Creating Characters
Page 6
LACONIC
Related Traits: Close-mouthed, guarded, noncommunicative, pithy, quiet, reticent, secretive, sententious, silent, taciturn, terse, tight-lipped, unrevealing.
As Seen by Others:
A person of few words.
His most often-used words are "Yes," "No," "Maybe," and "I suppose." Not many have the keys to his mouth.
If you want to know something, he's the last person to ask.
Good at pretending ignorance about something.
Handles questions as if you had put a blank sheet of paper in his hand.
Never discusses politics or religion.
Will hardly talk about his family, his job, or the people he knows.
Pares his words down to the bare minimum, using only one if one will do.
Comes right to the point, sparing everyone the preamble.
COMPLAINING
Related Traits: Bemoaning, bitchy, griping, grousing, grumbling, lamenting, protesting, repining, resentful, whining.
As Seen by Others:
Carries personal grievances around as if they were a knapsack on his shoulder.
Always got an ax to grind.
He is a weeper and a gnasher of teeth.
Protests the wrongs he has suffered.
Protests the slights he has endured.
Protests the ills that have visited him.
Protests the opportunities of which he has been deprived.
May be heard to say, "Oh, that I had ever been born!"
UNCOMPLAINING
Related Traits:
Forbearing, long-suffering, patient, philosophical, resigned, stoical, uncritical, understanding, unresentful, unruffled.
As Seen by Others:
Blames nothing or no one for the misfortune in his life.
Keeps his annoyances or injuries all to himself.
Takes the attitude that problems in life are to be expected, dealt with, and not complained about.
Does not take the view that his misfortune is part of God's grand design to frustrate him
As Seen by Others:
Seems indifferent to great discomfort.
Refuses to openly accuse others of being responsible for whatever he endures.
He is the tree that silently suffers the woodsman's ax.
QUICK-WITTED
Related Traits:
Alert, astute, brainy, bright, clear-sighted, clever, discerning, discriminating, intellectual, intelligent, keen, knowing, perceptive, perspicacious, quick, quick-eyed, responsive, sagacious, savvy, sharp, sharp-sighted, sharp-witted, shrewd, smart, wise.
As Seen by Others:
Constantly alert with regard to what is going on.
His sharp perception allows him to make discerning comments.
Shows an above-average aptitude for learning.
Can grasp the essential nature of something almost instantly.
Has the ability to see what is important amidst those things that are less important.
Often exhibits surprising insight regarding practical matters.
Capable of making judgments based on little information.
His quickness in grasping the meaning or nature of something being said is exceptional
Able to quickly pinpoint the truth of a matter.
SLOW-WITTED
Related Traits:
Asinine, blockheaded, blockish, brainless, dopey, doltish, dull, dull-witted, dumb, empty-headed, feeble-minded, foolish, half-witted, imbecilic, lowbrow, lumpish, mindless, moronic, nonintellectual, obtuse, shallow, simple, simple-minded, slow, stolid, stupid, thick, thick-headed, thick-witted, undiscerning, unintelligent, vacant, vacuous, witless.
As Seen by Others:
You will never see his mind race ahead; it must be pulled gently along.
Too many concepts at one time confuses him.
Lacks the sharpness of mind needed to determine what is and is not important.
He very often cannot see what is clearly obvious to almost everyone else.
Ability to understand and learn is sluggish.
His mind appears to be like an unfurnished apartment.
His exceptionally low mental capacity is a result of a genetic defect.
He thinks simply and acts accordingly.
Doesn't realize it when someone makes fun of him; in fact, he's likely to laugh without knowing what he's laughing about.
BELIEVING
Related Traits:
Assured, cocksure, confident, convinced, credulous, decided, dogmatic, gullible, ideological, ingenuous, innocent, naïve, positive, satisfied, sure, trustful, trusting, undoubting, unguarded, unquestioning, unsuspicious, unwary.
As Seen by Others:
He's absolutely positive that he's right.
He and doubt are complete strangers.
His conviction not only becomes immovable but he wants others to accept it as their own as well.
If he locks onto a political or social philosophy, he will not entertain any opposition to it.
Inclined to doubt the validity of something if it disagrees with what he believes.
Tends to believe whatever someone tells him.
Can easily be persuaded that what you're telling him is the truth, or that he should do something because it's best for him.
He'll overlook signs that tell him his trust is misplaced.
Needs skepticism to stand watch for him.
QUESTIONING
Related Traits:
Cautious, challenging, diffident, disbelieving, disputatious, distrustful, doubtful, doubting, dubious, irresolute, leery, puzzled, skeptical, suspecting, suspicious, unconvinced, undecided, unimpressed, unsure, wary.
As Seen by Others:
Rarely believes the first thing he hears or sees; instead, he withholds judgment until he has chased the truth down the last alleyway.
For every answer you've got, he's got a question to follow it.
Caution often causes him to delay action.
His path to understanding and accepting something is always impeded by his reluctance to accept its validity.
Labors over conflicts and contradictions.
Tends to imagine that something is not quite right, even though there is no evidence to suggest it.
It's not the amount of evidence that impresses him but rather the weight.
Has a difficult time determining where to place his trust and, as a result, looks for still more facts to examine.
Always one of the last people to become convinced.
His motto: Show me.
PRAGMATIC
Related Traits: Down-to-earth, efficacious, materialistic, mundane, practical, prosaic, realistic, unromantic, utilitarian.
As Seen by Others:
Doesn't have much imagination and shows no interest in the theoretical.
Takes an all-business, materialistic view.
Only attracted to those things that promise to be functional, workable, useful, and efficient.
More likely to engage himself in only those goals which are truly reachable.
Shows more interest in probabilities than possibilities.
Places more value on what has been done rather than on what has never been accomplished.
Rarely listens to an idea that floats above the commonplace and which is not firmly tied to the here and now.
Before he becomes involved in something, he wants to know how much money he is going to make or in what way it is going to soon benefit him.
Displays great interest in what serves a useful purpose and is far less concerned with how something looks.
Takes a down-to-earth, feet-on-the-ground approach to things.
IMPRACTICAL
Related Traits:
Conjectural, daydreaming, dreamy, fanciful, idealistic, moonstruck, romantic, speculative, starry-eyed, theoretical, unrealistic, visionary, whimsical.
As Seen by Others:
Usually involves himself in those things that are anchored in idealism rather than reality.
Shows a weakness for wild speculation instead of that which builds incrementally on experience.
Tends to see the whole pie and is inclined to leap for it, not being happy with taking one slice at a time.
Regularly attracted to those things that, seemingly, have no immediate worthwhile purpose or which may be too difficult to achieve.
Leans heavily toward the theoretical.
Prone to take risks, to jump without first looking.
Easily becomes enthralled with what is possible and yet is incapable of determining the steps necessary to get there.
His ideas are decidedly unusual.
CONCERNED
Related Traits:
Absorbed, alarmed, attentive, bothered, discomposed, disconcerted, disquieted, distressed, disturbed, engaged, engrossed, gripped, haunted, immersed, interested, involved, occupied, overwrought, tormented, troubled, uneasy, unsettled, upset.
As Seen by Others:
If he becomes convinced of the importance of something, it will rivet his attention and block out everything else.
Inclined to focus his mind on something to such a degree that he sometimes cannot even hear others speak to him.
Worry sits on his face like a billboard.
Seems to be bothered by something that bears no name.
Hears trouble before it is trouble.
He can be here and, at the same time, not here.
UNCONCERNED
Related Traits:
Blasé, bored, detached, dispassionate, inattentive, insensitive, nonchalant, unalarmed, unbothered, undisturbed, unengaged, uninterested, uninvolved, unperturbed, untroubled.
As Seen by Others:
No matter how bad things get, nothing seems to bother him.
He sort of accepts life as it comes.
Abstractions never get in his way and bog him down.
If he's not satisfied with the way things are, you wouldn't know it by looking at him.
Acts like he doesn't care about what's going on.
He is serenity's poster child.
RECOLLECTIVE
Related Traits: Effusive, memoried, nostalgic, reflective, reminiscent, retrospective, sentimental.
As Seen by Others:
Prone to talk about the past as he remembers it—or chooses to remember it
As Seen by Others:
When describing the past, tends to dress it unfairly.
Able to recall precise dates, situations, and who was there.
Has a strong grasp of history or past relationships.
He can describe past events in detail, like it was yesterday.
His capacity for remembering names and faces is remarkable.
More interested in talking about the past than the present, and makes more of it than what was ever really there.
FORGETFUL
Related Traits: Absent-minded, amnesiac, heedless, memoryless, neglectful, oblivious, unmindful, unremembering.
As Seen by Others:
His ability to recall what happened or didn't happen in the past isn't very strong.
Has a hard time remembering names, dates, birthdays, anniversaries, appointments, and so on.
Somehow, things just slip easily from his mind.
His memory has become impaired as a result of an injury.
If it held little importance for him at the time it happened, the odds are good that he won't remember it later.
His preoccupation with one thing makes him forget other things.
ANTICIPATIVE
Related Traits:
Divinatory, expectant, farseeing, farsighted, foreknowing, foreseeing, foresighted, intuitive, long-sighted, oracular, precognitive, precognizant, predictive, predictory, premonitory, presageful, prescient, prognostic, telepathic.
As Seen by Others:
Sometimes talks about having a vague feeling that something is going to happen before it actually does.
Can look at things around him and give you a general idea of what's going to happen down the road.
Has displayed the ability to look at a situation, or some facts, and make a somewhat accurate prediction about what is likely to occur.
Has been able to determine what is happening to someone at the very moment it is taking place.
Can sometimes discern a future event, though perhaps not in specific detail.
Displays a talent for seeing the future, based upon his reading of particular signs that occur.
Uses atmospheric changes, the arrangement of numbers, biblical passages, the position of the planets to determine something that will occur in the future.
UNANTICIPATIVE
Related Traits: Inexpectant, shortsighted, unaware, unsuspecting.
As Seen by Others:
Things slip up on him, just as it does in the case of most people.
Can't even tell you what's going to happen tomorrow, much less what is going to take place far in the future.
Always caught off guard.
Surprised whenever something "unexpected" happens, though the evidence of its approach was certainly there for him to see.
Incapable of looking at the juxtaposition of events and drawing any conclusions with regard to their implications.
REPUTABLE
Related Traits:
Admirable, august, commendable, creditable, dignified, elevated, estimable, exalted, exemplary, first-rate, grand, honorable, imperial, lofty, magnanimous, majestic, meritorious, noble, outstanding, praiseworthy, principled, proper, pure, reputable, scrupulous, splendid, staunch, sterling, superlative, unblemished, unimpeachable, unsullied, upright, upstanding, venerable, worthy.
As Seen by Others:
Has acquired a good name because he is known for abiding by high-minded principles.
His traits seem unblemished.
He's done things that deserve great respect.
A purity can be detected in his actions.
He seemingly tries to do what is right.
His virtues are viewed as worth imitating.
Apparently abides by all the written and unwritten rules that define superior conduct in his society.
There is no stain on his background.
His reputation is of such sterling quality that it fills others with awe.
The praise he receives seems well justified.
DISREPUTABLE
Related Traits:
Amoral, conscienceless, contriving, corruptible, criminal, debauched, degraded, detested, discredited, discreditable, disgraceful, dissipated, good-for-nothing, ill-famed, indecent, infamous, inferior, lecherous, lewd, licentious, lickerish, notorious, odious, perfidious, petty, second-rate, self-serving, shady, shameful, slick, small-minded, sordid, tarnished, third-rate, uncommendable, undignified, undistinguished, unethical, unscrupulous, unworthy, wayward, worthless, wretched.
As Seen by Others:
Has a reputation for doing whatever it takes to promote or protect himself, even if that is at the expense of someone else.
There's a black mark on his background.
Known for bending a principle, ignoring a promise, shirking a duty.
Collectively, his traits seem furtive and hungry—a mercenary army on the loose.
Ethics do not concern him.
He's an inventor of schemes.
It is suspected that he has taken bribes; if he hasn't, he at least seems highly susceptible.
He has done things that have violated public laws.
Will go to any lengths to satisfy his lust.
Has squandered his money, and possibly that of others, to feed his vices.
Uses language like it was a bloody hatchet.
There's nothing about his past which pride could lay claim.
Has been disloyal to those who he was expected to support.
Most people agree that he has little worth.
Hidden within his friendliness is a vein of treachery.
He will not only easily stray from the high moral road but will do so without compu
nction.
GOOD
Related Traits:
Altruistic, benevolent, compassionate, conscientious, decent, ethical, excellent, generous, good-natured, high-minded, humane, incorruptible, irreproachable, kind, merciful, moralistic, puritanical, righteous, sympathetic, tender, transcendent, undefiled, unselfish, virtuous.
As Seen by Others:
Makes every effort to do what is right.
Attempts to prevent the suffering of all living things, human or not.
Attends to the welfare of others.
Wouldn't do anything to hurt anyone.
The unfortunate plight of others bothers him deeply.
He would, as they say, give you the shirt off his back.
If you're in trouble, he's there to help you.
Will not accept any kind of bribe, however subtle it may be.
Not tempted to succumb to selfishness, intemperance, lustfulness, conceit, revenge, dishonesty, which fouls one's soul.
Displays a gentleness toward others.
His worthiness is among the highest order.
He is religious without going to church.
EVIL
Related Traits:
Bad, baneful, barbarous, base, bestial, black-hearted, bloodthirsty, bloody, brutal, brutish, contemptible, corrupting, cruel, deadly, debased, defiling, deleterious, depraved, despicable, devilish, diabolical, dissolute, evil-minded, exploitative, ferocious, fiendish, harmful, heartless, heinous, horrible, hurtful, ignoble, ignominious, immoral, inhuman, inhumane, iniquitous, injurious, maleficent, malevolent, malicious, mean, mean-spirited, merciless, miscreant, monstrous, murderous, nefarious, noxious, outrageous, pernicious, perverted, predaceous profligate, rapacious, rotten, ruinous, ruthless, sadistic, salacious, savage, scandalous, shameless, sinful, sinister, uncivilized, unprincipled, unspeakable, unwholesome, vicious, vile, villainous, viperous, wanton, wicked.
As Seen by Others: