101 Character Profiles
A Writer's Reference Guide
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
THE ALOOF ONLOOKER
Ever come across a person who stands disengaged from life, quietly observing what is going on about him or her, restraining any show of feelings, and never getting close to anyone?
I have labeled this individual The Aloof Onlooker, a personality worth writing about because of the following reasons:
* It gives authors an opportunity to explore the inner life of a withdrawn and probably fearful individual
* It provides the prospect of elaborating on responses of onlookers to this self-protective behavior.
Why does the onlooker behave as he or she does.
Causal Factors
Aloof onlookers
· Were born with inherited temperaments that react to the unfamiliar with excessive fear (showing stress reactions that spike often and ebb slowly)
· Had parents who (1) were sometimes demanding and authoritarian, (2) demanded more emotional responses from the child than was developmentally appropriate, or, (3) were intolerant of demonstrated emotions.
Whatever the involved causal factors, we may be sure the onlooker is afraid of intimacy and the emotional demands that closeness to others evokes.
Childhood Characteristics
Aloof Children
· Had few friends
· Were heavily involved with reading and private hobbies
· Enjoyed being independent
· Disliked working in committees
· Were careful not to show feelings
Adult Characteristics
Aloof grow-ups
· Are quiet
· Are disengaged
· Are shy
· Lack energy &n
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
101 Character Profiles
When readers respond to characters by declaring they are believable and comprehensible they are saying the story actors appear true-to-life. That is, given the influences of inherited and environmental factors they act as expected. In addition, the observed conduct closely resembles the culturally anticipated and described actions of persons enclosed within a particular personality silhouette (e.g. a costumed clown is supposed to behave as a clown).
In this essential reference guide, Dr. Harold F. Burks assists writers to make story characters more realistic by:
- Presenting a socially acceptable definition of each personality type
- Outlining biological, family, and cultural influences, leading to the formation of personality make ups
- Providing the behavioral symptoms shown by a personality style
- When appropriate, describing differing symptoms shown by the two sexes
- When appropriate, demonstrating trait differences in children compared to adults
- When appropriate, explaining divergences in life outcomes if a behavior is shown to a mild or severe degree
- When appropriate, offering both positive and negative outcomes emanating from demonstrated symptoms
- Offering internal dialogue examples of individuals contained in a personality profile
- Supplying suggestions how symptomatic characters may be integrated into a story plot
Readers of this comprehensive and wide-ranging book are offered hundreds of down-to-earth suggestions for dealing with characters who exhibit unique backgrounds, current behaviors, and internal ruminations about self-image, feelings and attitudes.
About the Author
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Harold F. Burks is a clinical therapist who has written six books and many professional articles on the subject of psychology.
During his career, Dr. Burks received a number of research grant enabling him to uncover the characteristics of the Attention Deficit Child. He then constructed psychological instruments that diagnosed the disorder. Under the auspices of the California State Department of Education, he set up treatment classes for ADD youngsters and acted as a consultant to schools and universities.
This author has written in the field of creativity and produced a popular game promoting imagination.
But Dr. Burks is probably best known for creating The Burks Behavior Rating Scales, a psychological measuring device that has been employed internationally to analyze the emotional and learning problems of over twenty million kindergarten through high school subjects.
As a clinical psychologist, trained in the field of psychoanalysis, he has had extensive experience in the treatment of adult patients. This expertise combined with the knowledge acquired in child investigative efforts makes him uniquely qualified to write a book on character development.