Archetypes in fiction are not always clean cut. For example, a villain is an antagonist but an antagonist doesn’t necessarily have to be a villain. A monstrous antagonist like Frankenstein’s monster can be compassionate; or conversely inhumane like Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Today I’m going to focus on the latter. By delving into the anatomy of these…
Tag: #buildingtension
Introduction to Characterisation Part 2
Welcome back to my characterisation exploration! I trust you haven’t had any shark problems between then and now. I’ve been swimming in the sea between posts and managed to thoroughly creep myself out at the sight of a triangular shaped buoy. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, I suggest you read part…
Introduction to Characterisation Part 1
After re-watching Steven Spielberg’s Jaws (1975), I realised that forty-four years have done nothing to remove it from its position at the top of the food chain. A feat of incredible storytelling, it contains some of the most memorable characters ever created; characters that have much to teach us about writing believable human beings of…