Character Basics: Beliefs and Wants

    When creating a character there are common aspects to think about such as their appearance, color scheme, maybe their fighting style, what the character likes and dislikes etc. Furthermore, what makes a character on a deeper level is how they act and react to their surroundings. This deeper level stems from the various parts of character arcs which answers "why" the character acts a certain way. This section reveals The Want component of character arcs.  

    K.M. Weiland states within her site that a character's Want is defined as their goal(s). In regards to the monkey faunus, Oliver Orilyus, his goal is to become stronger to face the Grimm, given he has been avoiding them throughout his travels. This goal furthers his search for power and leads him to the training academy called Beacon known for raising Hunters who prevail against Grimm, physical manifestations of darkness. If a character were to have no goal, there won't be much progression within the story. With this in mind, it is fine if a character is unaware of their goal, but is pushed towards one instead. For example, while training at Beacon academy Oliver could have nothing planned for a day, but a fellow classmate persuades him to win a bet in their place for fear of loosing.

    Another aspect of characters are their beliefs, which define their outlook on life. Despite his tragic past Oliver believes in enjoying life even though the Grimm are real and dangerous. A character's belief can drive part of their moral compass, as Oliver, or all of it. Beliefs go hand-in-hand with what the character values and is what they draw on for making decisions. In the case of Oliver, his decisions when I role-played him were mainly towards being a laidback student who didn't work hard to stay in school. Rather he focused on physical training, occasionally noting tips on defeating Grimm, and hanging out with classmates to experience a normal life. By knowing a character's wants and beliefs,  readers can understand the character's attributes such as their attitude or demeanor, how they will interact with the world or people, what they care about, etc.

    What wants and beliefs can you think of for other characters or actors you know of? How do those wants and beliefs drive the story overall? Let me know in the comments below, or just tell me what you think in general.