Communication + Character Development (and a Four-Month-Old Baby)

One week ago (and some days) my son, Henry Rainer, started to talk–He started to babble, rather, and coo and gurgle and squeak and ahhhhhhhhh. It was as if a great dam of pent up sound burst, releasing a white wash torrent of baby talk.

Little Rainer has been communicating with the world since the beginning with instinctive gestures and lots of hearty crying; But now that he’s gained the aptitude for a variety of noises (a scale of notes and textures of sound) his developing (and already existent) personality becomes clearer.

Crying is pretty much how baby's communicate--but there are other ways, too.

This relationship–between a person’s range and ability to communicate and a person’s personality have led me to reconsider the characters in my fiction and the different ways I choose to reveal their own personalities. What and how a character communicates is the primary way that character’s personality is revealed–and the more conscious the writer is of this fact, the stronger the writing will be.

When writing fiction (and some nonfiction) you can simply describe a character:

Bess is a very feminine and is easily frightened…She is somewhat flighty, fickle, and a bit of a flirt….Bess loves to shop and has a weakness for food.  (“Bess Marvin” Wikipedia)

Or you can reveal a character:

Bess darted her eyes along the dark hallway walls. Sweat prickled her upper lip and brow. She called ahead to the group leader, Nancy, pleading with her to turn back.

“I don’t want to do this anymore!”

“You can do it,” encouraged her friend, Dave. Bess grappled for his hand and squeezed it.

“Will you protect me?” She whispered through thick lashes.

Watching my son’s personality develop in real time has helped enunciate the different ways character can be communicated. Below, I offer a hopefully prompting review.

10 Ways a Character can Communicate Character

1. Behavior

Probably one of the most important ways a person communicates character is through his or her actions. If Rainer was to cry for three plus hour a day, one would describe his character as colicky (I am lucky that this is far from the truth). If I were to volunteer at three soup kitchens and donate half of my money to charity, you could rightfully accuse me of having a bleeding heart (which is, unfortunately not true, either).

Action reveals character (with writing specifically) in more subtle ways via the well-selected action work (A.K.A. the verb).

Take our Bess for example, if, when her cousin, George, shouts “Boo!” at her, her hands flutter to her face, we learn much more about her character than if her hands had simply gone to her face. The verb flutter is feminine, delicate, nervous. To go is an empty verb, colorless, invisible.

2. Appearance

Based on this man's appearance, it would be difficult to call him a slob.

Most people’s appearance communicates character, whether they like it or not. Imagine: A flushed face, unkempt hair, a wrinkles skirt, a torn purse– (now that I write it all down, I may not personally communicate the best character traits when it comes to my appearance…)

3. Speech

People most consciously communicate via spoken word–which translates into dialogue when it comes to writerly terms.

The group continued to tip toe down the dark hallway.

Bess shuddered. “Gee, I can’t wait for this to be over.”

“Shhhhhh!” Said Nancy.

“What’s that sound?” asked George.

“It’s my candy bar,” said Bess, “I can’t help it.  It’s crunchy peanut.”

From this little and simple exchange, we can gather that on top of being easily spooked, Bess enjoys a good snack once and a while–even if the timing is inappropriate.

4. Sounds, Tones, Registers

This is how my Henry Rainer communicates the most effectively.

If his tone is high, light, airy, I know he is happy, whereas if his register descends while his volume climbs, it is safe to assume there’s an unmet need at hand.

Sounds, tones, and registers can communicate fluctuations in demeanor but it can also communicate general personality. For example, if I were to speak in a sultry low coo, you would imagine me a bit of a starlit, whereas if I were to speak in a high-pitched whimsical stream, you’d imagine me chatty (and perhaps a bit flighty myself).

If you saw all of these faces in a crowd, based on their facial expressions, you would probably hesitate to approach all of them.

5. Gesture (Facial and Body)

We constantly communicate with our bodes. A nose scrunch. A finger wave. A stomping of the foot. When Henry wriggles and flaps his arms, he communicates that he is excitable. When I collapse onto the couch after a long day at work, I communicate that I’m exhausted (and a bit dramatic). When Bess smiles, despite her shaking hands when Nancy says, “we’re almost there,” she communicates an endearing streak of courage.

6. Lack of Gesture, Speech

We reveal our characters just as much when we fail to act or withhold reaction as when we act. If you told me a joke and I looked at you blankly, you could surmise that I was either a bit slow or rude.

If you ever caught the Seinfeld finale, you would know what "lack of gesture" means when it comes to character.

7. Interests

Herny’s Interests:

• Boobs
• Bright lights
• Colors
• Movement
• Noise
• Music
• His feet

My interests:

• Writing
• Books
• Cooking
• Art
• Crafts

Bess’s interests:

• Soap operas
• Shopping
• Boys
• Women Magazines
• Snack time

Of course, it’s good to throw a little dissonance into the list to make the character more well rounded, realistic and entertaining.

Henry’s Interest:

• Quiet. Silence. The womb.

My Interest:

• Travel. Recklessness. Adventure.

Bess’s Interest:

• Solving Mysteries.

8. Decisions/Convictions

I recently made the mistake of buying and playing the game (or Argument-In-A-Box, as my sister calls it) Scruples. The game consists of reading a situation from a card

i.e. You are invited by your sexy coworker to lunch. You are married. Do you go?

Then you answer (Out loud. To everybody.) yes, no, or maybe.

I used to love Nancy Drew books.

This game is out right painful to play with loved ones, but it is a great example of how convictions and decisions reveal character.

As Bess and friends crept through the dark, Bess almost turned to go. Nancy called after her, “Remember! Those people need our help!”

Bess bit her lip and continued towards the dark door. When Nancy began to open the door, Bess squared her shoulders. “I’ll do it for them,” she said.

10. Creations

Finally, the products (and byproducts) we create speak loudly about our characters.  My husband’s paintings, my stories, our dinners, our trash, our bookshelves and cupcakes.

If a person was to make an exquisite detailed and tedious wood-carving, you could assume that person was particular, patient, and earthy.

If, when Nancy opens the dark hallway door to a huge room of people yelling, “Surprise! Happy Birthday, Bess!” you can assume that Bess is a good friend based on the byproduct party her friends created in her honor.