Creating Characters

by Lauther, Howard

  May also be called: pragmatist. Adjectives: down-to-earth, matter-of-fact, practical-minded, unimaginative, unromantic, unsentimental.

  THE REBEL

  Naturally inclined to oppose, to run counter to, to contradict, to resist.

  Has the nerve to say "no" to those who expect an unqualified "yes sir." Displays a penchant for protests, confrontation, and mutiny. Warms quickly to the thought of dissent, disagreement, and protest.

  May also be called: insurrectionist, insurgent, mutineer.

  Adjectives: anarchical, antagonistic, belligerent, contentious, contrary, discordant, disobedient, disregardful, hostile, incompliant, insubordinate, insurrectionary, pugnacious, rebellious, recalcitrant, revolutionary, seditionary, undutiful, unsubmissive.

  THE REFORMER

  Wants to transform, reshape, amend, convert, rehabilitate, or overthrow what already exists. Desires to do what is right rather than expedient. Subordinates himself to a principle, e.g., democracy or gun control. Believes that truth is on his side and appeals to the conscience of others. Intolerant of injustice or exceptions to the rule. A world-improver.

  May also be called: moral leader, perfectionist, preacher, radical, rebel.

  Adjectives: crusading, ethical, high-minded, high-principled, insurrectionary, judgmental, obsessed, revolutionary, self-disciplined, self-righteous.

  THE REPENTER

  (See also the Malcontent) Has either said something about someone or has done something that has adversely affected that person, and it now weighs heavily on his conscience. Feels a need to somehow compensate for his infraction, to do something to offset the pain of his guilt. Ponders how he might counterbalance his own insensitivity. Agonizes over how he might salve the wounds he caused while not losing face in the process. Has a desire to make amends, to somehow square accounts. Needs to feel atonement, no matter what the personal cost maybe.

  Adjectives: apologetic, conscience-stricken, contrite, grieved, guilty, heart-stricken, heavy-hearted, miserable, penitent, plagued, regretful, repentant, rueful, self-accusing, self-condemning, self-reproachful, sorrow-laden, tormented, uncomfortable, wretched.

  THE REVELER

  (See also the Extrovert) Principally interested in entertaining himself. His motto: Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we may die. Loves a good game, parties, a night on the town, and clowning around. Relishes going places where he can have some fun, kick up his heels, and raise a little hell. Addicted to music, the louder the better. For him, life is a banquet and he wants his seat at the table. He will dance and sing long into the night, even if he can do neither very well. Lives for the weekends. Has a storehouse of jokes and amusing experiences that he can use to enliven a situation, to jump-start a gathering. Enjoys making love and all the advantages that come with engaging in romance, but doesn't want his good times spoiled with talk about commitment.

  Adjectives: amorous, carousing, comical, frolicsome, party-goer, playful, rompish, sportive, waggish.

  THE RUBE

  Has no understanding of the fine arts, though to impress others a dishonest claim of appreciation is certainly possible on his part. Lacking such an appreciation, however, does not preclude his ability to be quite intelligent. At the same time, the perception may well be that he is vulgar and without the sensibilities to associate with those of a more sophisticated nature. A victim of the environment to which he is born rather than the one he has chosen. Sees the highbrow as a phony or a stuffed-shirt. Vocabulary is imbedded with a certain coarseness. His manners are noticeably rough. Gazes in astonishment at things he has never seen before, but which may nevertheless be commonplace. Overall knowledge is at best superficial. Out of his so-called element, he appears hopelessly awkward and ill at ease. A member of the middle or lower class. A haystack on a city street.

  May also be called: boor, bumpkin, clodhopper, hayseed, hick, know-nothing, provincial, ruffian, rustic, vulgarian, yokel.

  Adjectives: coarse, common, crass, crude, hickish, illiterate, ill-mannered, indecent, loutish, lowbrow, rough, uncivilized, uncouth, uncultured, ungenteel, unkempt, unlearned, unpolished, unrefined.

  THE RUT WALKER

  Establishes a wide array of routines, each of which is performed almost daily, in virtually the same order, and at times that do not vary greatly from the same routines that were performed years before. Dislikes interruptions and surprises. Any deviation from his habits, for whatever reason, will more than likely frustrate him. His daily actions are almost wholly predictable. Seen by others as "set in his ways" or as a "creature of habit." Does not take kindly to suggestions that there is a better way of getting something done. Most of his actions are characterized by a high degree of certainty.

  Adjectives: Habitual, methodical, predictable, systematic.

  THE SAFEGUARDER

  Thinks and acts cautiously. Takes great pains not to do something he will later regret. Looks before he leaps. Doesn't like surprises. Always on his guard. Like a well-armed sentry, ensures that no one will slip past and take advantage of him. Chooses his steps carefully, lest he make a wrong move. Before doing anything of importance, observes the way the wind blows, notices how the land lies, checks his getaway possibilities, and triple-checks the route to be taken. Tries to determine if there is anything hiding behind the rocks or just over the hill. His motto: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Always ready to sound the alarm.

  Adjectives: apprehensive, cagey, careful, cautious, chary, circumspect, discreet, judicious, leery, politic, preventive, prudent, pussyfooting, suspicious, unadventurous, unenterprising, wary.

  THE SCOUNDREL

  The Immoralist at his worst. Not only wants what someone else has but will use every underhanded method available to get it. Finds death and destruction enormously satisfying, especially when it comes from his own hands. Amuses himself with thoughts on how to bring the most harm with the least effort. Measures his success in terms of how much trouble he can bring to others. Does the exact opposite of everything that the Ten Commandments says one should do and not do. Feels no allegiance toward anyone at any time.

  May also be called: blackguard, destroyer, evildoer, reptile, scum of the earth, skunk.

  Adjectives: abominable, awful, baneful, base, contemptible, corrupted, deplorable, despicable, detestable, disgraceful, disreputable, evil, ignoble, infamous, inglorious, injurious, mistrusted, poisonous, scandalous, shameful, vile, unregretful, unrepentant.

  THE SENTIMENTALIST

  Romances the past instead of the future. Glorifies a stretch of time, a romantic rendezvous, a place that has become idealized in the mind. Talks about the "good days." Reminisces about someone or a pet that died. Collects mementos that reinforce his romantic memory of someone or something; guilty of trying to keep a memory alive. Thumbs through old photographs, yellowed letters, childhood diaries in a drawer. Suspicious of change and thinks that something good may have been lost because of it.

  May also be called: antiquarian. Adjectives: emotional, maudlin, mushy, nostalgic, old fashioned, reminiscent, romantic.

  THE SKEPTIC

  Looks at practically everything with distrust, sometimes even questioning what he sees with his own eyes. Demands proof, then looks at the evidence with suspicion. Verification is his by-word. Difficult to persuade. Sniffs for implausibilities. Finds enjoyment in discrediting the irrefutable. Takes things with a grain of salt. Attracted to contradictions. Raises the question that believers don't want asked. Likes shooting holes through dogma, knocking the bottom out of iron-clad opinions.

  May also be called: atheist, doubting Thomas, heretic, infidel. Adjectives: atheistic, disbelieving, dubious, incredulous, irreligious, mistrustful, suspecting, unconvinced, ungullible, world-weary.

  THE SLOB

  Clutter follows him wherever he goes. Lacks a sense of order in all things he does or wears, finding no more annoyance in the heaps and scatterings of mounting odds and ends than he would in an untied shoestring. Burrows through a mess as if he we
re born to it. No appreciation of symmetry, harmony, or a straight line. A maestro of chaos. Always hunting for something and, when all else fails, accuses others of not bringing something back. Widely accepted procedures (administrative, etc.) make no impression. Efforts to bring some sense of order to his life are only met with wide-eyed incomprehension. His puts things out of sight, out of mind. Forgets that the devil is always in the details.

  May also be called: frump, litterbug, slummock.

  Adjectives: careless, disarranged, disheveled, disorderly, disorganized, disregardful, frowzy, frumpish, haphazard, messy, negligent, rumpled, slatternly, slipshod, sloppy, slovenly, unconscientious, undisciplined, unkempt, unmethodical, unparticular, unsystematic, untidy.

  THE SMILER

  Claims the ground between extrovert and introvert, in that he does not boldly insert himself into the company of others, yet is quite hospitable when approached. Engages in idle chit-chat. Extends sincere compliments. Pays attention to what others have to say. Has a smile for everyone, as well as a "thank you," a "good morning" and a "see you tomorrow." The soul of courtesy. But nothing much of consequence may fall from his lips, for he does not want to say something offensive or to seem out of step with others. May be heard to say, "Whatever the rest of you want to do is okay with me." A Mona Lisa. If he was a dog, his tail would be wagging for no apparent reason.

  Adjectives: charming, cheerful, congenial, considerate, convivial, engaging, friendly, genial, good-natured, good-tempered, gracious, lighthearted, mannerly, pert, pleasant, respectful, sociable, sunny.

  THE SNITCH

  Exposes that which would otherwise remain hidden. Tells one or more secrets to one or more people. Confesses his complicity. Acknowledges what others have always suspected was true. Unmasks a lie that has deceived a great many. Tells the truth under pressure. Fear of recrimination forces him to insinuate rather than boldly attest. Wittingly or unwittingly betrays a confidence, spills the beans, brings something into the light. Becomes a witness against someone.

  May also be called: betrayer, blabber, finger-pointer, informer, revealer, snitch, squealer, stool pigeon, tattler.

  Adjectives: confessional, enlightening, informative.

  THE SNOB

  Looks for things that set people apart rather than what binds them. A creator of monetary, religious, geographical, or racial divisions and barriers.

  Looks at himself as being better than someone else. Ability to understand the lifestyle of another group is practically nonexistent. Separates, isolates, shuts out, rejects, excludes. Fond of pecking orders, color-line barriers, and class structures. Abhors the notion that he should try to mix with those who are not in his so-called class. Appalled when he learns that he too is not welcome within a group into which he thought he had access.

  May also be called: bigot, highbrow, high-hatter, illiberal, prig, racist, segregationist.

  Adjectives: aloof, arrogant, biased, bigoted, class-conscious, contemptuous, disdainful, disrespectful, haughty, high-hatted, high-nosed, hoity-toity, imperious, intolerant, lordly, narrow-minded, partial, prejudiced, scornful, small-minded, snob, snooty, standoffish, stuck-up, supercilious, unindulgent, unsympathetic, uppity.

  THE SOFTY

  Inclined to weep for those who experience misfortune. Deeply touched by stories that have either happy or sad endings. Has the ability to mentally put himself in the other fellow's shoes, and thus feel the gladness or sorrow that abounds in that person's soul. Wears his heart on his sleeve. His emotions can be played like a stringed instrument. Falls for any sob story that comes down the pike. Swells with pity when a living thing suffers. Wishes he could stop others' pain and make their misfortune go away. Understands misery without being in its grip. Has a reservoir of tears that is easily tapped. A desire to help is ever-present. Feels guilty because he was spared the misfortune he sees, and he also feels guilty because he is glad that he was.

  May also be called: bleeding heart, soft touch.

  Adjectives: affectionate, commiserative, compassionate, concerned, condolent, emotional, empathetic, kindhearted, merciful, openhearted, sensitive, softhearted, soulful, sympathetic, tenderhearted.

  THE SOPHISTICATE

  Attracted to what is viewed as the world's more elevated features, among which may include any of the artistic attractions—that is, fine literature, classical music, great architecture, the ballet, paintings, etc. Has a deep appreciation for those gifts bestowed by nature. Has an intelligence that enables him to grasp at least some of the complex refinements that comprise those things he admires. Views with scorn those things that fail to fall within those areas he so admires.

  May also be called: high-hat.

  Adjectives: cultivated, cultured, educated, erudite, genteel, high-class, learned, polished, refined, well-bred, well-mannered, well-read.

  THE SPENDTHRIFT

  Has never owned a dollar that he didn't want to spend on himself or someone else. Has no serious attachment to money; sees it merely as a means of exchange for something he wants far more. Fritters away his paycheck on things that are not important. Does not save for that so-called rainy day. His motto: Easy come, easy go. Squanders what he has, as if plenty more were coming. In a burst of senseless generosity, may be heard to say, "Hang the expense."

  May also be called: prodigal, wastrel. Adjectives: dissipative, extravagant, improvident, incontinent, profligate, unrestrained, thriftless, uneconomical, unthrifty, wasteful.

  THE STOIC

  Happiness and sadness do not register on his face, but rather are buried in his heart. He is a closed book, an indecipherable inscription. Feels it is unbecoming to show how he feels about something. Meets pleasantness and unpleasantness as if they were only strangers passing through. Never shows nervousness or even a residue of doubt. Without complaint, does what must be done. Sometimes he acts as if he didn't care about the outcome, when in fact the exact opposite may be true. Takes things as they come. All ofhis emotions seem to be in perfect equilibrium. In comparison to others, he sometimes appears to be a steel bar standing in a plate of spaghetti.

  May also be called: cool customer, man of iron.

  Adjectives: calm, cool, coolheaded, enduring, even-tempered, forbearant, imperturbable, level-headed, long-suffering, patient, persevering, poised, self-confident, self-controlled, serene, steady, steel-nerved, stoical, strong-nerved, uncomplaining, unexcitable, unshrinking.

  THE STONE

  Can look unblinkingly at someone's misery and feel nothing, as if his soul were encased in an impenetrable shell; but, by the same token, neither does he extract pleasure from observing someone's misfortune. Nothing really plays on his heart strings. Has no tears to spare. Compassion does not fog up his observations. Able to look at the saddest of scenes without ever becoming emotionally involved. Perplexed by sympathy, the idea of guilt. Views misfortune as a fact of life, not an occasion for commiseration. His own experiences have blunted his feelings.

  Adjectives: callous, cold-hearted, detached, dispassionate, frigid, hardened, hard-hearted, impassive, indifferent, objective, thick-skinned, uncompassionate, unconcerned, unemotional, unfeeling, unmoved, unsympathetic.

  THE SUPPORTER

  Will not abandon a friend, lover, or family member, or even those whom, from afar, he supports for some reason—even when it may be far more convenient to do otherwise. Commitments are never shallow, but are rather deeply embedded and verge on permanence. Remains faithful long after everyone else has given up. Stands as the one person you can call when you are in trouble, no matter if it is the middle of the night. Does not engage in second-guessing. The pillar one leans upon. Quick to lend a hand, provide aide, take someone's side, go to bat for, and offer words of encouragement. Remains by one's side during times of trouble. A constant companion, a faithful friend. Intensely loyal. Displays understanding when almost no one else will. Comes when called; stays after everyone else has gone. Forever plays second fiddle.

  May also be called: advocate, backer, bud
dy, chum, collaborator, colleague, companion, comrade, crony, friend, man Friday, partner, patron, righthand man, sidekick, teammate, upholder.

  Adjectives: complimentary, constant, faithful, helpful, loyal, persevering, steadfast, sympathetic, trustworthy, understanding, unfaltering, unhesitating.

  THE TAKER

  Seizes that which does not belong to him, or he readily accepts whatever is offered to him without ever giving thought to repayment.

  As one who pounces upon that which he believes he requires, he will resort to whatever means necessary to gain it. Has the patience to lie in wait for an interminable length of time. Sees possession as 99-percent ownership. If he wants men, he will commandeer them; if he wants land, he will annex it; if he wants money, he will steal it; whatever it is that entices him, he does not allow morality or any hindrance to deter him. If his taking impoverishes another, so be it. His mind is totally focused upon the prize to be had rather than upon the person who currently holds it. When he sees an opportunity, has no compunction about overcharging. More than happy to bleed one dry.