Hello, I was researching tips on how to make an engaging character and came across this interesting article: http://timstout.wordpress.com/2011/05/21/3-things-creating-characters-you-can-connect-with/ Thought I would share!
He barely touched on one I think is just as important as his other three - humour. Any character who is intentionally funny will garner our attention and make us care about them. In Romeo and Juliet it's the minor character, Romeo's friend Mercutio who comes close to stealing the show. In fact, Mercutio steals every scene he's in, and makes us share Romeo's rage when Tybalt kills him. How does Mercutio steal the show? He makes us laugh. He's a true comic, cynical, irrepressible, and truly witty. Mercutio even dies with a joke on his lips. Even characters who are unintentionally funny can be attractive characters, but I can't think of any in that category whom I totally identify with. I laugh at them, but not with them. Identification with a character's personality or dilemma is the key to making us care about them, I reckon.
Perhaps a sense of humour would fall under the 3rd category? I could see that being an admirable trait and a very strong way to connect to the character. I remember this book I read in high school about this lazy, cowardly guy who goes about doing all these random things. I think he got dragged into them somehow but always came out on top despite his bad qualities. I think it was called Sir Apropos of Nothing or something like that. The character was meant to be out there and largely unlikeable but I connected to him because of the humour throughout the book. I can't remember if it was 1st or 3rd person though. A humorous outlook can be done well either way though.
