The Hidden Truth
Every character wears a mask to show or hide a certain side of themselves. Whether they are hiding flaws, trauma, guilt, fear, or even excitement, they choose the face and personality traits that suit their demeaner for that specific scene. And when we keep our characters in only one mask throughout the story, we’re discrediting the audience. Readers see through the glitter and camouflage.
Character Scenarios
Let’s take a step back for a moment, and focus on Halloween. We wear disguises, often associated with masks and/ or makeup. And doesn’t that mask or makeup change the way you feel? We step out of our boring lives, allowed to move through the world (or the party) as a new person. In essence, we can say and do anything and no one truly knows who lies underneath—friend or foe.
We can choose the superhero persona, like Captain America, and experience the feeling of protecting the less fortunate for an evening. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Terrifier is one creepy clown that the other party goers usually avoid.
Masks are Literal
When we think of a horror character, like Michael Myers in Halloween, he wears a literal mask. But why? The audience never sees his adult face in the first movie, only the child killer, that chooses to wear a plastic clown mask while he murders his sister and boyfriend. But what about his psychological, or figurative mask he hides behind?
Figurative Masks
Below is an example of the multiple masks worn by a character. Every scene calls for a different mask, and in every situation, she chooses to take on a different persona. Let’s take a look…
The days run together. Between finishing the presentation for the client, trying to make the soccer game on the other side of town, and the laundry piled high, she was drowning in a sea of her own self-destruction. To mend her mind, she compartmentalized her feelings, only allowing what was necessary to invade her daily routine.
She switched masks in the car, hiding the assertive corporate director face and shoving it in the glove compartment until the next board meeting. The soccer mom mask lay tucked under the driver’s seat, smashed between stale fries and a pinstriped straw. It fit snug. Her new face showed a smile and she added the additional emotion of cheerleader—always the positive mom in the stands. After ice cream and a pep talk from the team’s poor performance, she reiterated the power of having fun on the field.
As she pulled into the garage, she knew the laundry pile and a hungry family awaited. Once again, the soccer mom mask was shoved back into its usual place, under the seat. Just as she was about to open the door to the mud room, she reached for the chore mask, one permanently fixed with a scowl.
This is an example of a surfaced character. We never get to feel why she needs to change her persona. We never learn who she wanted to become when she was a child. We never get the understanding of why she follows the same routine every day. Basically, why do we care about her?
Avoiding Surfaced Characters
Beside the demographic information, like hair color, body physique, gender, and language, focus on the hidden truths behind your character’s masks. Spend some time focusing on personality traits, family values, and types of friends she had growing up. These characteristics open a door to the trauma she suppresses and the triggered emotional bursts she’ll show in dramatic scenes.
Think about how your character has moved through life. What types of patterns consistently emerged, for example, bad relationships or crappy jobs. What kind of life did your character believe she would have as an adult? What experiences changed that desire?
Once you have a good foundation of who and what your character has become, examine her internal conflicts of what happened and why it happened.
Take a minute to reflect on Michael Myers. Sure, he was a sociopath that killed teenagers for fun, but there’s a darker conflict brewing within him. He felt abandoned. His older sister chose her boyfriend over taking him trick or treating and his nine-year-old brain (as warped as it was) made a decision to correct the problem—she will never do that again.
Now, let’s look back at our board room, soccer mom. Why did her life turn into a routine with no excitement? Maybe she wanted to become the next Picasso, but her father owned a large marketing firm in the city and she didn’t feel she had a choice but to follow in her dad’s footsteps. Her voice was squelched and now her life carries that same strain as a child; one with no ability to make personal and competent decisions. Of course, maybe she’s a trained assassin and is forced to keep her identity masked. Who knows.
By taking the time to craft a backstory, full of bad habits and destructive tendencies, mixed in with some redeeming qualities, you’ll create layers for your readers to savor. The character development is up to you.
Happy Writing.
-RADolence