Creating Realistic Characters: Part 4

This is the difficult part of character development for tweens, and it is directly related to the way most of them see the world. Everything in their existence is usually seen through the filter of “me”, and that is developmentally appropriate.

While each child develops along his or her own trajectory, most students take some time to develop abstract thought including determining multiple possible outcomes beyond their own experience based on forming new ideas from known principles. They also often have trouble considering multiple points of view on a topic, particularly those that do not agree with their own initial views. Finally, metacognition is a new concept. Being aware of their own thinking processes as an observer of those processes is a new experience.

Helping students create a backstory for their characters actually helps students with cognitive development!

Family Dynamics

We begin by determining where the character lives, with whom he or she lives, the size of the family unit, and the relationship with each family member. To do this, we make a family tree for the character. Next to each family member is a brief biographical description of that family member including the relationship to the main character. We spend about twenty minutes exploring possible family dynamics.

Perhaps Dad is an absentee character. How does this affect the Main Character (MC)?

Perhaps Mom left the family when the MC was a baby. How does this affect the MC?

Both Mom and Dad may be present, but Grandpa may have needed to move in for extended care. What change did this have on the family dynamics for the MC?

If the MC is the youngest in the group, how do the older siblings treat the MC? Are there sibling rivalries? Is there a favorite child of the parents? Is there a favorite brother or sister of the MC?

Once the students have the family tree and relationships defined, I have them write a family dinner scene based on their work so far. Did someone cook the meal? Did someone order pizza delivery? Did someone get takeout food? Is each family member on his or her own for dinner? Do the family members sit at a table, go to their own individual spots to eat, or huddle in the den around a T.V.?

Eating together to “break bread” is one of the oldest of human interactions. It is, therefore, one of the easiest ways to explore abstract possibilities for relationships, because the students can imagine variations in the familiar routine. I have also found it to be the easiest way to have students imagine different points of view.

The next twist is to explore what would happen if the family was rich or if the family was very poor. This usually requires bringing in examples from literature and the popular press. A news article about a wealthy family with a private chef and servants provides a great contrast to my students’ home environments. Similarly, imagining a homeless family huddled in a tent under an overpass is eye-opening for many of my kids. Sadly, from time to time one of my students is homeless. If the student chooses to share what it is like to dine at an outreach facility, it can be a life-changing revelation for the rest of the class.

Life Experiences as Personality Shapers

We end the exercise by talking about the MC’s experiences. What happened to the MC to make him or her behave a particular way. What shaped the MC’s personality? How did the other family members (including pets) play into the MC’s mental outlook and opinions? The kids tend to really enjoy this conversation. They take notes on their characters' imagined experiences at the end of class.

Speaking of conversations, how does the MC talk? What does the MC’s dialogue sound like and why? Is the MC an introvert or an extrovert? Is the MC a thinker or a feeler?

Next time, we will examine dialogue creation in Creating Realistic Characters: Part 5.