- They are an African business woman researching/selling products in America
- They have just arrived off the plane – a long and weary flight where a baby behind them wouldn’t stop crying
- They don’t like kids (and much other intimate interaction) as they had a rather solitude and lonely childhood.
- A mentor /work colleague gave them a deck of cards “52 ways to make a difference”
- They don’t seem too happy, even on the best of times
- They are 32 years old
- Nyah = purpose (African name)
Nyah, raped at a young age, finds herself too anti-social, and wishes that she could just connect with her daughter. She can’t bear to be too close to people (physically and emotionally); she has created a mental wall .Travelling, as a family, to America for business, really opens her eyes to possibilities. Usually paranoid, with a complete lack of trust towards males, she struggles through America. After meeting a young man, her whole life and perspective is changed around – until something happens.
She wont shut up. If only she would shut up. God, I hate babies! They always cry and whinge... Yes I know I was a baby, but I was not THAT kind of baby. Oh god, I have a headache... Where are those ear plugs?
...
Huh, what’s this? Oh that stupid deck of cards. Why on... ear plugs, put them in! Shut up little baby, I can’t think!
That bloody deck of cards – they are going to haunt me now. Everywhere I go there just is going to be someone like HIM. Why don’t men ever understand – I don’t want to have a relationship with them... no its not the relationships... relationships are fine... its them... its the bloody sex! What is it with men and their sex craved minds? If I hadn’t been for men and their sexual desires I would never have... yes... It’s not my fault; he did it to me. I didn’t want it, and yet I had no choice. If only men didn’t want sex...
“Oi, will you shut that baby up already?” I shouldn’t have shouted; now it’s only crying louder. God, I hate babies. I detest babies! I wish I had never been born! I wish I had never given birth!
Another way to create a character is to ask questions about who they are:
Name: Alexander Rayne
Age: 17/18
Occupation: Drop out of school
1. Who do they Live with?
Alex lives with his father and two brothers in a mansion. Although Alex is accustomed to luxury and getting everything he wants, he despises that everything he owns and that everything he is given is because he and his family belong to the mafia. Alex desperately attempts to get away from his family and his ‘tainted’ possessions by spending much of his free time in the ‘slums’ neighbourhood or by extreme camping – he tends to just wander off into the forest near the mansion by himself for days at a time without explanation, warning or provisions. This causes his father to be protective and always trying to control Alex’s life – something Alex does not want.
2. Who is their closest friend?
Alex does not seem to socialise much with people. He despises his family and all those connected to his family. He has tried making friends outside of family connections, however they have tended to wind up dead, or could not deal with close contact with mafia members, or Alex hurt them in some way. Alex has been brought up in a male dominated, war and fighting family. Because of this he acts like that towards members of the society, which he blames himself and his family for. In one sense, he is self loathing.
3. Do/Did they enjoy school?
Alex found that the high-requirement of social interaction was frustrating. He gets good grades, and is good at manipulating people, however he knows that his good grades and comments are not because of his skill or how smart he is. His father has ‘some’ influence there... Because of his seeming dis-like for social interaction he drops out of high school. His father does not believe that he needs the schooling, and anything does not know he will learn on real life experience.
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