What Lies Beneath
'You've given me an idea as a writer in developing characters with hidden limitations'
-Stephanie Forgue Houghtllin
In any writing course, there's a lot of talk about 'internal conflict' as part of character development. When described, it often sounds like an admonition to give your character some dysfunctional characteristic (a temper, commitment phobia) or a traumatic past. This neglects the range of possible subtle ways to develop the character's mental and emotional struggles over the course of the story.
One of the criticisms of stories where characters' traumatic pasts are handled sloppily is that the character often comes off as whiny, angry, or otherwise without emotional depth in response to their history. Some of this criticism, I'm afraid, comes from the widespread sentiments that trauma survivors should 'get over' their experiences. But I think one of the major problems is that the author is focused on externalising the character's every thought and feeling, on having them 'act out' instead of allowing them to feel more quietly.
The face that the character presents to others can be radically different from their inner life, and therein lies the core of a compelling 'internal conflict'. Even if the character is suffering dramatically, they are unlikely to have the luxury of having an active breakdown every waking minute. Indeed, the tension of a character suppressing their feelings can be not just more realistic, but more compelling than having the character voice everything they feel.
The conflict doesn't have to be a darkly dramatic either. Perhaps the character struggles with their beliefs in the face of new events around them; perhaps they have some long-term challenge such as a mental illness that follows them. Perhaps the dichotomy between their mental life and the expectations of what they should present to the world creates opposing emotional pulls within the character. There are many, many possibilities to develop, so go out and write them.
-Stephanie Forgue Houghtllin
In any writing course, there's a lot of talk about 'internal conflict' as part of character development. When described, it often sounds like an admonition to give your character some dysfunctional characteristic (a temper, commitment phobia) or a traumatic past. This neglects the range of possible subtle ways to develop the character's mental and emotional struggles over the course of the story.
One of the criticisms of stories where characters' traumatic pasts are handled sloppily is that the character often comes off as whiny, angry, or otherwise without emotional depth in response to their history. Some of this criticism, I'm afraid, comes from the widespread sentiments that trauma survivors should 'get over' their experiences. But I think one of the major problems is that the author is focused on externalising the character's every thought and feeling, on having them 'act out' instead of allowing them to feel more quietly.
The face that the character presents to others can be radically different from their inner life, and therein lies the core of a compelling 'internal conflict'. Even if the character is suffering dramatically, they are unlikely to have the luxury of having an active breakdown every waking minute. Indeed, the tension of a character suppressing their feelings can be not just more realistic, but more compelling than having the character voice everything they feel.
The conflict doesn't have to be a darkly dramatic either. Perhaps the character struggles with their beliefs in the face of new events around them; perhaps they have some long-term challenge such as a mental illness that follows them. Perhaps the dichotomy between their mental life and the expectations of what they should present to the world creates opposing emotional pulls within the character. There are many, many possibilities to develop, so go out and write them.
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