This is copied and pasted from another forum. I told them I'd get a second opinion for them: He says So it's not entirely that I am stuck. I simply wanted some help on some ideas I have for my novel. Now some of the chapters have been character development with a lot of running around, ahahaa. So in my story there is a place called Iron Point Bay, where the Tower of Lost was built. The Tower is in the center of a circular wall in the middle of an ocean. The Tower of Lost was built for those Afflicted with magic, the world after the Black Cloak Wars fear magic due to the fear mongering of the Paladins. This Tower is imprisonment sentenced for the rest of their lives. Where Arch Mages teach them how to suppress their magic, however, more grave things go on as well. Children [not all of them are] are subjected to horrible torture acts to find the source of magic. They are mutilated to find the source of their magic. Some of the Lost have their tongues cut off, while others simply a finger or a toe. Some have nothing done to them. While others are outright tortured until they die. My character Isolde ends up getting caught by the Guards. Well he kind of happens to allow himself to get caught by the Guards. In the story so far, he is naive, a little childish, curious, and filled with optimism. I mean a sickening amount of optimism. I know that I want the character to develop to become much colder as a character. And I know that I want to harden him as a character with a harder resolve. So there will be a few chapters really dedicated to his time in the Tower. I also have plans that they sew his eyes shut and torture him to "Purify" his body of evil. What my question is, how would the character develop in this environment? I am just sorta confirming that could harden him as a character with a more hardened resolved. His further responses to some questions: The story is about a war brewing. This character originally lived twenty years of his life in freedom as the apprentice of the current leader of the rebellion leader of the Black Cloaks. He is suppose to take on this current leaders position and succeed him. The character development is needed because in the second book of this series, he is much stronger, much harsher leader than his successor. Not to the point where he is hurting his minions and those who follow him. But in the sense that he shows no mercy to those who use the power of corrupted light. It also was to help develop him to become a leader within the Tower to have those imprisoned become followers and allies in the war he is suppose to lead. It also was going to be used towards the battle between his sister and himself. Also the development was going to turn his magic into a much darker twisted form than what it was. Though the story is all about the balance of both. That the only way this world can survive is with the equivalent strength of light and dark. The world is being sickened and turned dark and ghastly, not because darkness and demons exist. But because the light is getting rid of the balance of darkness. Light corrupting and corroding. Even the Tower was built in the mercy of light and justice. It's to turn the character who is a little neutral right now he kind of just helps everyone to create a sworn agreed allegiance like his sister has. In response to allowing the character speak to him: Absolutely. The chapters I do have him in all my characters speak to me. I am not changing him right away though. Just as his sister Chendra had her breaking point finally, I believe Isolde will have his too. He's still more a curious child than she is. I see him as scared of this new world and right now he's not sure where he is and what is going to happen. But he also wants to become braver and more confident in who is I know this as well. Thank you for all your help.
Well as I see it the best character development is the development that happens naturally. There is no best way to develop a character under these circumstances; what your friend wants to do-- or should attempt to do-- is get into the mind of this character and let the character come t life. It is hard to express the development and stretch it over a span of any number of chapters, but what is important is character interaction and reflections. By that I mean there is a scene, in this scene an event happens. After this event there is a sort of sequel in which the character is allowed to be with himself and reflect, or otherwise express reflection through calmer scenes with other characters who point out his hardening soul. Perceptions change, then ideals change, and consequently behaviors change. So your friend should let these traits unfold through events that the character must respond to naturally. if the character is strong willed, it may take longer to turn him. If he is weak, it may take a while for him ti rebuild courage. If, as stated, he is oddly optimistic, it may also take some seriously dark events in sequence to push him to a sort of breaking point. Batman is a character who had everything stripped in one day. He lost everything and fell from the top of the world to the lowest pit, and it took him time to learn to use his new hardness to his advantage. Contrastingly, Zuko from avatar took a long time to grow into the hero he was in the end. He had to face events that undermined and changed his perspective on the world until finally he hit a breaking point and understood who he was. It all comes down to knowing the character, putting them in a situation and letting them react.
