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Lesson 4
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Ramsey’s Character Depth!
What I learned doing this
assignment is… it’s a lot of fun to break down the aspects of the
lead characters to see what drives them. I think this is the area
where it’s easy to ‘Jump the shark’ and misstep. Often I add a detail
that is later judged as ‘Not Believable’, by a mentor. This is a good
first draft. (Glad there are only 3 characters; sorry it’s long)INTERNAL
CHARACTER DEPTH: DREW (HERO)MOTIVATION:
EXTERNAL
– Want: to survive and protect his brother.INTERNAL
– Need: to be forgiven by his brother, Felix for leaving when their
mother was dying
of cancer.SECRET:
He was involved in a ‘Friendly-fire’ incident during a midnight raid
in the Army.WOUND:
Left his dying Mother to join the Army to pay her medical bills
before she died.He
couldn’t let her die without trying costly experimental procedures.
She asked him to keep
it a secret since his younger brother would feel guilty for not doing
enough.SUBTEXT:
Drew doesn’t want to mention paying for his mother’s bills. He
doesn’t want Felix to know because maybe Felix will feel bad that he
didn’t do enough.“Nobody
wins when it comes to who helped our dying mother the most”LAYERS:
He loved to fight until he accidentally killed a buddy, during an
overseas operation.Now,
he only fights when he has to. And his only goal is to stop the
fight.CHARACTER TO
CHARACTER:CONFLICT:
Brothers have mommy issues. Seth doesn’t value life; just money and
Drew is opposite.HIDDEN
AGENDA: Brothers want to escape.CONSPIRACY:
Tristan, Seth’s side Kick will help Drew to escape and stop Seth.Tristan
will take Seth’s business.INTRIGUE:
Drew continues to try and escape.CHARACTER
SITUATION:DILEMMA:
Drew has to kill the fighter to survive thus breaking his #1 rule –
no killing.SECRET
IDENTITY: Drew is a combat veteran and highly skilled in fighting. It
makes him a strong opponent against Seth when they fight.INTERNAL
CHARACTER DEPTH: FELIX (DREW’s BROTHER)MOTIVATION:
EXTERNAL
– Want: to survive and protect his brother.INTERNAL
– Need: to forgive Drew for leaving when their mother was dying of
cancer.SECRET:
He wanted to be like his older brother Drew and have a childhood then
leave when their mother
got terminally ill. She always talked about how great Drew is and it
made him jealous.WOUND:
He didn’t get to have a childhood; instead he rushed home after
school to take care of
his mom. He feels ashamed for wanting to have had a childhood like
Drew.SUBTEXT:
Felix thinks Drew is selfish and doesn’t consider anyone else.“Drew’s
happy to land in jail and ruin everyone’s night when they have to
bail him out”LAYERS:
He has a lot of anger built up and actually would really like to
physically assault someone if he
could get away with it.CHARACTER TO
CHARACTER:CONFLICT:
Brothers have mommy issues.Felix
likes money like Seth but Felix hates violence against innocent
people.HIDDEN
AGENDA: Brothers want to escape. Felix is willing to make a deal with
Seth to get out.CONSPIRACY:
Felix is willing to make a deal with Seth to get out.(When
Drew returns from the fight, Felix had made a verbal deal with Seth
via a payment but Seth
doesn’t hold to the deal and Felix has to fight anyway)INTRIGUE:
Felix tries to make a deal with Seth.CHARACTER
SITUATION:DILEMMA:
Felix has to fight to survive but has never won a fight so he
must do what he can do to survive.SECRET
IDENTITY: Felix is a well-paid office jockey that’s jealous of Drew;
except with finances but when Felix loses that too, Felix reverts to
the pissed off 10 year old, mad at his older brother for having it
all and mad for not helping their mom, while she was dying of cancer.INTERNAL
CHARACTER DEPTH: SETH (VILLAIN)MOTIVATION:
EXTERNAL
– Want: to be rich without getting caught.INTERNAL
– Need: to feel secure, which stems from growing up in extreme
poverty.SECRET:
He took money to lose a major MMA fight. He thought he would lose
anyway.WOUND:
His family was dirt poor and he learned early how to fight to
survive.SUBTEXT:
Growing up in poverty he saw lives are worthless. So he treats
everyone like shit.“I
had to play Russian roulette with crime; pick one that doesn’t kill
you.”LAYERS:
He was a great fighter but had a shelf-life; limited abilities.CHARACTER TO
CHARACTER:CONFLICT:
Seth wants the organization to grow but it’s attracted police
attention and Drew
wants to kill Seth for the death of his brother, Felix.HIDDEN
AGENDA: Seth only cares about himself. He will say anything to get
more money and to
stay away from the police.CONSPIRACY:
Seth will take Felix’s money but won’t let him or any fighter
survive.INTRIGUE:
Seth continues to grow the viewership of his live-streamed fights.CHARACTER
SITUATION:DILEMMA:
Seth wants to make more money, which requires more viewers but that
can bring more attention from the police.SECRET
IDENTITY: Seth is a greedy, violent person but he’s a product of his
environment.BREAKDOWN of
DREW:CHARACTER:
Drew is a military combat veteran who was kidnapped to fight to the
death and has to fight to survive.SECRET:
He was involved in a ‘Friendly-fire incident during a midnight raid.WOUND:
Left his dying Mother to join the Army to pay her medical bills
before she died.He
couldn’t let her die without trying experimental procedures.MOTIVATION:
EXTERNAL
– Want: to surviveINTERNAL
– Need: to be forgiven by his brother, Felix for leaving when their
mother was dying.HIDDEN
AGENDA: Brothers want to escape. Seth wants to expand the enterprise.DILEMMA:
Drew has to kill the fighter to survive thus breaking his #1 rule –
no killing.CONSPIRACY:
Tristan, Seth’s side Kick will help Drew to escape and stop Seth. Tristan
will take Seth’s business.BREAKDOWN of
FELIX:CHARACTER:
Felix is an office clerk who was kidnapped to fight to the death and
has to fight to survive.SECRET:
He wanted to be like his older brother Drew and have a childhood then
leave when theirmother
got terminally ill. She always talked about how great Drew is and it
made him jealous.WOUND:
He didn’t get to have a childhood; instead he rushed home after
school to take care of
his mom. He feels ashamed for wanting to have had a childhood like
Drew.MOTIVATION:
EXTERNAL
– Want: to surviveINTERNAL
– Need: to forgive Drew for leaving when their mother was dying of
cancer.HIDDEN
AGENDA: Brothers want to escape. Felix is willing to make a deal with
Seth to get out.DILEMMA:
Felix has to fight to survive but has never won a fight so he
must do what he can do to survive.CONSPIRACY:
Felix is willing to make a deal with Seth to get out.(When
Drew returns from the fight, Felix had made a verbal deal with Seth
via a payment butSeth
doesn’t hold to the deal and Felix has to fight anyway.BREAKDOWN of
SETH:CHARACTER:
Seth is an extremely successful ex-MMA fighter that now runs a Fight
to the Death match at his Trucking Company inside moving
semi-trailers.SECRET:
He took money to lose a major MMA fight. He thought he would lose
anyway.WOUND:
His family was dirt poor and he learned early how to fight to
survive.MOTIVATION:
EXTERNAL
– Want: to be rich without getting caught.INTERNAL
– Need: to feel secure, which stems from growing up in extreme
poverty.HIDDEN
AGENDA: Seth only cares about himself. He will say anything to get
more money and to
stay away from the police.DILEMMA:
Seth wants to make more money, which requires more viewers butthat
can bring more attention from the police.CONSPIRACY:
Seth will take Felix’s money but won’t let him or any fighter
survive.3.
Comparing the 3 profiles I see:
Drew (hero) loves to fight, cherishes life and doesn’t care about money.
Felix (Drew’s brother) hates to fight, cherishes life and cares about money.
Seth (villain) loves to fight, doesn’t care about life and cares about money.
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<div>Admit please delete. No delete button?
</div><div>Not sure why copy/paste or typing has to bring in a bunch of HTML. Damn that was a lot of work to remove only to make my submission still look terrible –
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This reply was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by RAMSEY ANDERSON.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by
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Student Name: H. Vince
Contained – 2023
Lesson 4: Discovering Character Depth
What I learned from doing this assignment is…
I am just developing these characters and getting to know them so it seems all surface right now. I am trying to have a breakthrough with them to reveal more than just the surface. I am hoping to figure out more information soon.
Internal Character Depth: PODCASTER 1 (no name yet)
Motivation: Wants to bring their podcast to the
next level by showing bravery to reach out to someone with opposite views
Secret: often hides her misery
Wound: past rejection,
Subtext: relies on others to ultimately fix her
problems,
Layers: wants to be loved but too combative,
stubbornInternal Character Depth PODCASTER 2 (no name yet)
Motivation: Wants to be liked
Secret: pretends to agree with her co-host a lot
of times when she doesn’t
Wound: has been outcasted before and afraid of
that happening again
Subtext: lets her co-host be the alpha
Layers: is about to break out of her shell and use
her skillsInternal Character Depth PODCAST GUEST
Motivation: trying to see other people’s point of
view
Secret: scared
Wound: has shut down people in the past he doesn’t
see eye to eye with
Subtext: has some camping, survival skills
Layers: strong, caring, wants to be more
understandingCharacter to character
Conflict: stubborn to listen to each other and
help each other
Hidden Agenda: Podcaster 1 wants their guest to
see things her way
Conspiracy: unknown Intrigue: coming to terms to work together,
trusting each other in a desperate, serious situation, using their
differences to work in their favorCharacter Situation
Dilemma: has to rely on each other when they’re
involved in a grid shutdownSecret Identity: not sure yet
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Tom’s Character Depth!
Doing this assignment, I learned filling in these blanks enables me to dive in depth into each character and sort out their relationship to each other.
Internal Character Depth – Gus
He is baffled. What powers this boat that moves quickly through the ocean?
· Motivation: Despite doubts, he aches to become an experienced seaman to earn his father’s respect.
· Secret: He fears the water.
· Wound: During a collision at sea, he was nearly drowned.
· Subtext: He can’t read but hides it.
· Layers: He must improve his swimming and reading skills.
Character to character
· Conflict: He argues with Elaine who suggests better ways for him to do things.
· Hidden Agenda: He secretly studies to join the Navy and become a chief petty officer.
· Conspiracy: He is the only person besides Alfredo who knows anything about boating.
· Intrigue: He wants Alfredo to assist him to get the gold. But he says no.
Character Situation
· Dilemma: Can Gus swim to a ship that’s about to pass them and get help to save them?
Internal Character Depth – Alfredo
· Motivation: He wants to become president of his company but doesn’t know how.
· Secret: He doesn’t want to go to jail for smuggling the gold he hid in the grain.
· Wound: Because he has a record from when he was a juvenile, he fears if caught he’ll go to jail for a long time.
· Dilemma: He is overly nervous about losing his shipment of grain because it’s really a shipment of gold.
· Layers: He fears if he’s arrested, authorities will discover his juvenile record.
Character to character
· Conflict: The three are nervous about their fate. They bicker continuously.
· Hidden Agenda: How can Alfredo get the back to the ship and retrieve the gold without getting caught.
· Conspiracy: He can’t let Gus or Elaine find out about the gold. He fears they will report him to the authorities.
· Intrigue: He fears Gus will find out about the gold and steal it and/or turn him in.
Character Situation
· Dilemma: He’s in love with Elaine, will forget the gold and pursue her. But fears with no money, she’ll reject him.
· Secret Identity: He’s an ex-con, not the businessman he pretends to be.
Internal Character Depth – Elaine
· Motivation: She wants a man to marry her and solve her problems. She needs a man to love her for who she is.
· Secret: She doesn’t want to appear desperate or she will scare a man off.
· Wound: She had to divorce a man who wanted her only for her father’s money.
· Subtext: She hides her intelligence because she fears it would intimidate a good man.
· Layers: She told the ship’s captain she was right, he was wrong. She hates herself for being too aggressive.
Character to character
· Conflict: The two men try to out-macho each other. She wants to tell them they’re childish.
· Hidden Agenda: She uses a tiny mirror to send a Morse code SOS to a passing ship to save them.
· Conspiracy: She knows Alfredo hides something. Wants him to tell her so they can work it out together.
· Intrigue: She wants Alfredo to ask her out if they are ever rescued.
Character Situation
· Dilemma: She fears if Alfredo finds out her father is the boss, he will be afraid to ask her out.
· Secret Identity: She is the ship’s navigator. No one knows she’s the shipping company CEO’s daughter.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by Tom Wilson.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by
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Subject line: Tom’s Character Depth!
“What I learned doing this assignment is discovering new and hidden elements of my characters that will create more conflict in the story. I also discovered elements that don’t work for my characters, while initialing believing that they would.
1. With each of your characters, go through all of these questions to see which might fit for your story.
Internal Character Depth
Motivation: fits story as both characters are motivated for different reasons for their own survival and for the survival of others stranded on the road and at the hospital.
Secret: fits story as Alex believes that he’s a failure; Kris wants a family and sees that window closing.
Wound: fits with Alex with respect to his absentee, father who he feels he can’t live up to; Kris’ worry that Alex doesn’t want a family.
Subtext: Alex’s need to be a hero is not altruistic but based on his own insecurities and his Adrenaline for dangerous activities; Kris wants to build a relationship that focuses on family.
Layers: Alex’s admission that he’s a failure; Kris’ admission that family is more important to her than career.Character to character
Conflict: Alex wants to leave the car and find help, while Kris wants to stay in the car, believing that is their best chance at survival.
Hidden Agenda: Alex sees this as an opportunity to prove his heroism against impossible odds, even it means losing his own life.
Conspiracy: I don’t see conspiracy in this story yet, but it may exist and I haven’t discovered it yet.
Intrigue: Alex’s willingness to risk both of their lives by abandoning their vehicle in the blinding snowstorm.Character Situation
Dilemma: If they leave the car, they may die as has happened to many others in the community, but if they remain in the car, the may get buried in snow and they may not be discovered in time.
Secret Identity :Alex is driven by his emotions where Kris is more grounded, more of a logical reasoning thinking person, but also very stubborn and unrelenting in her beliefs.2. With each character, create a simple profile like the example above for LOCKE.
Alex:
Motivation: Alex’s motivation is to save himself, his girlfriend and to get to the hospital to save as many others as possible. Kris is motivated to stay inside the vehicle, despite the fact that the cart could be buried. She read that staying in the car gives the best chance for survival as well as staying dry and warmer.
Secret: Alex is motivated by his need to be a hero, but disguises it as being altruistic, as opposed to insecure about his worth. Kris’ secret is that she’s low on insulin, with along with food is essential to her survival. She doesn’t want to admit to a mistake by not bringing enough with her or not brining energy bars with her.
Wound: Alex’s father is a distinguished physician who Alex measures himself up to, even though his father was mostly absent from his life, growing up. Kris has a physical wound, juvenile diabetes, which she tries to hide from others.
Subtext: Alex hides his motivation behind his actions; kris hides her desire to have a family, which is most important in her life.
Layers: Eventually Alex reveals his insecurities about his father and Kris is forced to reveal her mistake with not bringing enough insulin, when she begins to go into shock.
3. Compare the character profiles to each other to see what conflicts can emerge from them. The most significant conflict hinges around each characters motivation and the actions that each takes toward accomplishing that motivation. Kris’ wound could cost her her life, while Alex’s wound could leave kris forever stranded by herself in the vehicle.
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Gustavo Character Depth!
What I learned doing this assignment is that some characters are easier to write than others but once you find the base everything flows nicely.
Internal Character Depth: DAN
- Motivation: He wants to find a new life, make money and help bring her daughter back. He needs to build a new life outside his country
- Secret: He secretly wants to go to a place he and his lost brother designated as safe when he decided to escape his country. The organism they discovered is capable of terrible things
- Wound: He lost his brother when he decided to leave the country, he has never healed.
- Subtext: He doesn’t share this with his wife
- Layers: He is secretly always wanted to find a way to free his country from the government but he has never had the courage. He uses his work as a liberating space to not do anything against the problem.
- Conflict: He wants to keep going, she doesn’t
- Hidden Agenda: Find his lost brother
- Dilemma: Wants to stay with Victoria but needs to bring closure to his lost brother. To use a secret killing organism or let your country keep getting worse.
Internal Character Depth: VICTORIA
- Motivation: Find a new life and bring daughter back.
- Secret: She has always wanted to be part of the revolution but always put her family first
- Wound: Lost her parents at a young age because they were accused of revolutionaries
- Subtext: She hides behind a strong personality and courage leaving her grandmother and young daughter was the hardest thing she has ever done. She hates that this is their only option left
- Layers: She wants to revenge on her parents. She knows the stakes are high if they release this organism
- Conflict: She wants to go back but Dan wants to continue.
- Hidden Agenda: Revenge on her parents
- Dilemma: Wants to stay with Dan but needs to bring closure to his lost brother. To use a secret killing organism or let your country keep getting worse.
- She continues research when they find the organism, Dan was against but she convinces her
- Secret Identity: secretly she is a revolutionary
Internal Character Depth RICH
- Motivation: wants to put into place his plan to knock down the current oppressive government
- Secret: He secretly wants to take control, he wants power and a personal vendetta on the current president.
- Wound: All his family disappeared, is alone in the world
- Subtext: He fakes being another inmigrant and organizes everything so he can have time to convince and manipulate Dan and Victoria
- Layers: He is willing to do everything to get what he wants. He does care about the people but is fuelled by revenge and hate.
- Conflict: He needs both of them, Dan gets away
- Hidden Agenda: To take control, he wants power
- Conspiracy: He has a plan to kill the government officials with a silent organism that only Dan and Victoria know how to manage.
- Intrigue: He kidnaps the grandmother that is taking care of Sara to convince Dan and Victoria.
- Dilemma: How to take down a corrupt government without starting a civil war?
- Secret Identity: Leader of the revolution.
Internal Character Depth PRESIDENT
- Motivation: Power and oppression, do whatever is necessary to maintain control of the country
- Secret: He is controlled by his advisory board
- Wound: He never was listened a loser, not important but ideal to be a puppet
- Subtext: He hides his fear that he’ll lose power
- Layers: He disappears people who might be part of the revolution. The witch hunt gets worse and worse with his decisions, the country gets isolated and everything plummets, he can’t do anything but instead of trying to figure out what is happening he makes it worse and isolates the country. He makes alliances with drug cartels and helps them proliferate.
- Conflict: By his command, he has killed “traitors” and with oppression the country plummets so people have to escape.
- Hidden Agenda: Maintain power, because they are like that because everyone else turns their backs on them
- Conspiracy: He is obsessed with destroying the revolution, he joins forces with the narco to find traitors and keep him safe.
- Secret Identity: a puppet
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Aurora’s Characters Depth
I’ve learned that the complexities of the characters create a lot of opportunities for open loops in the story of a series.
1.THEOPHILUS CATO– prides himself on being a loyalist, but is guilty, compromised by his secret racial identity. A battle hardened Centurion, talented in military strategy, he is naïve about political conspiracies.
Internal Character Depth
Motivation: want to achieve military honor/ Need to overcome his guilt
Secret: He is a Roman but his mother was Jewish
Wound: guilt about accidentally killing his little brother, also for causing his beloved slave to take the punishment for it.
Subtext: speaks Aramaic. Interested and knowledgeable about Jewish customs
Layers: he discovers he is related to the family of Jewish slaves living in his household.
Character to Character
Conflict: He loves his slaves, but is frustrated by their rebelliousness
Hidden Agenda: He is planning to make his slave Philip his heir.
Conspiracy: He conspires with the slaves to conceal that he owns the Iberian dagger used to murder a Roman official
Intrigue: He conceals things from ProConsul Sejanus.
Character Situation
Dilemma: He is sent to find an insurrectionist but is surrounded by rebellion
Secret Identity: He is Jewish.
2.PHILIP-an openly rebellious slave, who naïvely covets a life of significance. Ironically, he finds meaning and wealth in serving others. He is bi-racial as his Jewish father was half Ethiopian.
Internal Character Depth
Motivation: He wants to be a free man, he has a need for a life of significance.
Secret: he was associated with Jewish rebels in Rome, and “loaned” them his master’s Iberian dagger.
Wound: he was publicly humiliated as child while reciting in a Synagogue, called out for being a slave
Subtext: insecurity, he stutters
Layers: he becomes an accomplished orator
Character to Character
Conflict: he clashes with his master Theo, although loves him like a father.
Hidden Agenda: He wants to find his meaning in organized rebellion
Conspiracy: He conspires with his mother Hannah, and with Jacob to hide things from Theo
Intrigue: What conspiracy has followed him from Rome to Palestine? Did he kill the Roman Official?
Character Situation
Dilemma: In serving others he finds freedom and meaning. He is enslaved by his desires.
Secret Identity: a messenger for the rebels
3. HANNAH– outwardly and overbearingly she presents as a loyal Jewish slave, although she is the mistress of manipulation. Ironically she finds herself manipulated by fear into betraying her master.
Internal Character Depth
Motivation: to protect her son, her family to be restored
Secret: She knows that her master is her cousin, and he doesn’t know it. Theo’s mother Lydia was Hannah’s Aunt, who married into the Cato family in Alexandria, secretly bringing along as part of her dowry, her brother Joshua, as a slave, in order to save the family fortune and Joshua’s life following the fall of Anthony and Cleopatra.
Wound: She has guilt about surviving the poisoning of Theo’s father, Theo’s wife and baby daughter, and her own husband while Theo and Joshua were away on campaign. She didn’t do it, but pregnant with Philip and not eating at the time.
Subtext: fearful about Philip’s clandestine activities, concerned about being suspected again as a poisoner.
Layers: she becomes a mother to Jael, and matriarch in a restored family
Character to Character
Conflict: she thinks she knows better than her master.
Hidden Agenda: to restore her family
Conspiracy: she is being blackmailed to report to an unknown enemy about Theo’s investigation.
Intrigue: She helps Philip and Jael cover-up their rebellions
Character Situation
Dilemma: Should she tell her master she is his cousin? Should she betray a beloved master in order to protect her son?
Secret Identity: Two faced. She is a disloyal yes-man.
4. JAEL-a Jewish refugee fleeing from the murder of her parents, she appears defenseless, silent and complicit. Her weapon is surprise attack , as she is intuitive, prophetic and can fight like a wildcat. She secretly kills a “relative” attempting to enslave her.
Internal Character Depth
Motivation: she wants protection, but her need is to protect others.
Secret: Josiah, the old man posing as her uncle, was not her relative but someone trying to enslave her. So she killed him.
Wound: Her parents who were Jewish refugees were killed. Next a stranger attempted to enslave her.
Subtext: she is guarded, fearful, but also quite prophetic
Layers: She investigates a child trafficker and is again kidnapped but escapes with two of the enslaved little girls. Theo and his slaves protect her and the children. She marries Philip, and he adopts the girls.
Character to Character
Conflict: She fights with Philip, jealous over his privileged position with Theo and Hannah.
Hidden Agenda: She wants to snatch children back from the slave trade.
Conspiracy: Hannah helps her hide the fact she killed Josiah.
Intrigue: Is she trying to run away? Will she succeed?
Character Situation
Dilemma: Is this new family trying to take advantage of her? Or do they need her protection?
Secret Identity: she is a fierce warrior, trained in warfare by her deceased rebel parents.
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Bent’s character depth
what I learned doing this assignment is …….. I have layered this characters which give more episodes of my tv show. I can explore them individually so there is a continual moving forward in this story. Each episode I pick a layer then explore it and it causes conflict with the other characters because I’ll pick one of their layers to grind against the other character.
Bellman Mike
Internal Character Depth
Motivation: to retire soon
Secret: he never saved up enough money
Wound: he doesn’t have family to rely on
Subtext: he pretends to be ok but only when secluded do you see his angst
Layers: desperate to make a dollar
Character to character
Conflict: he can’t rely on the people at work to help him when he needs it
Hidden Agenda – one way or another he will win the lottery
:Conspiracy: the Universe is plotting against him
Intrigue: he will hustle a guest to get as much money as possible
Character Situation
Dilemma – his body is falling apart faster than he can earn his income.
:Secret Identity: he’s at a point of desperation and frustration. He keeps a two week notice in his pocket at all times.
Betsy bellstand manager
Internal Character Depth
Motivation: Make money to help raise her two children at home with her husband
Secret: she likes being with her crew more than her husband
Wound: husband is emotionally closed off so she prefers to be around her emotionally open staff.
Subtext – with her hotel family she feels she is doing everything right that she isn’t doing at home so she always sticks up for these guys. She wants nothing bad to happen to them.
:Layers: Mother hen. protective. corrals the guys when they are crazy.
Character to character
Conflict: Management wants to remove the bellmen if they mess up just once. She refuses. and she won’t snitch on them.
Hidden Agenda – They are the family of younger brothers she never had.
:Conspiracy: She thinks the hotel management is never going to treat the bell guys fairly.
Intrigue: She butts heads with the bosses and tries to keep things cool between the bosses and the staff.
<strong style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Character Situation
Dilemma – she’s trying to make home life happy while keeping work life happy.
:Secret Identity: She’s the den mother.
Bellman Ron
Internal Character Depth
Motivation – He wants to find his woman in life
:Secret: He talks a future but deep inside he knows his ambitions are becoming unattainable
Wound – he wishes he acted on his dreams a long time ago and now he knows he’s stuck
:Subtext: He wants people to believe in him
Layers: distracted by love and distracted by dreams of being a back up dancer, he stays in a dead end job
Character to character
Conflict: He is in love with the same girl as another bellman
Hidden Agenda – one day he will be a back up dancer and he’s going to prove to everyone he is more than delivering bags
:Conspiracy – he just wants a woman to believe in his dreams and then those dreams will happen
:Intrigue: he’s got the talent and could easily be a dancer but what is stopping him
Character Situation
Dilemma – he’s got bills to pay and without a partner helping him, he’s stuck.
:Secret Identity: a talented artist.
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SUBJECT LINE: Martha’s Character Depth!
What I learned doing this assignment is how your whole story can change when you get to know your characters before you start writing. Really fascinating!
1. Internal Character Depth
Mr. Martin – store owner
Motivation – to protect his daughter and her son; must come to terms with the fact that he was unable to protect his wife when she died in car accident.
Secret – he has amassed a significant fortune which no one knows of but will be left to his daughter and her son. It is hidden in a safe in the attic of his store.
Wound – his wife’s passing four years earlier; never remarried; feels the void.
Subtext – his wife was attacked during robbery at their store. Robber was never found; possibly because he used his military skills to track down and kill the man; no clues left behind; even wife was unaware of what he had done; took oath to protect his family better.
Layers – a Marine that retired from service one year before his wife died; never able able to enjoy retirement after her death; lives alone; few real friends; limited socialization; has tremendous need to feel wanted, loved, appreciated, useful.
Ms. Susie LaCour – customer in store
Motivation – divorced; wants to be a good mother, desperately wants to advance in work related ventures.
Secret – loves her son, Bobby, but feels the strain of being a divorced mother of a child who is mentally challenged; struggles to maintain balance in her life.
Wound – son was diagnosed with brain damage after suffering high fever; husband left; now has trouble with trust issues regarding men.
Subtext – does not want father to know she has spells of depression; is taking medication to keep it under control.
Layers – Outward: cheerful, outgoing, determined, strong-willed, decisive.
Inward: self-doubt; depressed moods, longs for man she can trust and love.
Bobby LaCour – adult son of Susie LaCour – customer in store (above)
Motivation – wants to be normal like other people his age; longs to know things others do not.
Secret – knows his grandfather, Mr. Martin, has safe in attic; never told anyone.
Wound – plagued by high fever when he was five; unable to relate to others in a meaningful way; difficulty in multi-tasking.
Subtext – tries to hide feelings of inadequacy by acting out or doing things contrary to what should be done; is actually very smart in many ways.
Layers – very caring and protective of his mother; unable to perform routine tasks; has brilliant mind hidden away among his many problems.
Dee – Robber # 1 – 28 years old
Motivation – wants to escape from Angola State Penitentiary with Beau; cannot handle incarceration.
Secret – serving life sentence for burglary and accomplice to murder was a break for Dee; actually he was instigator and shooter; Beau never admitted he was innocent and was charged with the murder.
Wound – passed from foster home to foster home as a child, Dee never learned to
trust or care about anyone; still he is devastated when Beau is shot during robbery.
Subtext – Dee and Beau escape from prison; hurricane hits and they are trapped
inside store they came to rob; dying in store or being caught again is of little
consequence since Dee thinks he has little to live for.
Layers – father deserted family, mother unable to provide for family; forced to watch those who had more get ahead; developed big chip on his shoulder.
Beau – Robber #2 – 18 years old
Motivation – wants to escape from Angola; wishes he could be more than he is.
Secret – convicted of a murder he did not commit because he would not admit Dee
was responsible; tries to act tough but has problems since this isn’t his strong suit.
Wound – ran away from home two years ago; father refused to let him come back; misses mother; wishes she could have been more like Ms. Susie LaCour.
Subtext – follows Dee’s lead on everything; disagrees with his treatment of Mr. Martin, Susie and Bobby but will not openly acknowledge this.
Layers – no home base; surprising moral values; need to be loved, accepted; strong sense of loyalty.
2. Character to Caracter
Conflict: Tension between robbers and store occupants run high when a hurricane hits and robbers are unable to flee.
Hidden Agenda: Mr. Martin and Susie try to work out plan to overpower thieves.
Conspiracy: Susie talks to Beau behind Dee’s back trying to convince him to give himself up after storm ends and they are freed.
Intrigue: Mr. Martin worries about the money he has hidden in the attic when fire breaks out; forms plan to recover it.
3. Character Situation
Dilemma – Dee tells Beau they must shoot hostages because they can identify them;
Beau must do what Dee says or risk his anger.
Bobby sees gun in Beau’s hand pointing at his mother; must protect her; rush to take gun away or jump in front of mother so she will not be shot.
Secret Identity – Mr. Martin does not want to acknowledge that Susie is his daughter
and Bobby is his grandson; fears robbers will try to use them to force him to do what
they want.
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Bob’s Character Depth!
What I learned doing this assignment is – All the other character stories are more intertwined than I initially saw. In addition, I was missing the “mysterious stranger” red herring trope which is needed for a story like this.
1. With each of your characters, go through all these questions to see which might fit your story.
The Bartender
· Secret: He stole from the mob
· Wound: To keep his family safe, he abandoned his wife and kids
· Layers: He was a mob accountant
· Intrigue: He knows everybody’s dirty laundry and can use that to protect himself if need be.
· Dilemma: Stay behind, help keep everyone safe and risk being discovered, or escape while there’s time.
· Conspiracy – The Bartender and The Sheriff were in the mob together.
· Secret Identity: He was a mob accountant, which risks everyone’s safety.
The Cook
· Motivation: External – to be alone. Internal – to find peace for his crimes.
· Secret: He knows the Bartender is being hunted by the mob.
· Wound: His role commanding troops to commit a Mỹ Lai-type massacre.
· Subtext: PTSD and the impact of the hurricane as it attacks the island.
· Layers: A sharpshooter.
· Dilemma: Can he pick up a gun and defend the Bartender
The Sheriff
· Secret: The Sheriff and the Bartender were in the mob together and she helped him embezzle and escape.
· Wound: Abandoned by her parents. Grew up as an orphan.
· Conflict: How to ensure her own safety vs. any feelings for the Bartender.
· Dilemma: When push comes to shove, can she be a true sheriff
· Secret Identity: She was an FBI informant. Even the Bartender was unaware.
The Priest
· Motivation: Internal – Is God real? Is he on the path to enlightenment?
· Secret: He knows about the Bartender and Sheriff’s connection.
· Wound: He was abused.
· Subtext: He’s afraid his abuser is still on the island. If so, can he use the hurricane to cover murder (God’s wrath)?
· Conflict: Should he turn in his friends
· Dilemma: His affair with a parishioner versus his vows
The Blogger
· Motivation: External – career success at any cost
· Secret: She knows about the Bartender and the Sheriff
· Hidden Agenda: She plans to reveal her secret on a live podcast.
· Dilemma: If she exposes the Bartender and the Sheriff, will that shine a light on her previous work which is mostly built on lies? But exposing them will lead to more followers and gain her more influence.
The Barfly
· Motivation: Internal – to be loved.
· Secret: Having an affair with the Banker.
· Wound: Husband abused her.
· Hidden Agenda: Steal the money the Banker has embezzled and then ditch him.
· Conspiracy: The Banker will divorce his wife and the two will leave town.
· Secret Identity: she killed her husband.
The Alcoholic
· Motivation: External – literally just to score another drink
· Secret: He realizes the Husband (The Tourist Family) as a mob lieutenant.
· Wound: His wife and young child died in a car accident. Although he was cleared of causing the accident, he blames himself.
· Layers: He was an FBI agent until the accident.
· Dilemma: Should he turn in the mob lieutenant?
· Secret Identity: He’s seen as just a drunk but is the town’s Sufi.
The Banker
· Motivation: GREED
· Secret: He’s having an affair with the Barfly
· Layers: It’s not the first time he’s embezzled and ran off with a woman, and then kill them. Current wife was his admin assistant.
· Hidden Agenda: He plans to leave town with the Barfly, then kill her.
· Conspiracy: The Barfly plans to run away with him. Just one final hit on the bank during the hurricane.
The Town Karen
· Motivation: Internal – She’s a narcissist.
· Secret: Having an affair with the Priest.
· Wound: Only child. Very spoiled. Controlling mother.
· Hidden Agenda: The Blogger knows about the affair. The Town Karen believes the Blogger’s special event podcast will reveal the affair. Karen’s goal – stop the Blogger at all costs.
The Husband and Wife
Motivation: Internal – The marriage is falling apart. He wants to save it.
Secret: The Wife’s secret – The Husband isn’t the father of the Oldest Daughter. The father is the Husband’s brother. The Husband’s secret – he slept with the Town Karen.
Conflict: The Husband – how to fulfill their assignment.
Hidden Agenda: The Wife has been paid to take out the Husband.
Conspiracy: Do they approach the Sheriff, who doesn’t seem like law enforcement.
Dilemma: Kill the Bartender without the Sheriff knowing.
Secret Identity: They work for the mob.
The Stranger
Motivation: External – to survive the storm.
Secret: Fallen angel roaming Earth for centuries
Layers: He was the Grand Inquisitor’s assassin during the Spanish Inquisition
Conflict: God vs. his doubt of religion
Hidden Agenda: To earn his way back into God’s graces.
Dilemma: Whether to reveal himself to the Preacher
Secret Identity: He’s a fallen angel.
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SUBJECT LINE: Martha’s Character Depth! Assignment Submitted 6/22/23
RE-WRITTEN 7-20-23 Submitted 7-20-23
(What I learned doing this assignment is how your whole story can change when you get to know your characters before you start writing. Really fascinating!)
… the more I work on my assignments, the more everything changes. I have a difficult time trying to follow all the writing suggestions – although I continue to try.
These are not the original characters I started with. They are drastically different.
1. Internal Character Depth
Mr. Martin – store owner – 48
Motivation – to remain under the headlights until he is ready to break free of everything holding him in his present situation and leave for a new life in parts unknown.
Secret – he has amassed a significant fortune which no one knows of that is hidden in the attic of his store. His goal is to figure out a way that will allow him to get rid of Susie and Bobby, fake his own death, and start over again far away.
Wound – the death of his wife – the only one that had ever been able to stand up to him. They fought constantly; something strangely enough, he enjoyed. Her passing left a void is his life comparable to an old t.v. going out that was never used much anyway.
Subtext – his wife was attacked during robbery at their store. Robber was never found; possibly because Mr. Martin used his military skills to track down and kill the man; no clues left behind; even wife was unaware of what he had done; never reported he retrieved the money stolen and hid it away.
Layers – a retired Marine; wife died; lives alone; few friends; limited socialization; Susie is his daughter, Bobby his grandson. No one knows other than Susie that Bobby is actually Mr. Martin’s son.
Ms. Susie LaCour – Mr. Martin’s daughter – 29
Motivation – taking care of her mentally challenged son, Bobby, now 15, in hopes that he may one day be able to lead a more independent life, leaving her more time to fulfill her own needs.
Secret – loves her son, Bobby, but feels the strain of being a single mother of a child with so many needs; struggles to maintain balance in her life.
Wound – when Susie became pregnant her father began beating and tormenting her; finally sent her away to home for unwed mothers. After his birth, Bobby diagnosed with brain damage, possibly result of beatings. Father refused to let her come home until mother became sick and intervened. Susie returned with Bobby shortly before mother died; became caregiver for whole family.
Subtext – Susie holds great contempt for her father. Incest at his hands resulted in the birth of Bobby and his problems. She has never been able to discuss her situation with anyone and refuses to leave Bobby alone with her father for any length of time.
Layers – Outward: cheerful, outgoing, determined, strong-willed, decisive.
Inward: self-doubt; depressed moods, longs for man she can trust and love.
Bobby LaCour – son of Susie LaCour – 15
Motivation – wants to be normal like other people his age; longs to know things others do not.
Secret – knows his grandfather, Mr. Martin, has safe in attic; sworn to secrecy by his grandfather.
Wound – plagued by problems at birth; may never be able to relate to others in a meaningful way; difficulty in multi-tasking.
Subtext – tries to hide feelings of inadequacy by acting out or doing things contrary to what should be done; is actually very smart in many ways.
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Layers – very caring and protective of his mother; unable to perform routine tasks; has brilliant mind hidden away among his many problems; has never been told his grandfather is actually his father.
Lancelot “Lot” – Convict # 1 – 30 years old
Motivation – to escape from Angola State Penitentiary; cannot handle incarceration.
Secret – serving life sentence for burglary and accomplice to murder; hopes no one ever finds out he was the one that killed the man in the burglary, not Beau. It was accident, still Beau never ratted him out.
Wound – passed from foster home to foster home as a child, Dee never learned to
trust or care about anyone; until now.
Subtext – Lot and Beau escape from prison; hide from deputies searching for them; look for escape from hurricane.
Layers – father deserted family, mother unable to provide for family; forced to watch those who had more get ahead; developed big chip on his shoulder; mother died family disbanded; he feels isolated.
Beau – Convict #2 – 18 years old
Motivation – wants to escape from Angola; thinks he has been cheated out of a chance for any hope of a normal life, whatever that might be.
Secret – Beau tries to act tough but it is difficult for him. Deep inside he is a very gentle person who cares deeply about others.
Wound – ran away from home years ago; father refused to let him come back; misses mother, but not father.
Subtext – follows Dee’s lead on everything; disagrees with his treatment of certain people, but will not acknowledge this for fear of looking weak.
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Layers – no home base; surprising moral values; need to be loved, accepted; strong sense of loyalty.
2. Character to Character
Conflict: Susie holds great contempt for her father. Incest at his hands resulted in
the birth of Bobby and his problems.
Hidden Agenda: Lot and Beau separate Susie, Bobbie, and Mr. Martin in an
attempt to get someone to show them another escape exit.
Hidden Agenda: Lance forces Susie into locked closet before the hurricane hits
to limit the number of people he must watch.
Conspiracy: Susie talks to Lance in an attempt to get them to give themselves up. Bobby tells Beau about money hidden upstairs; Beau does not readily believe him.
Mr. Martin offers marijuana to Lot if he will agree to leave them all alone.
Intrigue: Mr. Martin worries about the money he has hidden in the attic when fire breaks out; forms plan to recover it without telling anyone.
3. Character Situation
Dilemma – when Lot goes to let Susie out of the locked closet, Bobby thinks he is going to hurt her since he has a gun in his hand. He must try to get gun away from Lot so Susie will not be hurt.
Secret Identity – Lot has developed feelings for Susie and has no intention of hurting her. Wishes things could have been better.
Dilemma – When fire breaks out, Mr. Martin worries about money he has hidden in attic; cannot go to get it or everyone will know what he has been doing. Will not tell of secret stairway to attic; tries to think of way to rid himself of everyone there..
Secret Identity – Mr. Martin does not want to acknowledge that Susie is his daughter and Bobby is his son; fears if word gets out he will be implicated in what he hopes will turn out to be their deaths.
I THINK THIS IS MUCH BETTER THAN MY ORIGINAL SUBMISSION!
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