicidal, just as Gil Grissom is a stone's throw from Gil Gruesome. And in a reverse twist, Maxwell Smart is anything but.
Vocations
As hokey as it may seem, naming a character with a term appropriate to their vocation (or in contrast to it) can make them memorable. In one television series, the co-star who played a detective named "Hunter." Nicknames can also be based on vocations, such as the sword-wielding vampire killer, "Blade."
An extreme application of this was used by Stephan Crane, author of Red Badge of Courage, who often identified characters by their professions, such as the Reporter, which tended to dehumanize them and focus on their affect on others. Similarly, John Lennon in The Beatles' Help, referred to characters as Jeweler, and Scientist as if those were their names, again dehumanizing them and making a statement that they were all part of the same establishment machine.
Characters that do not need to be fully developed can be identified simply by their position or rank, as in Star Wars Episode IV, with "Red Leader."
Puns
Robert Ludlum gave a character the last name, "Bourne," so he could use a pun to title his book about a spy with amnesia called The Bourne Identity. Before Austin Powers, the character Derek Flint starred in the spy spoof In Like Flint. The Character name again contributed to a pun about womanizing, based on a phrase from many years previously that was used to describe the romantic escapades of the swashbuckler Errol Flynn, "In Like Flynn."
Avoid Similar Names
The rule of thumb is to avoid having two characters with similar names, and in the extreme, to have no two characters whose names start with the same letter. For example, you wouldn't want Davey and Danny in the same story. Of course, this alone won't ruin a story (as with Sauron and Saruman in Lord of the Rings), but it can confuse your reader or audience, or at least force them to stop and think about which character is which, thereby pulling them out of your story.
Try Unusual Names
You can name a character anything you want. So unless there is a reason to have Mark, Bob, or Jane, why not have Ulysses, Scooter, and Tipsy. Often, choosing an unusual name can help generate other attributes for that character that would otherwise not come as inventively to mind.
Character Naming Software
There are a number of inexpensive programs for character naming that have a variety of features including mixing a data base of first names with randomly chosen last names. In fact, our own Writer's Survival Kit includes such a program.
Phone Books
A phone book can be your easiest source of inspiration for naming characters. Just randomly grab a first name from one listing, and match it with a different last name. Often, interesting ethnically mixed names can occur, such as Mufasa Schwartz, which can either generate intriguing back-story, become a running gag because it is never explained, or be completely ignored in the story, making all the more intentionally odd to your reader or audience.
Of course, there are many more reasons for choosing a particular name for a character. In this lesson's Study Exercises, you'll compile your own list of additional methods.
Study Exercises: What Other Authors Do
1. Pick 3 stories with which you are familiar.
2. List all the principal characters in each.
3. Consider each character's name and describe why you think the author chose that particular name for that character.
Writing Exercises: Creating Character Names
1. Try starting with a name, and describe the kind of character who might possess such a name.
2. Start with a character you have created or one from a story you know and use the techniques above to create different names for that one character. See how the way you feel about that character changes when the name changes.
Copyright 2003 Melanie Anne Phillips
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