Response Assignment #2: 

Due: February 22nd 

In no less than two pages, take any main character within the readings for next week and describe, in a journal entry, how you might represent this character within your medium, given your understanding of the character through the text. There are multiple ways that you could approach this assignment, even within your own medium. Below are just a few examples and/or suggested approaches to journaling about your character. 

For all: consider the character's mood, tone, conflicts, way of dressing, overall appearance, etc. Who is this person? What motivates him/her? What are his/her fears, greatest hopes, desires, dreams, darkest secrets, etc? How does this character interact with others? Any exceptions? Is this a flat or round character? (See the character development handout for more traits to consider). This is a journal entry, which means that you have the freedom to write however you want, but I do require that you address WHY you make the connections you are making. Once you have a good picture in your head about the overall character, consider the following potential suggestions/approaches: 

• Do a free-flow, stream-of-consciousness writing about how you see this character in your medium. For example, if you are in a visual media field (such as painting, filmmaking, illustration, graphic arts, etc.) paint, draw, create, a picture or set of pictures (moving or static) with your words . . . that will make the reader see the character's traits visually. I emphasize TRAITS. While you will certainly bring the character's external appearance to life, the important part of this exercise is to also attempt to somehow attempt to visually illuminate your character's fears, anxieties, joys, motivations, secrets, etc. Can you visually represent, with words, a character who is angry? Who is sneaky? A character who is protective or in love? or jealous? What colors would you use? WHY? What kind of lines? (heavy, light, soft?) and WHY? Explain your treatment . . . 

• You could also talk about how you might represent this character in a film treatment, a short story (if you were given this character and told to write something of your own -- totally different from what you are reading), a poem, a drama, if you are a writer of some sort. How would YOU portray this character in a totally different narrative, but utilizing the same character traits? WHY? 

• If you are a fashion designer, how would you dress this character in a way that would represent their traits and characteristics? If this character is an angry, jealous character, what clothing would you design or create for them that would represent these traits and WHY? What colors would you use, and WHY? What kind of lines would you use in the designs for the clothing, and WHY? 

• If you had to market or advertise this "character" (as if it were a brand of something) to the public, how would you do it? Think CONCEPTUALLY. You could even apply a product to the character . . . be creative. What kind of product would describe this character? What kind of food or music? WHY? What you want to do is think about all the adjectives that you can to describe this person, their behavior, their actions, and then see what comes up in your mind . . . let it be a free-flowing association. Does any particular car pop into your head? WHY? A band? A food? WHY? Perhaps it's because advertising and marketing has already associated a particular product or brand with those same characteristics (and you are now subconsciously doing a reverse association). Journal about it . . . free flowing journal . . . just let yourself write about what comes up for you. But address WHY you think you make the associations you do. No matter what your media or field, you can take any of the above concepts and adapt them to your medium. If you have any questions, email me. 

** Again, always, always back up your thoughts with some example, quote, or explanation (even in the last two paragraphs of this assignment). 

For example: I would paint her dress with a light yellow ochre and dab it softly with a mixture of titanium white and a touch of blue violet. I would make her appear soft and swaying, and almost ethereal, because, as the author suggests, she herself was practically translucent: “Emily strode light as a feather, almost whispering her way through the house with every step, hardly noticed, hardly seen” (citation).