Exercise 2: Creating Characters' Motivations Objective: Practice creating your own characters and developing their internal and external motivations. Instructions: Create two characters and provide a description of their internal and external motivations. Then, write a short scene where their motivations influence their actions. Character 1: • Internal Motivation: ____________________________________________ • External Motivation: ____________________________________________ Character 2: • Internal Motivation: ____________________________________________

Question

Katniss’ internal motivation for volunteering as tribute is rooted in her love and protective instinct for her younger sister, Prim. The thought of Prim being chosen for the Hunger Games fills Katniss with dread, and her decision reflects a deep-seated desire to safeguard her sister at all costs, showcasing her bravery and selflessness.

Katniss’ external motivation for volunteering is driven by the societal norms and pressures of the Hunger Games and the expectation of self-sacrifice within her district.

These motivations significantly advance the plot by setting the stage for Katniss' evolving journey as a hero. Her internal motivation showcases her character's depth and the emotional stakes involved, while her external motivation introduces a conflict against the authoritarian regime of the Capitol.

Lily Bennett

Lily seeks validation and acceptance after years of feeling overlooked and underestimated. She is driven by a need to prove her worth, both to herself and to those around her.

As a junior architect, Lily is determined to impress her firm’s senior partners with her innovative design proposal for a high-profile urban project.

Marcus Chen

Marcus grapples with guilt from a past failure where a friend's career was jeopardized due to a missed opportunity he could have facilitated.

• External Motivation: ____________________________________________ Scene: Write a short scene (3-4 lines) where these characters interact, and their motivations influence their decisions or actions. Consider how their internal and external motivations affect the way they speak, act, or make decisions. __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

Answer 1

Character 1: Lily Bennett

• Internal Motivation: Lily seeks validation and acceptance after years of feeling overlooked and underestimated. She is driven by a need to prove her worth, both to herself and to those around her.
• External Motivation: Lily is determined to impress her firm’s senior partners with her innovative design proposal for a high-profile urban project.

Character 2: Marcus Chen

• Internal Motivation: Marcus grapples with guilt from a past failure where a friend's career was jeopardized due to a missed opportunity he could have facilitated.
• External Motivation: Marcus feels a strong obligation to support and mentor younger colleagues to ensure they don’t face the same pitfalls he did.

Scene:

As the sun streamed through the glass walls of the conference room, Lily nervously smoothed the edges of her design proposal. “This one could really change everything for our firm, Marcus,” she said, her voice wavering slightly, desperation creeping in.

Marcus leaned closer, recognizing the flicker of doubt in her eyes. “You’re not just impressing them, Lily. You’re showing them who you genuinely are,” he encouraged, feeling the weight of his own past failures pressing down on him. “Let’s make sure your voice is heard—it’s time you took that leap.”

With renewed determination, Lily met his gaze, a sense of reassurance blossoming within her. “You’re right. I can’t let this chance slip away like before.”

Marcus nodded, the flames of his own guilt igniting his resolve to protect her future, vowing silently that he wouldn’t let her fall while they both aimed for success.