1191

Writing:
Character Status Exercise
Write a scene in which your characters are put into a context that calls their sense of status into play. Status can mean your character has (or believes he has) more money, a better job, or is smarter, stronger, and so on, or that he has less or is worse. Particularly focus on the character’s private assessment of his state or condition as compared to the other character’s in the scene. Does your character really believe he has a superior status, or an inferior one? How does it affect his motivations and explain his actions? Keep in mind that all sorts of status levels exist – who is coolest, who has more grandchildren, etc. How does status affect the power of a character?

Example: Write a short scene between two neighbors, one of whom has more Christmas lights than the other. Then, introduce a representative from the electricity company into the scene.

Reading:
Burroway: Setting Chapter
Gwynn: Ernest Hemingway's “Hills Like White Elephants”