Monday, December 29, 2014

Produce A Strong Antagonist

Antagonists are characters who prevent your protagonist from getting what she wants. An antagonist can be a villain or he can be a relative or neighbour, as extensive as he creates plausible obstacles for your protagonist. A narrative can suffer whether the antagonist isn’t as absorbing or as burly as your leading attribute. So it’s primary that you actualize a active antagonist. Challenge these questions approximately your antagonist to cook trustworthy he is a athletic and memorable bent.


Instructions


1. What does your antagonist hankering? A active antagonist Testament always yen something and Testament end whatever she can to receive it. Your antagonist Testament normally necessity the equivalent body as your protagonist---love care, business, escort role in a film and so on. Other times, your antagonist might simply appetite to humiliate your protagonist, alike a schoolyard bully. Decide the what and why of your antagonist’s desires.


2. Are his strengths Identical to the protagonist? Is he a strong-arm human race or is he an imagination at a greater university? Does he retain superhuman or supernatural strengths, such as Dracula? Or is he simply manipulative or fine at pushing people’s buttons? Whatever your antagonist’s strengths are, make certain they match toe-to-toe with your protagonist.


4. Does your antagonist have interesting qualities, interests or quirks? Does he like to play the tuba, For example? Does he have an interest in fine wines? What qualities or physical descriptions does your antagonist have that make him strong or memorable? William Shakespeare’s villain Richard III, in his play of the same name, has a hunchback and lame arm.5. Is your antagonist suitably intimidating? A strong antagonist should provide a serious challenge to your protagonist.


3. Does your antagonist have weaknesses? Does she have a fear of heights? Or snakes? Or is she insanely jealous? Insecure? Dracula’s weaknesses are sunlight, crosses and garlic. No matter how powerful a character he is, she can always be undermined by her weaknesses. This keeps your story from being one-sided and prevents your protagonist from becoming a victim.


Make sure she is a real threat. Have her commit actions which show how threatening she is. The antagonist doesn’t necessarily have to be violent (although, depending on the type of story you’re telling, her willingness to use violence will certainly be intimidating). She can be intellectually intimidating, such as an erudite and well-educated college professor. Nurse Ratched, in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest," never struck any of the mental patients under her care, but she still cut a pretty intimidating presence because of the power she held over them and the subtle ways she manipulated their psychological problems.