This week, let’s take a deeper look at character motivations. What makes the characters act like they do? Writers are often told to give characters goals, but along with those goals come motivations. Why do they want those goals? The reasons characters act the way they do will not only affect how they make decisions but also how other characters perceive them.
Real Motivation
Real motivation is why the character acts the way he does. If he doesn’t eat pork, it could be because he’s Jewish. It could also be because he doesn’t like pork or he’s conscious of his weight and knows pork is a fatty meat. This is just a small example, and, while it’s a nice detail, you don’t have to go this far in depth. Remember, characterization is good, but don’t spend all your time on it and never write the story.
Let’s look at motivations on a bigger level. Let’s say a character’s goal is financial security. The motivation is because his mother raised him by herself and he wants to make the end of her life comfortable. He also wishes to have his own family and give them all the things he never had growing up. When you know that is his goal and motivation, you know what he’s willing to give up and what he’s not. If his money comes at the cost of his relationship with his family, he’ll choose them over money. Knowing character motivations at their core helps you write your story in a way that keeps true to the characters.
It’s also important to remember that there are internal and external motivations. In our example above, he wants financial security for his loved ones. His internal motivation is love. He loves them and wants to be worthy of their love in return. His external motivation is their security and comfort. Because he loves them, he wants them to be happy. In this scenario, if money comes at a cost of losing his family’s love or respect, he won’t pursue it. His internal motivation is more important than seeing them live in luxury. However, that can change depending on his circumstances.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
This pyramid is used in psychology to show the levels of motivation each person can achieve.
Starting at the bottom of the pyramid, a person must achieve each level before he can move to the next. First, a person must have the basics to survive: shelter, food, clothing, etc. Once those are achieved, a person is motivated by safety. This can be physical or financial. Next, there is the need for connection either through family, friendships, or lovers. Once that’s achieved, a person searches for esteem. They desire respect, recognition, self-worth, etc. The top of the pyramid is self-actualization. It’s the idea that a person only desires to be the best he can be, but this can only happen for those who have all the other levels of needs fulfilled. If someone doesn’t have the basics such as food and shelter, he won’t care about being his best self.
In our example with the man and his family, if he becomes so poor he can’t provide for his family, his external motivation will become more important than his internal one. He would rather see them cared for physically (level 1 and 2 of the pyramid) than try to keep their affection (level 3) and respect (level 4). You’ll need to examine your story’s circumstances in order to pick the right primary motivation for each character. Just keep the hierarchy of needs in mind so your character’s motivations are realistic to the level of motivation they have achieved.
Apparent Motivation
Apparent motivation is what everyone else perceives the character’s motivation to be in the story. Often, unless someone explains, people misread why people act the way they do. A quiet person could be perceived as stuck up but in reality he’s just shy. A boisterous person can often be seen as an attention-hog, but he could be a socially nervous person who talks a lot when anxious.
In our example in the section above, other people may mistake the man’s wish for financial security as greed. His coworkers may think him cutthroat and unfeeling since he’s willing to do anything to get promoted. There are many potential motivations for how people act, and that means most people won’t truly understand someone else’s motivations. Use the reality of misunderstandings to create conflict in the story and add another layer of tension.
Final Thoughts
As with character reactions, knowing character motivations can help you easily write your story. If you know why they act, then you’ll always know how they would act in any scene. Also, having characters misunderstand each other’s motivations adds to story conflict. Creating character motivations accomplishes two tasks in one move: realistic characters and layered conflict.
Thanks for reading!
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