Inspiring Characters

We all have our heroes. They are people we observe who we aspire to. Frodo dreams of having adventures like Bilbo. Taran wants to be a warrior like Gwydion (Chronicles of Prydain). Rin wants to be confident like Isi (Forest Born).

In a story, it's important to have characters to relate to. Someone the reader understands. She's timid...she doesn't have confidence to face the challenges ahead. I get that. Or, he's cocky. His arrogant attitude is constantly getting him in trouble. Boy, that reminds me of someone. But by the end of the tale, this character (if he's a protagonist, at least) should have changed. They should have overcome their challenges and discovered that they're more than average. They should now be someone the reader can aspire to.

If your character remains the same from beginning to end, your story might be rather flat. Is your character stronger now then when they first begun? They should have discovered their self worth or found their courage. They might have learned that it's better to build people up instead of tearing them down. If they haven't changed, there's no inspiration for your reader to change. And we should be changing. We should be striving to become a better person each day.

An easy way to began the character's journey is having another character that inspires them.Usually, this is an older character who has learned many things. Or it could be a young character whose gone through much in their few years.

These sort of characters can often be some of my very favorites. Sometimes, they are the main character, and I really enjoy that. Sure they're so awesome, the reader says. But they're nothing like me. Really? If examined closer, the veteran character might indeed be like the observer underneath all their experience and trials. How did they let their troubles and joys change them? What are they still struggling with, and how are they facing the events ahead? If written right, I think they can be some of the most fascinating characters of all. They're great examples, both to the other characters in the story and to us.

But why do these characters so inspire us? Hopefully, it is because they are reflections of the Greatest Example of all.