Character 102: Setting the Foundation
Salutations and Hello! Your favourite Alien Limax, Vivian is back yet again with character work, me and Anne Winchell shall explore the evolution of Bob, introduced in Character 101, once more! So let's get into it, shall we? Fast note, tables are joint efforts. Lady Verbosa wanted to stress this.
Childhood, or how did the parents mess this up?
(Vivian:) A quick remark before we get into the meat of this. While childhood experiences and interactions with other human beings (or alien beings if you’re not a human centric xenist 🙄) is a major and important contributor to how one behaves and is as an adult and child, Personality/Character traits have a genetic component to them. Some people are known to have been exceedingly sadistic, hateful, evil, mean, since the day they came into the world. This goes for positive traits as well where nothing seems to be able to affect them from the day they were born. What to take from this is that while nothing is entirely immutable, some might be born with very rigid and hard to change initial characteristics, most however are not.
(Anne:) Excellent point, and always something to keep in mind. In addition, many authors start out with an idea of a character, then work backwards to make sense of them. I often do this. I know the character in the present, but then I want to learn more about how they got that way by fleshing out the character. Sometimes when you’re doing this, you already know how the parents messed up and how childhood impacted them. Other times, it may take some thought. Even if you never use it in the story, it helps to get a few broad brushstrokes about this period in your character’s life because a lot of their character is shaped in this time period.
First, super broad, was it a good childhood, or a tragic one? You’ve probably heard that characters need a tragic backstory and dead parents to be interesting. Not true at all! Your character can have a perfectly happy and normal childhood, and that’s something they want to protect later on. Of course, if you’re writing Young Adult (YA), it still pretty much is childhood for them, so you can’t do too much.
Side note on why parents are usually dead, especially in YA: parents don’t allow their kids to get up to such crazy stuff!
(Vivian:) Putting on Freudian glasses It seems more likely that YA authors have some lingering issues with their own parents and thus project it onto their own imaginary creations in some vain attempt to overcome their own traumas and …. Pseudo Intellectual garbage.
(Anne:) Well, yeah, there’s that too! Looking past authorial trauma, though, there are also some basic problems with pacing and story when the parents are still around. Parents tend to dampen conflict, and you want to increase it. Now, obviously not all parents are like this, and you can easily have abusive parents who do everything possible to make your character’s life harder. But just like it’s often good to have a happy childhood that the character wants to preserve, it can also be good to have parents who were kind so that the character can have something to look back on fondly, some moment where life was good and things were at peace. Now, if you can have the parents dramatically die at the beginning of your story as part of the call to action, even better! The evil villain has killed something good and pure! Destroy!
Even if you have parents throughout the entire story, the circumstances of your character’s early life can’t be overstated. So much of who we are is determined during this period. Characters can overcome their childhoods, and maybe even go to therapy, but that just acknowledges how major it was. There are a few varieties of childhood. If you haven’t given this any thought, then consider what your character is like in the present moment and see which of the following seems to fit best. I’m going to take over for a bit, but Vivian might pop up!
Happy times are fa-
Well, you’ve just got it all, don’t you? Your character has enough money to live comfortably, though you weren’t ridiculously rich, your parents loved you, you had a good friend group (or at least one good friend!), and you had a generally trauma-free childhood. If you did have trauma, you had a great support system who got you through it. Because there wasn’t really anything else going on, birth order matters as well as number of siblings. All of those siblings, of course, survived and were healthy. Was there friendly sibling bickering and rivalry? Of course! Nothing is perfect. But through it all, you loved each other and never took things too far. This is the best and most stable childhood a character can have. Why would you want this?
Typical Possible Character Traits
One quick note as we move into the character traits: both good and bad character traits are important! It’s very rare that you want a perfect character. If you’re fleshing out an existing character, look through the traits throughout to see what matches and what you should emphasise to better reflect what you think their childhood should be like.
(Vivian:) A typical pattern some might notice in these character traits that we make is that some traits seem to go either way, and you might wonder “Why bring it up?” We bring it up because it relates to the upbringing and while it can go either which way, it is a common thing that is affected and thus one to consider. Not all upbringings affect the same character traits, some can shift a trait in any which way while others push certain traits generally in one direction.
(Anne:) One thing implied in what Vivian is saying that I want to make clear is that this is very situational, and very individual. The upbringing affects certain traits, and they can be good or bad depending on the situation, and the person themselves. Some people inherit the good traits, some the bad, usually a blend, and sometimes the same trait is good or bad depending on the situation.
| The Good | The Bad |
|---|---|
| Well-adjusted, with no major deep-seated character flaws | Frequently a little too trusting of other people |
| Able to handle most situations without being overwhelmed | Often has trouble lying or using “immoral” means to get out of situations |
| Generally a kind, giving, generous character | Can be considered naive in many ways |
| Generally follows the rules, but will follow their own morality first (and the reader will usually agree with that morality) | Generally follows the rules… which is actually a problem sometimes! |
| Generally “good” in most ways | Generally follows their own morality first… which again, can be a problem! |
| Often a peacemaker, especially if they were a middle child | Often less able to anticipate what a truly immoral character or villain will do |
| Often a leader, especially if they were the oldest child | Sometimes easily manipulated |
Typical Plot Purposes
In addition to shaping your character’s personality and character strengths and flaws, there are a few very good plot purposes why you would want this childhood.
Fairly generic background if you don’t want anything major in the backstory but want positive memories
Really good setup for losing everything later on
Often, this becomes the world/people that your character is trying to save/protect
Characters from this time can become allies and even other main or point of view (POV) characters
Parental figures (parents, other relatives, adult friends, teachers) can be major influences whose wise words and lessons help the character throughout their life
Basically, if you want a character who serves as a noble hero who was raised “right,” this is the childhood you want. Is this always the case? Nope. See trauma below for how this ideal childhood can easily turn some of these character traits on their head, temporarily at least. Although a character’s primary characteristics are set by their childhood, some traumas can twist this. However, even in the case of trauma, the above traits lurk at the character’s core.
Meh, could be worse
This is just a slightly worse version of the happy childhood. Parents? Not perfect, but they love you and are usually there for you. Friends? Yeah, but maybe not great friends. A few betrayals, maybe some jealousy and stolen toys. Your best friend? Yeah, maybe not the best, but they’re not bad. Just some typical human flaws. And as for trauma, yeah, maybe a bit, but nothing devastating. You’ve still got a good grounding.
(Vivian:) The big difference between this and a good upbringing is that while it is not terrible, it is not good either. Parents have succeeded so far in that you’re not miserable, but they have failed to the degree that you don’t look back at it as inherently good times. You may appreciate it in retrospect for what they did relative to their situation, but at that point in time, you were not swinging hard in any direction on the happy-sad spectrum, beyond the usual ones. Who didn't like a lollipop as a kid? That’s the best of times, even if the rest is meh.
Typical Possible Character Traits
| The Good | The Bad |
|---|---|
| Generally well-adjusted, though they may have a few shortcomings | Sometimes insecure or jealous that other people have it better |
| Often, more open to meeting new people because they don’t already have a strong friend group | Can sometimes have trouble forming close attachments, especially earlier in life, because they have few models |
| Found family is generally far more important than family by blood | Sometimes has trouble understanding why other characters are so invested in saving their homes/parents despite the cost |
| Often not especially interested in the past–they’re ready to move on | …often not especially interested in the past, so they sometimes ignore or dismiss other people’s past traumas |
Typical Plot Purposes
(Anne:) So those are some traits that often accompany this childhood. You’ll notice overlap with this and some of the other categories, though to a lesser extent. Basically, this is just a light version of a couple of others, mostly leaning towards a happy childhood. And of course, there are plot reasons why this might be good.
Again, this is a generic background if you don’t really want anything interesting going on, especially if you want generic without an idealised version
If your character leaves the location of their childhood, it’s usually left intact and they might visit casually, without any strong emotional connection
As with the above–actually, as with all of these childhoods–characters from this time period might become POV characters… or they might become the villain if you have one
Basically, this is best when you just need a background that doesn’t rock the boat and someone whose character traits are mostly determined by later trauma, since their childhood, while not the best, certainly wasn’t the worst.
Things are nice but we gotta struggle
Looking back at our first category where everything is happy, we can take a bit of that, but instead of being comfortable in terms of wealth, now your family really struggles. That changes a lot. Like… a lot. In a family with multiple children, age order once again matters, particularly if you’re the oldest, as you might be parentified (used to parent younger siblings) if your parents aren’t around or able, or you might see an older sibling (or two) struggle the same way your parents do. Your parents love you and will do anything for you, but maybe now that means working multiple jobs, or getting into debt and having to do something illegal to get out.
(Vivian:) And keep in mind that what it means to “struggle” is very society based. What is struggling in one society can be heaven in another. My dad, for example, was struggling by Swedish measurements, but to many in the USA, it would probably be an insult to those struggling in the USA in what he had, could do, and more, but here, it was a struggle given he was unemployed for the majority of my childhood due to back issues. But he was a good father and did his best…except when he took my golden 10 kronor coins collection and paid bills! But I forgave him; he did help a lot after. So just personally, I can say it does a lot, it can also give really sweet stories and backgrounds with such hard working parents. And we know how fucked up I turned out now 😝
(Anne:) I can certainly attest to that last point… 😁 Despite how Vivian turned out, you can get some wonderful, loved characters. Wealth isn’t the only reason to struggle, though. It might be illness that drags you down… and it might affect you, your siblings, your parents, or some combination of all.
(Vivian:) If only there was a source to use to come up with illnesses that could give struggling backgrounds.
(Anne:) Yes, it’s a shame no one has ever written about such things… Well, with all that in mind, let’s look at some character traits associated with this childhood!
Typical Possible Character Traits
| The Good | The Bad |
|---|---|
| Usually relatively well-adjusted | Often, a sharp sense of humour to ward off mentions of their struggles |
| Usually savvy with finances | Perhaps a little too stingy at times |
| Usually great empathy and ability to understand other people’s problems | Often sensitive to subjects related to the struggles they experienced |
| Often good at taking on a leadership role either because they were oldest and used to it, or they were youngest and want to make up for being helpless | If their parents or siblings were the sick ones, possibly some lingering insecurities about the physical or mental health of their current friends and mentors |
| Usually, good knowledge in dealing with situations related to the struggle they experienced | If they were the sick one, they could have lingeries issues from it, depending on the illness type |
| Usually have a good sense of right and wrong that isn’t reliant on the law | Occasionally might fall on the wrong side of the law |
| Can have high stress tolerance | Due to high stress early on, they can also be more susceptible to it |
Typical Plot Purposes
So we’ve got the character traits, which, as Vivian aptly points out, can often go either way. What are some plot reasons you might want this upbringing?
Similar to a happy childhood, it sets you up for trauma later, and in fact lays the groundwork for that trauma
Characters may take on tasks or quests to protect or help struggling parents, which can pave the way for the story or be a vital part of their backstory
As usual, characters from this time can become POV characters who tend to share the same characteristics
Occasionally, a character in this situation will gain a benefactor who can play a major role in influencing the character, protecting the character (and thus gaining their loyalty in a way that impacts the story), or setting the stage for a nice betrayal
This is great for a character arc of overcoming great odds to succeed, the kind of rags-to-riches story that Americans in particular love reading about
Basically, this is a great background if you want a character who has limited trauma but a loving family, the potential for some good friends to join the story, and the potential for some great story and character arcs. Plus, your characters can turn out as great as Vivian! (the horror!)
Why won’t they love me?
(Vivian:) People are a strange bunch. You can genuinely love someone and still be among the worst possible kind of people toward them. Being actively abusive yet never once realising that it is wrong or the damage it does, and sometimes maybe even being unable to control it. The damage of abuse is a perpetual cycle where each generation feeds the next one to continue it. The parents might have nothing but the best of intentions, but because of their culture, their own abuse, their ignorance, or simple issues of understanding people, they can turn into a horrible parent. You actively harm your children day in and day out, thinking you show love, but in the end, it falls all apart as you destroy what you were supposed to love.
(Anne:) Of course, parents can also just be terrible and not love their kids at all. The abuse might be deliberate, or at least the parents have no incentive to not abuse. And also keep in mind that abuse takes on all forms. It can of course be physical abuse, which most people think of, or emotional abuse, but it might also be something like food-related abuse that leads to eating disorders, or financial abuse where you’re not given basic, required things because they cost money your parents don’t give you. I hate to say this, but be creative with your abuse if you have characters with an abusive childhood! But let’s move on to character traits.
Typical Possible Character Traits
| The Good | The Bad |
|---|---|
| Usually have a higher tolerance for pain | Usually distrusting of others even after those people have proven themselves |
| Usually have a higher tolerance for stress | Stressful situations are sometimes a trigger |
| Sometimes more likely to accept abuse from others without judgement | …sometimes more likely to accept abuse from others without judgement |
| On the contrary, they might also be quite defensive if someone else is getting abused | However, might be more willing to abuse others without realising it |
| Sometimes better able to recognize abuse | Sometimes blind to abuse |
| Can sometimes lead to villainy/evil (listed under good if you’re trying to create an enemy or anti-hero) | Can sometimes lead to villainy/evil (listed under bad if this is supposed to be a very good character) |
| Often has a sharp sense of humour and a keen ability to spot inconsistencies and mock them | Might have anger issues |
| Sometimes becomes a good judge of character upon first meeting | Might be overly willing to please anyone around them |
Typical Plot Purposes
Interesting and often contradictory character traits as usual! Plotwise, there’s a ton of potential, especially with character arcs and backstories.
Escaping abuse can be the impetus for the story, or can provide interesting backstory
Great potential for a character arc about overcoming abuse and breaking the cycle
Also great character arc potential about learning to trust others
Lots of potential for conflict and fights surrounding friends or other characters being abused (typically this only happens if they lean towards the protective trait above)
Also, if you’re fleshing out a villain or enemy, being abused frequently makes people turn to their darker impulses
And it’s not just the bad guys (or gals, or peeps)! Anti-heroes are often formed through abuse
Creates sympathetic characters–who doesn’t feel empathy for an abused character?
Basically, while this isn’t a great childhood to live through, it can provide great fodder for your stories. You can get some fascinating interpersonal relationships here, plus great character arcs.
Misery loves company, I need none
(Anne:) We’ve had some tough things in these childhoods, but everything pales in comparison to this truly horrific childhood. Sometimes, you just want everything that can go wrong to go wrong. However, you have to be really careful. While it’s very true that characters are not people, and they can survive and recover from things that would destroy or kill real people, you never want to push it too far. You don’t want to get into trauma for the sake of trauma, aka trauma porn.
(Vivian:) A word or few of caution when it comes to these horrific kinds of backgrounds. There is a difference between kicking a character, as the author, each time they get up, then getting some recovery, vs continuously kicking them even when they are down with boots with sharp objects on them, such as knives, broken glass, or Anne’s incessant need for specificity.
(Anne:) So while a truly traumatic childhood is definitely a possibility, and quite common, you have to treat it carefully. This type of trauma at a young age influences almost everything about a character. It depends on the type of trauma, but here are some of the common traits that result from this childhood.
Typical Possible Character Traits
| The Good | The Bad |
|---|---|
| Often has a sense of grim “realism” | Can be extremely bitter and withdrawn |
| Usually expects the worst, which helps when the worst happens | Usually expects the worst, which leads them to ignore any good that happens |
| Can sometimes have a thick skin and resilient to further traumas | Can sometimes get triggered and react in various maladaptive ways |
| Sometimes connects to people out of a desperate longing for company | Sometimes pushes people away out of fear of betrayal or losing them |
| Due to experience, can sometimes foresee events that are incoming. | Often, constant pessimism creates a self-fulfilling prophecy |
| Sometimes gains empathy for others and tries to help as many as they can | Sometimes becomes selfish as the only person they can count on is themselves |
| Can put extremely high value on people once they get out of their negative mindset | Sometimes leads to a complete loss of faith in all humanity |
| As strange as it sounds, sometimes leads to becoming the eternal optimist because they come to appreciate everything so much after having had less than nothing | On the other other hand, sometimes results in a complete dismissal of other people’s lives and loss of sense of morality and maybe even nihilism |
Typical Plot Purposes
Trauma not only impacts character quite significantly, but it also has its role in the plot and story development. A lot of authors try to pack in as much trauma as possibly to influence the story later on. As Vivian and I advised early, try not to overdo it on the trauma. A little bit will go a long way. However, there are all sorts of ways a traumatic childhood can help the story.
(Vivian:) A possible way it can help the story is by providing a huge divide in views of the world. Having gone through so much, they can be one of the very extremes of the spectrum while the rest of the team, gang, or other characters generally fall closer to the centre. This opens up for interesting conflicts, especially between those that fall closer toward the opposite direction.
(Anne:) This is also a great way to do an origin story for a villain/enemy! Not everyone recovers from trauma, and it can really warp a person.
It can set up another kind of dichotomy you’ll see in some shows where two childhood friends undergo the same trauma, and one ends up being the “hero” while the other becomes the “villain” (usually without them realising who the other is).
Trauma is also great for character arcs, as someone who was deeply wounded as a child heals thanks to other characters in the story.
And that healing can also pave the way for another betrayal, which we’ll talk about next time when we look specifically at trauma outside of childhood.
Basically, if you want a deeply scarred character, giving them a traumatic childhood is an easy way to do it. Kill off their family in gruesome ways right in front of them, destroy everything they love, bully or torture them while they’re still in elementary school, work them half to death in the mines as they watch friends get sick and possibly die, isolate them from everyone else until they float alone and unloved… you get it. Just don’t do all of that to the same character, please! People can only take so much. Children can be resilient, but they’re also very fragile in many ways, and they have needs that adults don’t.
Traumatic childhoods can give you some of the most grimly optimistic characters who have seen it all and find joy in the little things, and can also give you some of the most twisted villains imaginable. And, of course, a huge range in between. If you want this type of character, definitely go for it! Just show a little mercy.
I feel like a ghost
While nothing can compare to that horrific childhood we just described, there are other ways that children can suffer. Abandonment is a big one. This doesn’t necessarily mean physical abandonment where a child is kicked out or finds themselves alone. It can also be in a family setting with parents who just don’t care or don’t even notice their child. That can be a type of abuse, but it combines with the more literal types of abandonment described here. Another common way we see abandonment is with orphans who are tossed to the orphanages, where they’re just another mouth to feed.
Comparing this to previous childhoods, the character may or may not have a family, but even if they do, it isn’t a loving one. They may or may not have friends, and the strength of those relationships can vary depending on how far you the author want to push the isolation. And in terms of trauma, this is really the only one. For most characters with this background, the only real trauma is being ignored. For a child, that can be devastating, and it can have significant long term effects on a character’s core personality traits.
(Vivian:) A child naturally seeks the approval of their guardians. Being denied this in any form means that the child is denied many forms of validation of good behaviour and the scorn necessary for maladaptive behaviours. This can naturally result in seeking approval and scorn from other people or groups, which can be incredibly destructive groups or people who reinforce bad behaviours.
Typical Possible Character Traits
| The Good | The Bad |
|---|---|
| Usually fiercely loyal to friends who stay true | Usually terrified that friends will leave them |
| Often finds peace in solitude and doesn’t mind being alone | Occasionally finds being alone overwhelming and bleak |
| Often enjoys travel because of a lack of connection with others in a single location | Can have maladaptive mannerisms such as clinginess or an overdesire to please |
| Sometimes has a good sense of humour, though it tends towards dark humour | Sometimes pushes people away instinctively |
| Found family usually becomes extremely important | Can sometimes get sucked into gangs or organised crime due to the family aspect |
| If an orphan, may find strength in themselves without assistance from others | If an orphan, may have an internalised sense of failure and self-loathing |
| Can often draw on their inner strength to survive | Sometimes defines themselves only in terms of other people |
Typical Plot Purposes
(Anne:) Isolation and abandonment definitely serve a purpose and can lead to great things in terms of your story.
Allows for the formation of a tight found family, which many readers love, and also sets it up for a dramatic betrayal during the story
Gives the opportunity for another character to help this character regain their self-esteem and learn their own value
Can allow for a revenge path, whether this is a main character or villain/enemy, in order to seek vengeance on the ones who neglected them
One specific subsection of this deserves its own little section. Having an orphan who is neglected as a child is fairly common, and it works well for several reasons.
Creates a potential desire or motivation to uncover one’s real parents or the reason for their abandonment
Gives the opportunity for creating a “Chosen One” who was raised ignorant of their true purpose
Allows characters to embrace a found family more intensely than many other characters
Creates a dislike or even hatred of authority (especially if there was an element of abuse in the orphanage) that can lead to fun plot potential in the big picture of fighting against an oppressive regime to the little picture of tripping a blowhard who is trying to assert dominance over kids just like the character used to be
Basically, you can do a lot with abandonment, especially since there are so many ways that it can happen. Orphans make up a disproportionate number of main characters, which does make sense in many ways as Vivian and I discussed at the beginning of this. There are a lot of ways to interpret being abandoned as a child, but they all have similar effects on who the character is at their core.
Having nothing is sometimes better than having a little
We’ve talked about various types of being poor, but sometimes you’re poor, and also have nothing else. No love, no home, no nothing. Generally speaking, there is a family with this childhood, but it’s not especially warm and fuzzy. It might veer into some of the other categories, such as abuse or abandonment, but in general, it’s more like the average childhood in that regard. The parents aren’t exactly neglectful, but they’re definitely going to put you to work the instant they can and try to get as much out of you as possible without regard for your well-being. Everything about this childhood is defined by one thing: poverty.
(Vivian:) Nothing within reach, nothing to be had, constant strife, constant struggle, is this all to life at the bottom? 🥺
(Anne:) With that in mind, we see common trends. It’s often much harder for characters with this background to get essentials that are present in other childhoods, even the more difficult ones. Education, for example, is usually hard-won. With a childhood this harsh, there might be mentors or friends they can turn to, but it’s unlikely. As a result, they’re usually relying on wits and other survival strategies learned from close encounters with death. They might run away from bad home situations, or they might stay to try to protect more vulnerable family members. As usual, their reactions to this childhood will range depending on the specifics and also their innate personality type. But enough about that! Let’s look at some general personality traits!
Typical Possible Character Traits
| The Good | The Bad |
|---|---|
| Often value morality rather than the law | Often run afoul of the law |
| May overvalue things that most others consider insignificant. | May result in hoarding like behaviour for “a bad day” |
| Can often be described as hard-working with a can-do attitude | Usually has almost no manners or social niceties |
| Is often very resourceful and able to do a lot with very little | Due to their resourcefulness they may be blind to obvious solutions as they were never available to them |
| Can be very empathetic because of their own struggles and see themselves in others | Can develop apathy toward those who are not close to the bottom because their issues seem trivial by comparison |
| Often value their lives highly, as it’s the only thing they have | However, might consider themselves to have limited value or worth |
| Frequently value relationships with others highly, if the others prove themselves | Often take a long time to trust and might betray others |
(Vivian:) A key thing to take from this is that like the previous this one is based on constant struggle and this one is amplified by the lack of a lot of emotional connection that can help someone up. It is not necessarily abusive relationships in this, just very absent ones.
Typical Plot Purposes
(Anne:) The constant struggle for survival can have a lot of great uses in plots and stories, similar to previous childhoods but with a unique twist.
Characters are more likely to take on dangerous missions, tasks, or quests with minimal reward because they’re used to being undervalued
Withdrawn characters with strong survival instincts can easily become enemies or villains, and may be likely to betray others for profit
(Vivian:) An arc of going from a loner that sees no value in themselves to where they realise they have value to others and there is personal value to value others
This sets the stage for a great rags to riches story (which may include not getting richer per se but much greater social standing, prestige, and other similar things)
(Anne:) Basically, some characters may not have trauma lurking around every corner but still have it pretty rough. Poverty and isolation can have lasting impacts, and they can set your characters up in interesting ways!
Urgh, why won’t they eat cake?
(Vivian:) The cake is not a lie! But not something you can have!
Fun fact, “Let them eat cake” is a slightly inaccurate translation of the French “Qu'ils mangent de la brioche!” Brioche refers to a fancier form of bread with sugar and butter in it. This was rumoured to be said and used when she was 9 years old and had not moved from Austria yet. It was attributed after her death and is not believed to have been said by her.
(Anne:) Brioche is delicious… Now I’m hungry! I blame Vivian… but for a character in this category, being hungry would never be an issue. Feeling nibblish? There’s plenty in the kitchen, and servants to bring it to you!
Some characters are just spoiled rotten, and it’s a great childhood type to incorporate in your books, especially if there's a reversal later on. Being rich doesn’t automatically make you spoiled (see next category), but when the riches are piled on too thick, characters develop certain traits. As usual, there are positives and negatives, but even with the positives, I don’t especially like spending time with kids like this. Babysitting a kid with this attitude is a nightmare (spoken as someone who was a nanny one summer for two kids with this mentality 😬)
(Vivian:) Adults are far worse if you ask me, but hey, that is what the next part about traits and options are for, right? Eats 🎂🥖
Typical Possible Character Traits
| The Good | The Bad |
|---|---|
| Generally expects things to be done, which can influence other people to do it | Often if they don’t get something, they’ll throw a fit or lash out in some way |
| Can sometimes actually have good connections to get things done that can be useful | Likely find it a huge hassle that they have to call in favours and the likes |
| If forced into conditions below their expectations, might see it as an adventure and embrace it | If forced into conditions below their expectations, will often complain and try to do better |
| May have insight into higher forms of society that can be useful when dealing with those kind of people | Are likely to be completely useless in everyday occurrences and not understand regular people and feelings |
| May view “roughing it” with “the poors” as exciting and different | Can hold a lot of problematic views and fail to understand certain words, such as slurs, and their impact on people |
| Can be so audacious due to confidence and being blind to social expectations outside their norm that they invoke refuge in audacity | Said audacity can, when it fails to become a refuge, cause such massive social faux pas that it screws everyone over who is with them |
Typical Plot Purposes
(Anne:) With the world at their fingertips, these characters have some great potential in terms of plot and story.
These characters are great for reversals! They have everything in their childhood, then lose it all and have to relearn how to live. Our section on Life-Defining Traumas (Next post) can give some suggestions on how to thoroughly destroy these characters’ lives!
(Vivian:) Schadenfreude can be quite entertaining here
(Anne:) People always like seeing a character arc from spoiled narcissist to genuinely caring individual
Their role in a group can vary from assuming that they’re the leader (due to viewing themselves as superior) to being an annoying follower who keeps demanding more but isn’t willing to work for it, and both add value
Villains often start off this way and experience a trauma, and their purpose is in reclaiming the wealth and riches of their youth
Hero-types will often have this motivation as well, though they’ll use more palatable means to get there
When used as a side character, they can offer all sorts of assistance–for a price (Vivian: Giggity)
(Anne:) Basically, there are all sorts of things you can do with this character type. Whether a villain or hero, main character or side character, characters who were spoiled rotten as children expect it all, and it’s up to you the author to determine whether they get it!
What is poverty?
(Vivian:) Ever known a person that is rich, upper class, or any of many good backgrounds, but when you show them things most consider basic, they are more oblivious than an ant yet house no bad feelings? Yeah this is where they come in. A common thread in these characters is that they are generally very kind and good hearted people, maybe their parents were nice, caring, and avoided spoiling, but because this person has never experienced the real hardships, they struggle to wrap their minds around what normal life can be like.
(Anne:) Ah, to be rich and pure of heart! What a great character, right? Well, there are a few negatives that might crop up in an adult’s personality after growing up like this…
Typical Possible Character Traits
| The Good | The Bad |
|---|---|
| Often willing to use their wealth to help others 💵 | Not always aware of when other people need help, or what type of help to give |
| Usually empathetic to people of all backgrounds | Can be blind to the prejudice others face |
| Can have unbelievable connections to use | May realise their usefulness way later than anyone else would |
| Often good at managing finances and maintaining wealth | Often believes that money fixes everything |
| Extremely eager to offer any help they can easily provide | Doesn’t always realise that other people might want to work for what they have and don’t want an easy shortcut |
| Often looked up to or seen as a leader | Might take on quests or jobs to help others that aren’t realistic or take on too much risk |
| Generally seen as “good” or embodying positive morality | May be inclined to bribe others to get out of sticky situations |
| Often follows laws and views them as necessary rails for society | Or might view laws as limiting and preventing them from helping others |
| Generally well-balanced and able to withstand trauma | However, can sometimes be knocked off balance by little setbacks |
Typical Plot Purposes
(Anne:) As you can see, these wonderful characters have a lot of strengths, but may also veer into some weaknesses. They’re fun to write, and you can do a lot with them in a story.
This particular character type is great for a corruption arc, especially a villain or enemy, where they start pure of heart, see the horrors of the world, and descend into “evil” in order to “fix” the world
The corruption arc can also involve them losing hope in humanity (or alien-ity) and becoming everything they despise
As side characters, these are often generous benefactors and aids
Because they often act as leaders, these characters can determine the nature of a found family and how well it stays together
Basically, these are good characters who like helping others, though the way they help can often backfire. One note: reversals and trauma tend to impact them less, which can help your story if you want one character able to hold everything together.
Why do they not follow the teachings?
(Vivian:) This book holds all the truths we all ever need! Every question, every answer is contained within! 🖖 Jokes aside, this is not all about religion but it has often been used in religion. You can indoctrinate a person in more ways than that, you can do politics, any ideology, and much else. The key component in an indoctrination, unlike education, is that indoctrination is telling what to think; education tells you how to think. If you must think one way and only one way about something, you are being indoctrinated. Life is a nuanced experience, no view is absolute, nothing is absolute! It is the duty of education to teach you how to evaluate things and consider them, not tell you what to believe. Parents might have the best of desires from their own indoctrination, but the indoctrinating that they do can destroy children.
(Anne:) Vivian said that extremely well. Indoctrination is very different, and can take all forms. And since this is a forced method of viewing and interpreting the world, you can bet there are distinct character traits that linger long into adulthood. Whether a character is able to break free of their indoctrination or not, this childhood significantly impacts their thinking and actions.
Typical Possible Character Traits
| The good | The bad |
|---|---|
| Can acquire an indomitable belief that is good after some help | Struggle to see things beyond black and white |
| Are often willing to fight and die for their cause, giving them strength | However, that cause might be a very bad cause if these are antagonists |
| May develop a great deal of empathy and patience toward people that are in a similar situation | Can equally develop a lost cause mindset knowing their own struggle and how rare it is |
| Extremely knowledgeable about their beliefs, usually letting them navigate those spaces well | If they break free, they might be banned or exiled from places and people relating to their beliefs |
| Usually values and respects hierarchies within their belief structure and can climb those same hierarchies | Often view people outside of the doctrine as lesser or unworthy |
| Often extremely stubborn and willing to die for their beliefs | …often extremely stubborn and willing to die for their beliefs |
Typical Plot Purposes
(Anne:) These characters basically fall into two categories: those who are part of their belief system and stay there, and those who have left for some reason. Another division that you the author have to make is whether or not this belief system is seen as positive or negative. It's very possible that you as an author want to have a society that indoctrinates its children, but you don’t want that to be seen negatively. That’s fine to do. Belief gives strength, and a society unified by a belief system can be quite formidable and powerful. You don’t have to show it as a negative, even though I would hope you acknowledge the negatives of taking away free will and limiting your characters’ futures and potential. However you set it up, there are some clear plot and story purposes for this childhood.
An obvious character arc is breaking free of indoctrination
You can get some interesting plots if a character who no longer believes has to go undercover for some reason–will they get caught? Will they revert to their beliefs or stay true to their new freedom?
Crisis of faith/belief stories are always great to read
These characters can provide interesting conflict within groups when they refuse to bend about something
Basically, these characters add a more rigid aspect to your stories. They tend to be inflexible in one way or another, which is sometimes exactly what you need. As I said, there are lots of ways you can take this, so look at your character and try to figure out if this type of background would lead them to be who they are today.
Primus Pars Summa Bobi
(Anne:) Now, in our previous post introducing character, we created the character of Bob and began developing him. So where does our beloved Bob fit into all of this post? Well, he lived a relatively cushy life with his needs taken care of without being too spoiled, had loving parents who spent time with him and made sure he thrived, and had a great friend group who always looked out for him. He became a level-headed, well-adjusted kid who followed rules and made others follow them as well, but he also developed a strong sense of morality because his parents taught him to always look out for those less fortunate than him. He loves helping, but only really knows how to help by giving people money, which isn’t always what people need. Plus, he is a bit… Well, shall we say too trusting? As long as no one tries to manipulate him, I’m sure he’ll be fine…
Primus Pars Summa Summarum
(Vivian:) What can we say to end this enormously huge post beyond
She’s great, but boy was this long. Anyway the summary of it all is that the setting is important, and you gotta make the character fit. Childhood has a huge effect on the development of a person as you can see from what we have said here in the most generic of terms. Make all of it fit your world like a nice cog. What makes someone rich in one world does not make one in another, same with poor and the likes. There was a saying I once heard.
Look at who has the largest and fanciest buildings, those are the ones that hold the power in the society.
It is a way to gauge the powerful and thus where money is going. Got any ending words Anne?
(Anne:) Yes, I have a five-part essay to finish this out…
(Vivian:) 🔪👿 How much you say?
(Anne:) Er 😅, just a few words! I just want to end by saying that if you’re starting with a character, look at their personality and choose a childhood that fits best. If you’re developing a character from scratch, really look at the potential and choose appropriately. And of course, mix and match! Have fun! Good luck with your character's childhoods!
Do you have any topics you struggle with or that you would like to suggest for a future blogpost? We’re open to suggestions!
Copyright ©️ 2023 Vivian Sayan & Anne Winchell. Original ideas belong to the respective authors. Generic concepts such as childhood types and the strengths and weaknesses of each are copyrighted under Creative Commons with attribution, and any derivatives must also be Creative Commons. However, specific ideas such as Bob and Aermundi and all language or exact phrasing are individually copyrighted by the respective authors. Contact them for information on usage and questions if uncertain what falls under Creative Commons. We’re almost always happy to give permission. Please contact the authors through this website’s contact page.
