by Will Dunne
How characters are viewed by others in the story often influences how the audience views them as well. We may be more likely to admire those whom others praise and find fault with those whom others criticize. When one character expresses an opinion about another, it is an opportunity to learn more about both of them. In some cases we learn more about the character offering the opinion than we do about the one being described. This is especially true when the opinion contradicts what we have observed. In Peter Shaffer’s play Amadeus, for example, when Salieri criticizes Mozart, we understand that he feels jealous of the celebrated musician’s talent.
ABOUT THE EXERCISE
This exercise can help you learn more about three of your characters by exploring how two of them view the third. Examples are from The Lieutenant of Inishmore by Martin McDonagh. Recipient of a 2006 Obie Award for Playwriting, the play centers on a cat named Wee Thomas that is mysteriously killed on a rural road on the island of Inishmore while the owner, an Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) enforcer, is in Northern Ireland torturing drug pushers. The enforcer’s father must now figure out how to break the news to his violent son that the cat he cherished is gone.
To begin:
• Choose one character to analyze—for example, Padraic Osbourne, the cat-loving INLA enforcer. This will be your Character 1 for the exercise.
• Identify two other characters who believe they know Character 1 well. Define their relationship to him or her when the story begins. For example, Character 2 is Donny, Padraic’s father, and Character 3 is Mairead, a teenage neighbor. If your story has only two characters, find the third in the offstage world.
Following are a series of questions about Character 1 at different times in the story. Answer each question twice—first from Character 2’s perspective and then from Character 3’s, with each response in the character’s voice. For best results, record these opinions in two columns, one for each character, so you can easily compare them. Remember that not all responses may not be accurate and that each reveals something about the speaker as well as the subject.
■ IN THE BEGINNING
Imagine your Characters 2 and 3 as the dramatic journey begins. Ask each one separately the following questions about your Character 1:
1. Length of relationship. Donny has known his son, Padraic, for twenty-one years. Mairead has known her neighbor, Padraic, for five years. How long have you known Character 1?
2. How relationship began. Donny first saw Padraic wailing in his wife’s arms a few hours after his son was born in their cottage. Mairead first noticed Padraic when she was in the fifth grade and he was in secondary school. He was with a group of boys throwing stones at sheep in a roadside field. How did you meet, or first become aware of, Character 1?
3. Happiest memory. One of Donny’s happiest memories of his son was from a year ago, when Padraic asked him to take care of his cat while he was away. The request showed that a bond of trust still existed between father and son. One of Mairead’s happiest memories of Padraic was from five years ago, when he complimented her ability to shoot out a cow’s eyes from sixty yards away. What is your happiest memory of Character 1?
4. Worst memory. One of Donny’s worst memories of his son was from nine years ago, when Padraic attacked his cousin for making fun of his “girlie” scarf. The cousin ended up in a wheelchair that Padraic later stole from him. That was the day Donny realized his son was a monster. One of Mairead’s unhappiest memories was from five years ago, when Padraic first left Inishmore to fight for the freedom of Northern Ireland. She begged to go with him, but he refused because, first, she was a girl and, second, she was only ten. What is your unhappiest memory of Character 1?
5. Relationship. Donny’s already fragile relationship with his son is now in jeopardy due to the death of Wee Thomas on Donny’s watch. The cat was Padraic’s only friend. Mairead’s relationship with Padraic is a distant one: she worships him from afar. How would you describe your relationship with Character 1 as the story begins?
6. Emotional connection. Donny sees Padraic as one to be feared. Mairead sees him as one to be admired and loved. What is your emotional connection to Character 1?
7. Likes most. What Donny likes best about Padraic is that he is far away in Northern Ireland. What Mairead likes best about him is his patriotism. What do you like most about Character 1 as the story begins?
8. Likes least. What Donny likes least about his son is his violent temper. What Mairead likes least about Padraic is his refusal to take her seriously as a warrior for Ireland. What do you like least about Character 1 as the story begins?
■ IN THE MIDDLE
Next, imagine your Characters 2 and 3 midway through the dramatic journey and ask each one these questions about your Character 1:
1. Physical description. To Donny, Padraic looks like an Osbourne—more like Donny’s own father than himself—and has the strength of three men. To Mairead, Padraic is handsome and sexy. How would you describe Character 1 physically?
2. Personal description. Donny views Padraic as a mean sonofabitch with the anger of seven men. It was not by accident that he earned the nickname “Mad Padraic.” Mairead sees him as a charming hero fighting for the liberation of Ireland. How would you describe Character 1 personally?
3. Social description Donny sees Padraic as a social misfit who never learned how to get along with anyone but his cat. That’s why he is always in trouble. Mairead sees him as a born leader. How does Character 1 fit in socially with others, such as family, friends, or the community?
4. Work life. Padraic is an enforcer for the INLA. From Donny’s perspective, it’s a good job for Padraic because it gives him an outlet for his violent tendencies. It also gets him out of Donny’s hair, since it often takes Padraic to Northern Ireland. From Mairead’s perspective, being an INLA enforcer is the perfect job for Padraic because he is an Irish patriot who refuses to tolerate injustice. How well suited is Character 1 to his or her line of work, and why?
5. Greatest delusion. In Donny’s opinion, Padraic suffers from the delusion that he is always right. In Mairead’s opinion, Padraic suffers from the delusion that girls can’t fight as well as boys. What is Character 1’s greatest delusion?
6. Key strength. Donny believes that Padraic’s greatest strength is his fearless commitment to his political beliefs. Mairead would agree. What is Character 1’s greatest strength?
7. Key weakness. Donny believes that Padraic’s greatest weakness is his inability to control his temper. Mairead believes that Padraic’s greatest weakness is his narrow and rigid view of the world, which prevents him from being interested in anything but the freedom of Ulster. What is Character 1’s greatest weakness?
8. Surprising discovery. Donny’s most surprising discovery about Padraic is that he could actually torture, maim, and kill his own father. Mairead’s most surprising discovery is that Padraic shot and killed her cat, Sir Roger. What is your most surprising discovery about Character 1?
■ IN THE END
Now ask your Characters 2 and 3 these questions about your Character 1 as the dramatic journey concludes:
1. Relationship. By the time the story ends, Donny’s relationship with his son is over and without hope for reconciliation, since Padraic is now dead. Mairead’s relationship with Padraic is also over. She just executed him for killing her cat. Think about how your relationship with Character 1 has changed and not changed since the story began. How would you describe this relationship now?
2. Emotional connection. Donny’s current emotional connection to Padraic is one of grief. His son’s life—as well as the lives of three other men and two cats—has ended in bloodshed. Mairead’s current emotional connection to Padraic is also one of grief. She feels heartbroken that she had to kill him. What is your emotional connection to Character 1 as the dramatic journey ends?
3. Likes most. What Donny likes most about Padraic now is that he can no longer torture or kill anyone, including Donny. What Mairead likes b
est is that Padraic has been brought to justice for killing her cat. What do you like most about Character 1 as the dramatic journey ends?
4. Likes least. What Donny likes least about Padraic now is that he died in vain. As it turns out, the dead cat that triggered all of the violence was not actually Wee Thomas but another black cat that resembled him. Donny makes this painful discovery when the real Wee Thomas wanders home in search of food. What Mairead likes least about Padraic is that he committed an unforgivable crime—the murder of her cat—and can no longer be part of her dreams. What do you like least about Character 1 as the dramatic journey ends?
WRAP-UP
This has been a study of one character from two different perspectives and ultimately an examination of all three characters and their relationships. You may make further discoveries about them by comparing the responses at the end of the story to those at the beginning. How has Character 1 changed as a result of story events? How have the perceptions of Characters 2 and 3 changed? In what important ways have these relationships stayed the same?
Related tools in The Dramatic Writer’s Companion. To continue exploring characters in relation to one another, go to the “Developing Your Character” section and try “Characters In Contrast” or “Three Characters in One.”
NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH
THE QUICK VERSION
Explore a character’s innermost thoughts and feelings
BEST TIME FOR THIS
After you have a working sense of the character
THE CHARACTER’S PRIVATE DOMAIN
A defining moment is a point in time in which the true nature of a character is revealed. It’s when a struggling singer steps into the spotlight and emerges as an artist, or when a soldier flees from battle and is exposed as a coward. Revelations like these occur when conflict strips characters of their facades by forcing them to act under pressure.
To make such revelations truthful and logical, dramatic writers need to know the private realms of their characters: the innermost thoughts and desires that they guard from public view and rarely share with others, even those closest to them. These secret inner worlds offer a wealth of information about who the characters really are.
ABOUT THE EXERCISE
Use this exercise to learn the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about a character from your story. In each round, you are asked to imagine an actual or possible situation in the character’s life and then to express his or her uncensored thoughts and feelings about it in a certain type of personal writing, such as a journal entry. Write each piece from your character’s perspective and in your character’s voice. For best results, work quickly and instinctively. Aim to complete each round in a few minutes. Then use the final set of questions to sum up key findings.
Regardless of how shy, secretive, or devious your character may be around others, he or she will have no reason to be anything but completely honest in these writings. This veracity will be fueled by the knowledge that no one else will ever actually read these words, particularly those who are the subject of them. As a result, the character can feel free to break through all inhibitions and fears. Even if the character is sometimes mistaken or deluded, these writings will thus reflect the full truth as he or she sees it.
To begin, choose a character to explore.
■ JOURNAL ENTRY
Imagine your character after a real or possible life-changing experience that he or she wants to keep hidden. Whether the experience was good or bad, the character feels the need the protect his or her feelings, or worries that this development could be misinterpreted by others, or fears what could happen if the truth were known.
1. Identify an actual or possible turning point, positive or negative, from any time in your character’s life.
2. When and where in the character’s life did this occur?
3. Suppose your character’s only way to deal with this experience was to write about it in a private journal: to seek relief by telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about what happened. This is a page that no one else will ever read. It will be torn out later and burned. Write the journal entry in your character’s voice.
■ LOVE LETTER
Think about the loves, past and present, in your character’s life. Some may have blossomed into meaningful romances. Others may have ended in failure or heartache. Whether long-term or short-lived, each romance is an opportunity to learn more about the character’s ability to deal with emotions and manage relationships.
1. To whom will your character’s love letter be addressed?
2. How and when did this relationship begin?
3. Imagine a love letter that tells the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about your character’s romantic affection for this individual as well as any hopes or fears about the future of the relationship. This flood of honesty can be uncensored and even reckless because this letter will never actually be mailed or read. Write the love letter in your character’s voice.
■ WISH LIST
One key to understanding characters is to know what they want. Think about your character’s greatest desires. Whether they relate to health, physical achievements, personal relationships, spiritual fulfillment, career, wealth, fame, travel, or other rewards, these wants reflect your character’s values, beliefs, and view of the world.
1. Identify an actual or possible time, past or present, when your character feels needy or unsatisfied.
2. What development contributed most to the character’s feelings of deprivation?
3. Imagine a wish list that tells the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about what would make your character happy. Some items on this list might be desires that are commonly seen as worthwhile. Others might be unusual wants that most others would not understand or approve of. Either way, your character doesn’t need to worry about how the list will be judged since it will never be seen by anyone else. List at least three uncensored wishes in your character’s voice.
■ LETTER OF REPROACH
Suppose that someone close to your character did something that really upset him or her. The culprit may have been a family member, spouse, lover, friend, coworker, or anyone else of importance in the character’s personal life. Far from trivial, this offense was the kind that can leave emotional scars.
1. Who upset your character?
2. When and where did this offense occur?
3. What exactly did this person do or fail to do?
4. Imagine a letter of reproach to the offender about what happened. The purpose of this letter might be to make the culprit feel guilty, or to learn something important, or to deliver a warning or ultimatum. Whatever the objective, this letter tells the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about your character’s thoughts and feelings now. It is, however, a letter that will never actually be mailed or read. Write the letter of reproach in your character’s voice.
■ PERSONAL AD
Suppose your character felt extremely lonely at some time, past or present, and decided to seek romance by writing a personal ad. If your character lives in a time or place when such advertisements do not exist, try a “what if” to see what you can discover.
1. When in your character’s life does this lonely period occur?
2. What experience triggered your character’s need for companionship now?
3. Imagine a personal ad that will tell the truth, whole truth, and nothing but the truth about two things: who your character really is and whom your character really wants for romance. This ad can be unabashedly honest since it will never actually be submitted or published. Write the personal ad in your character’s voice.
■ CONFESSION
Suppose your character committed a bad deed and wanted now to come clean and confess. This wrongdoing might have been immoral, illegal, or both. It might have been something the character did alone or with others. It might have occurred at any time in the character’s life, past or present, and t
he need for confession may have arisen from hours, to days, to decades after that. Regardless of what happened or when it occurred, this bad deed is probably not known to most others.
1. What was the bad deed, and who else, if anyone, was involved?
2. When and where in your character’s life did this occur?
3. What has prompted your character to confess this wrongdoing now?
4. To whom will this confession be addressed?
5. Imagine a confession that will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about what happened. The purpose might be to purge the soul, to seek forgiveness, or to restore justice by revealing the sordid details of this terrible act and your character’s thoughts and feelings about it now. Not one word of this outpouring, however, will see the light of day. Write the confession in your character’s voice.
■ EULOGY
Think about those who have made a difference in your character’s life. Whether good or bad, these important influences may have been family members, friends, rivals, neighbors, classmates, work associates, mentors, or anyone else who has contributed to the character’s knowledge and experience of the world. Then imagine that one of them has just died. This death may have occurred at any time before the story begins, during the story, or after the story ends.
1. Who died, and what was his or her relationship to your character?
