Good vs. evil.
That's what it's always about; stories of conflict between two
things, may it be man, nature, or beast. The hero and villain are what shape
the story and without them, there is no tale. Both characters SHOULD be deep,
real, and have a reason behind their choices of good or evil. Too many stories
these days just have the hero as good moral Jo that saves people without hesitation
and evil Frank who always wears black and never smiles. But that isn't a worthy
hero/villain. There's not depth to that. So! Do you want to learn what makes a superb
hero and dastardly villain? Good. Buckle up. Let's begin.
We'll start with the hero. The next post will be about villain.
The definition of a protagonist (hero) is the main character of a drama or
other literary words and the leader/principal person in a movement/cause.
That's all a hero has to be: some dude or chick who has enough morals,
guts, will, and so on to challenge ______. We all know that, don't we?
Here's the kicker that separates some good
guy from a person we revere. First, as I have said several times before,
make the characters real (read about how to do so in my How to Make Unrealisticness Real blog).
Make the hero as real as you can. For instance, have you ever met anyone
who would risk their life for a stranger? If so, great. But most likely
you have not. People aren't naturally heroic. People are self-center, self-indulging,
and uncaring life forms. So, how do you make a realistic hero? They must
have a believable reason behind their urge to help/save/fight for _____. What
is their motive? "Well, Heather, that's silly! They have the common good
in mind!" Give me a break. No one's like that.
Do they help others because that's
how they build themselves up? Are they so afraid to let people see who
they really are, they constantly help/save/whatever so people see only
that side of them? Do they base their identity on what good things
they do?
Or. Are they really not that good at all and do good things
to pay off a debt, are being forced to help others, or want something in return?
No one's a natural hero. Everyone has their little dark
secrets; desires that would surprise most. To make a hero real, you must
give them flaws. Too many heroes are flawless, but in real life no one’s
like that. What does the hero do wrong? Who do they hurt? What are their
insecurities? That's a big one, insecurities. We all have them, no matter how
hard we try to hide it. Insecurities make people do odd things, things
that don't fit their personality, things that change who they are from the
inside out. The hero, or any character for that matter, should mirror that.
Clichés are stupid. The hero doesn't have to get the girl/boy. He/she
doesn't have to be attractive. They don't have to be related to the villain in
some way or another. The hero’s parents don’t have to die or a loved one be
gunned down by the villain. And, IF they are victorious, there doesn't have to
be a party. Do something new. Please! You have an amazing imagination and can
come up with exciting, fresh things! No more stale endings we've all seen a
thousand times! You and the hero can do it. I know you can.
A hero can be anyone, even bad people, who decide to do what’s
right for a moment in time. The key is to find the balance between complete chivalry
and accurate responses to the story’s events. It’s a tricky balance, but you’ll
find it. Always ask yourself, is the hero’s actions realistic? That’s always
the best question. You’ll find the balance, though. I know you will.
Happy Writing!
Exercise:
Look up real events in which a person risks their lives to save
others. Watch/read what they did, interviews with the person and what they
think of their actions, and how others react.
Take a piece of paper, draw a line down the middle, and wright on
one side the modern hero’s common traits (work, family, were they live, their
place in society, where they went to school, etc.). On the other side write the
uncommon things they do/did (what made them a modern hero). Brainstorm what
compelled the person to disregard their own safety and help others.
Use what you find to write a more compelling and believable hero.
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