45 Master Characters (55 page)

Be the most attractive man on the construction site. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sly Stallone and Steven Seagal all have that tough muscle man charisma that elevates them above everyone else. As does Jackie Chan with his skills.

This stage also hints at the missing element in his life — nature, “the wild man lurking within,” as author Robert Bly puts it. He isn't in touch with the greater whole, the connection and relatedness we all share together. He has suppressed his emotions, and he looks at the world as a scientist rather than a participant.

Many films about war show emotionless men fighting and killing who later stop and look around at all the destruction around them. The image of the soldier carrying a child to safety in the end of these films shows how much that character has changed since this stage.

He usually meets any one of the supporting character types who is in touch with the natural, instinctual, primal side of life, the part he's lacking.

Examples of Stage 1

Gilgamesh
translated by Maureen Kovacs

“The first tablet opens with a narrator praising the wisdom of Gilgamesh, a famous king of old who left eternal monuments of both his royal and personal accomplishments.” Life is grand for Gilgamesh. He is worshipped, respected and feared. His world is perfect except for his own longing to prove himself.

Star Wars

Luke Skywalker's life is OK. He's not happy with the way his uncle forces him to stay on the farm, but things aren't too bad for him either. He feels a responsibility to help provide for his family, but he wants to become a Jedi knight. He desperately wants “off this rock.”

Three Kings

The Gulf war is over and all the men, who have been forced into the role of protectors for their country, are having a party because they get to go home soon. Archie (George Clooney) is having sex with a reporter. Everything seems to be going his way.

Moby Dick
by Herman Melville

Ishmael travels to a small town in hopes of seeing the world and broadening his horizons. He finds a place to sleep and gets passage aboard a ship but there's a hint that his adventure will be less than perfect. The world is not as perfect as he'd like to imagine it to be.

Gender-Bending:
The Long Kiss Goodnight

The film opens showing us a pleasant small town celebrating Christmas. Samantha/Charly (Geena Davis) is playing Mrs. Claus in the town parade. She has a party at her house with all her friends around her, and life seems perfect, except for the fact that she has amnesia.

Remember to think about the pressure he feels to keep plugging along in life as he has been.

This stage uses what he cares about to keep his blinders in place.

Come up with five different ways to show his blinders.

Remember you're introducing your hero to your reader in this stage and setting up the theme of the story.

Just like in the feminine journey, it helps to think about what happened to the character just before the opening scene to add some color to it or reveal more about his character.

Stage 2: Friends and Enemies

John climbs the mountain. The air grows thinner and colder. His fingers freeze to his gloves. He feels the weight of his backpack on his shoulders. He's tempted to stop for the night, throwing him off schedule.

In the distance he sees the light of a campsite. Others are out here with him, and he takes comfort.

In this stage a friend or enemy comes on the scene, pushing the hero on and leading him to accept the forthcoming call. This character may:

Have news the hero has been waiting for.

Have information the hero has been trying to find.

Save the hero's life.

Be seen as competition for the hero.

Help the hero meet someone else or network.