January 20

Journal 2: Character Development

Note to self: Focus on the fact that this tale will be an audio later on...

Protagonist Character Details:

Since this story is a reflection of my life's decision, with a twist, I will be writing from a first person perspective and essentially be the protagonist. 

Name: Kala (time, dark/black, dream, art) Swarup (truth, true nature, form)

Age: 16, student, She/Her

Appearance: Indian, dark brown skin, almost black eyes, straight black hair, average height& weight, nothing "special"

Traits: talkative, passionate (lots of hobbies) indecisive, fairly intelligent, creative, meticulous, methodical

Goals: to do something impactful to herself, but also the people around her, make parents proud, go on adventures and experience new things

Fears: afraid of failing after choosing to do something, not being able to commit to just one thing, always questioning if she can do the same thing for the rest of her life (career), insecure about getting into a college, afraid to admit to dream big 

Antagonist/Obstacle Details: 

This story is mainly a character vs self conflict, making the obstacle Kala's fears. Getting over such boundaries is always difficult, so the coin will be the vessel that allows her to move past. The fear of not being able to choose a path is an obstacle for the protagonist because she has always been a reassured person. Ambiguity has a lingering presence in her life that has always followed her gut instict. Resorting to letting a coin decide her fate, the protagonist feels even more unsettled by the future. 

Another Character/Half-Antagonist: 

To include more dialogue, another character is needed. This will be Kala's Mom who sees the potential in her but is also someone who will ensure those abilities are utilized. She will hold Kala accountable, which can feel suffocating at times though it is a necessary push. In a sense, the Mom can be somewhat of an obstacle in Kala's life as well. Facing her means facing the reality that Kala has no idea what she's doing- something that can be strenuous to accept. 

The Coins Role:

As established previously, Kala will flip a coin to "decide her fate." While the coin is in the air however, she realizes that she is secretly rooting for a specific side. This will change her motivations as she has discerned what she wants to do- even if that path may lay her astray, she finally acknowledges that picking something, doing something, is an improvement from nothing. 

A few ideas for how the character is introduced to the coin:

1. The character is introduced to the "binding coin" by her mother who says that she will do whatever the coin chooses- heads being doctor and tails being lawyer. Whatever profession it chooses will be the career Kala will embark on. While not magically binding, with her Mom watching, it may as well be.

2. The coin is flipped on Kala's own accord and she promises herself that she will bind to whatever the coin chooses. She realizes as it is spinning what she actually wants and is secretly rooting for. 

3. The coin is magical and literally binding and it is normal in the world to use "decision dimes" to determine the future. I'm leaning away from this idea because it requires that same world building that I didn't fully enjoy in the last SDA. However, it would make for a much more intriguing story. 

Character Conversation: 

Context: Kala and her Mom are about to go to an event. 

"Firefighter or nuclear scientist? Teacher or artist? Aviation engineer or..." My Mom kept rambling on and on as she did before each event until I stopped her, this time too, with the same reaction- the eyebrow-raise-worthy phrase.

"Just go with doctor." These four words were what I instantly fumbled to- a gravitation that had convinced me this was the field to go into for most of my growing up. Doctor was the profession that surrounded me- I knew more than I did engineers, and it felt like there was certainty in being one- a procedure to follow and a recipe that the respected people before me modeled.

She continued listing, "Pediatrician or Ophthalmologist? Determatologist or Cardiac Surgeon? I know you are passionate in many things, but you cannot expect to do everything in life Kala, that is the same as doing nothing at all."

"I am doing.."

"You are talking rather than walking. How can you expect yourself to if no path lay ahead? That is like driving on a road with no direction. At some point you will have to stop your mindless journey and use a map or else you will waste your gas until the car is too tattered to run and so old a truck needs to haul it."

"I have stopped for help, but there is no map to guide me nor am I a Dora to follow it."

"Laughing it off should do for today. No need to tell people you will be a doctor and fill them with falsity."