Becoming Your Characters

Becoming Your Characters Becoming Your Characters Becoming Your Characters By Michael It sounds like you, said my friend, the playwright, when I asked him about the script I had given him. Coming from a successful writer, it wasnt a compliment. If all the characters in your novel sound like you, maybe you should forget about the novel and write an autobiographical monologue instead. Youll find, if you listen to them, that your characters want to be free. They want to be individuals. Just like your children, they dont want to be exactly like you. And, just like your children, they shouldnt be. Many fiction writers approach their work as an actor does his. When they are writing about a character, they become that character. Actors call it Method acting, based on the methods of Russian director Konstantin Stanislavsky. Method acting was a reaction to the nineteenth century tradition of making rhetorical gestures that were supposed to represent every human emotion. Writers can fall into a similar trap, where their characters act in clichà ©d manners, always weeping when they are sad, always chuckling when they are happy. (My characters are always smiling.) The key to Method writing is to understand the character, then let the character live. When you know, even subconsciously, what the character is like, you will instinctively know what the character is going to do or say. Some authors, like some actors, write out elaborate biographies for every major character before they begin. For others, such pre-planning would hurt their creative process. Indeed, as you write, even well-researched characters usually end up surprising you, as you realize that they arent exactly who you thought they were. This may sound more mystical than it needs to. Im not advocating a voodoo-like possession, where your characters take over your life. But a sensitive writer knows when an action or a statement rings true to that character or not. Of course, if youre not discreet as you work, people will look at you funny. One daughter of a famous nineteenth century novelist recalled how he would write his dialog out loud, playing each character in turn in fine theatrical style. After receiving that mild rebuke from my friend the playwright, I found myself working on dialog as I walked to work along a certain downtown street. I wasnt the only person on that street talking to himself. Later I discovered that just around the corner was a shelter that catered to the homeless mentally ill. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Apply to, Apply for, and Apply with35 Genres and Other Varieties of FictionTypes of Plots

1984 - Summary and Book Report Tips

1984 - Summary and Book Report Tips Writing a Book Report If youre writing a book report on the novel 1984, you will need to include a summary of the story line, as well as all of the following elements, like title, setting, and characters. You must also make sure you include a strong introductory sentence and a good conclusion, as well. Title, Author Publication 1984 is a novel by George Orwell. It was first published in 1949 by Secker and Warburg. Currently it is published by the Penguin Group of New York.   Setting 1984 is set in the fictional future state of Oceania. This is one of three totalitarian super states that have come to control the world. In the world of 1984, the government controls every aspect of human existence, especially individual thought. Note: A totalitarian government is one that is strictly governed by a dictator (or strong leader) and expects complete subservience to the state. Characters Winston Smith – the protagonist of the story, Winston works for the Ministry of Truth revising historical events to favor the Party. His dissatisfaction with his life and the love he finds cause him to rebel against the Party. Julia – Winston’s love interest and his fellow rebel. O’Brien – the antagonist of the novel, O’Brien traps and captures Winston and Julia. Big Brother – the leader of the Party, Big Brother is never actually seen, but exists as a symbol of the totalitarian regime. Plot Winston Smith, disillusioned by the oppressive nature of the Party, begins a romance with Julia. Thinking they have found a haven of safety from the prying eyes of the Thought Police, they continue their affair until they are betrayed by O’Brien. Julia and Winston are sent to the Ministry of Love where they are tortured into betraying each other and accepting the truth of the Party indoctrination. Questions to Ponder 1. Consider the use of language. What irony exists in the naming of the Ministries?How does Orwell’s use of language contribute to the idea that language is power?How does Orwell’s use of misnomers contribute to the satire of 1984? 2. Examine theme of the Individual vs. Society What is a dystopian society?What does Orwell seem to be saying about the power of individual action?In what way does 1984 reflect the real political systems of the time, i.e.Communist Soviet Union or Fascist Nazi Germany? 3. What events or people could have influenced Orwell? Although the title is 1984, the book was published in 1949. What events around that time could have influenced Orwell?The Diary of a Young Girl was published in 1947, how could this work have influenced Orwell?1946 saw the first meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, did Orwell draw anything from this? Possible First Sentences The list of statements below are meant to help you develop a strong introductory paragraph. The statements may also help you construct an effective thesis statement for your paper. Big Brother is watching has become a common term in our modern language, but the phrase has lost some of its potency.  George Orwell’s 1984 is a novel of social science fiction.The danger of totalitarianism rests in its power to suppress the individual.The conflict between courage and betrayal is a central one in the novel 1984.