Geneology and Historical Fiction: Questions of Character

     As a baby boomer I remember growing up with parents, grand parents and assorted aunts and uncles, each trying to out do the others with stories of the Great Depression. It stuck. In many respects I felt like I  already had a handle on "Dust and Roses" before I even started writing. Both sides of my family lived on small farms and so, was spared the worst that the Depression could meter out. Mom's side lived in Oklahoma that did not even get dust storms. Dad's side lived southwest of Wichita and did get numerous dust storms. So, the first books of research I started were histories of the 1930s and childhood memoirs of growing up during the Depression, especially on farms and in the Midwest. I also read a few "craft of fiction writing" books, so it was a learn-as-you-go endeavor on several fronts.

Coming up with a cast of characters was easy. Mom is still doing genealogy and I even did a family history paper in high school. That is a story in itself. I've also worked with different disabled populations over the years so life gave me a broad slate in terms of brainstorming characters.

     Uncovering the lives of ancestors and developing characters for a historical novel brings up the same questions: occupation, economic situation, religion, nearby towns, "the country" around, what to do for fun. All these things and more  affect character, both real and fictional. The world in which they live also becomes a process  of discovery. Both are full of surprises. 

To me, it is the people's stories and their changing world--not the headlines--that define history.

My writing group talked about character building yesterday. I got a handout on character building, which consisted of a series of questions. As I read the handout I realized these are good question life questions when interviewing for family story info. The more journalistic family tree detectives can use this as a tool. Or not. But think of the answers you might uncover!! So read the questions and adapt however you wish.

CHARACTER PROFILE QUESTIONS:
1. Relationship with parents. What does he/she hate/like most about their father/mother? What influence/opinion does the family have about him?
2. His brothers and sisters. Who were they? What was the relationship like with each? Who did he like and who did he despise? Why?
3. What type of discipline was he subjected to at home?
4. Was he overprotected or sheltered?
5. Did he feel affection or rejection as a child?
6. What were the economic conditions of the family?
7. What were the economic conditions like in the area around? Any difference?
8. What was the religious nature of the family? Does it change for the character over time?
9. What are his political beliefs?
10. Is he street smart, book smart, intelligent, savvy?
11. How does he seem himself? Smart, dumb, uneducated, slow?
12. What is his speech like? Vocabulary? Pronunciation?
13. How did he do in school? Best friends from school?
14. What sports, clubs, activities, was he involved with in school?
15. How far did he get in school? Any specialties?
16. What did he do for a living? What does he like/dislike about it? Is he a people person or good with numbers, tools, animals, computers?
17. Did her travel? Where, when, why?
18. Any military service? Where and when. Any stories?
19. What was his deepest disillusion in the past? What is it now?
20. What was his greatest life changing experience? What event affected him the most personally?

I will finish this tomorrow. Ten more questions to go. The source for these questions is from the National Novel Writing Month website.