Character Builders #17 & 18

In yesterday's post I talked about the process of building a core set of values for a society to be based around. Now let's talk about how your characters fit into that worldview. This is often a very basic part of understanding character in the context of your setting. Keeping your work on your society's moral foundation in mind, consider...

Is your character bound to the same set of ethics and morals as his or her society? Why or why not? How much so? How do they express that? How does their expression affect them?

Also:

If your character is an outsider to the society that you're writing, how do they fit in with the ideals they find there? How do your character's differences in values affect them while they're there?

Consider these carefully. People are not one-dimensional. Say your society is built around the concept that individuals should be as uniform as possible. Your character may disagree and long to be an individual, but surely there are some ways that he conforms. He may agree completely, but have slight qualms about certain aspects of the social code. If you have a visitor to this country or world or dimension, does she find the difference appalling, appealing, somewhere in between? How do the locals treat her? Remember that opinions shift, too- the answer to these questions may (and perhaps even should, depending on the story) change.

These questions also open up great thought processes about personality, too- there are many different ways to be. Your character could be disenchanted with his society, but choose to keep his disagreement silent for many reasons. Or he could be the willing pariah, voicing his disapproval to anyone who'll listen. Your outsider could find the focus on conformity new and exciting. She might come at the issue with the dispassionate eye of a scholar, or she might well be ready to completely integrate herself into this society. Let your mind wander a bit over these questions and see what comes back with it.

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