Character sketches, #1a

Today I'm going to start my character sketches. That way I'll hopefully have them finished by the time NaNo actually starts.

I'm used to doing stuff like this from my many years of amateur acting, and I enjoy it. I'm hoping it will help me think about the characters and the world of the book in an organized, useful way. If not, I might not end up finishing them, but that's okay with me.

Someone (I don't remember who!) recommended a set of questions that are intended for RPG characters, but seem useful for other kinds of characters as well. I'm going to try them out for Ambrose and see if they work. I'll answer all of the questions myself, but some get a bit repetitive, so I won't post them all here.

Most of my answers are from Ambrose's point of view. My input appears in italics.

1. What is your full name? Ambrose Bent (no middle name)

2. Where and when were you born? I don't know where I was born. I was left at a (religious) orphanage in Boston, Massachusetts, when I was only one year old. I just turned eighteen in December.

4. Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like? I don't know. I grew up with a few other orphans, but I didn't like them much. I felt like an only child.

Ambrose does have a sister who's about a year younger than he is, but he doesn't know it yet.

6. What is your occupation? I am a student. I have just graduated high school, and I'll start college in the fall.

8. To which social class do you belong? I am a poor orphan, so I'm a member of the lower class in that way. However, in the fall I will attend a prestigious university on scholarship, so intellectually, I'm in the upper class.

12. What words and/or phrases do you use very frequently? Not sure.

Me either.

15. How would you describe your childhood in general? Well, I was an orphan, so it wasn't great. But it could have been a lot worse. The main focus of my childhood was religious instruction. I got a lot of it from people in my church, and I read a lot of it on my own.

18. Did you enjoy school? Yes, I enjoy reading and learning.

20. While growing up, did you have any role models? If so, describe them. Yes, my mentor Robert is a (priest) in our church. He took an interest in me early on (around age 11-12) because he saw my potential. Robert is a smart, business-like man. He gives me lots of things to read and then quizzes me ruthlessly about it, and we debate things a lot.

About putting the word priest in parentheses: I don't know what else to call them yet. It will be the equivalent of a priest, but this novel is definitely not set in the Catholic church.

27. Are you a virgin? If not, when and with whom did you lose your virginity? Yes, and I will be celibate for the rest of my life.

29. What do you consider the most important event of your life so far? Being left at the orphanage.

31. What do you consider your greatest achievement? Robert is most proud of where I am going to college, but I am most proud of the speech I gave at our graduation ceremony.

33. What is the most evil thing you have ever done? My pride is evil, although the church itself has instilled it in me.

35. When was the time you were the most frightened? When I had to get my appendix taken out. It was the first time I ever slept outside the orphanage.

37. If you could change one thing from your past, what would it be, and why? I would not want to be an orphan.

38. What is your best memory? The day I got into college, when Robert said he was proud of me.

39. What is your worst memory? Once Robert was angry with me for neglecting my work and it seemed like he had given up on me for a whole month. I had to beg him to take me back.

41. What is your greatest fear? That I will sin.

44. What are your views on sex? It's necessary only for procreation. As a (priest), I will never procreate, so I will never have sex.

46. In your opinion, what is the most evil thing any human being could do? Follow a hedonistic, godless lifestyle and get other people to follow him in that lifestyle.

48. What do you believe makes a successful life? There are different answers for different people. For some people (lesser people), it's getting married and having a family. For me, it's getting educated and becoming a (priest) and scholar. I hope to speak around the country (or around the world even) and maybe publish some books to attract people to my religion.

49. How honest are you about your thoughts and feelings (i.e. do you hide your true self from others, and in what way)? I am a very self-aware person. I have an analytical mind, and I turn it on itself all the time.

50. Do you have any biases or prejudices? I try to eliminate unfair biases, but our religions teaches beliefs that other consider prejudiced. For example, we believe that women should generally stay in the domestic sphere. I don't have racial or ethnic biases, but I do believe that people who don't believe in my religion are wrong.

52. Who or what, if anything, would you die for (or otherwise go to extremes for)? God.

59. What do you look for in a potential lover? N/A, but if I were going to get married, I would look for a woman who loved God as much as I do, and who would be an obedient wife and a good mother to our children.

62. Who would you turn to if you were in desperate need of help? The church. I would hesitate to turn to Robert, because I wouldn't want him to see me in a vulnerable state. But he would probably help me anyway.

63. Do you trust anyone to protect you? Who, and why? No.

69. Do you care what others think of you? Yes, probably more than I should. I want them to recognize my skill and intellect. Especially Robert.

71. What is your most treasured possession? The copy of the scripture I received when I entered the orphanage. I've read it countless times over the past seventeen years.

72. What is your favorite color? Not sure.

I don't like these kinds of questions. I don't think Ambrose would care, anyway.

73. What is your favorite food? None. Food is necessary for survival, but we shouldn't take pleasure in it.

Ambrose probably takes pleasure in it anyway.

77. How do you spend a typical Saturday night? Reading, praying, meditating.

78. What makes you laugh? . . .

I think if you asked Ambrose this question, he would just stare back at you blankly.

82. Are you spontaneous, or do you always need to have a plan? Sometimes I am spontaneous when I speak. A balance between planning and spontaneity is usually a good idea in those situations. In my own life, I have a careful plan.

83. What are your pet peeves? Bad grammar.

84. Describe the routine of a normal day for you. How do you feel when this routine is disrupted? My routine will change a lot this coming year. However, for the past few years, it's been like this: wake up, get dressed, wash, eat breakfast, go to school, do homework (for school and for Robert) in the library, eat dinner with Robert (where we also discuss and debate whatever reading he's given me), go home, pray and meditate, go to bed. On weekends, I will sometimes reward myself with a trip to the museum if I have the money. I will also go to religious services and sometimes do community service as well.

85. What is your greatest strength as a person? My speaking ability, my intellect.

86. What is your greatest weakness? My pride. It's perhaps the only sin I can't help committing over and over again.

87. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I sometimes think it would be easier to be a more normal member of the church, and settle down with a wife and kids and a normal job. However, I'm not sure I would change this if I had the power to do so.

91. Do you like yourself? I am proud of my accomplishments, but I also see my own faults very clearly.

93. What goal do you most want to accomplish in your lifetime? Become an accomplished (priest) and religious scholar.

96. If you knew you were going to die in 24 hours, name three things you would do in the time you had left. Pray to God, tell Robert goodbye, write something beautiful.

100. If you could, what advice would you, the player, give to your character? (You might even want to speak as if he or she were sitting right here in front of you, and use proper tone so he or she might heed your advice...)

I would tell him to have some experiences outside of his church and his religion, just to make sure he's not missing out on something better for him.