How to make a silent character?

[Motsu]

I was thinking of a cool and hushed main character that doesn't talk so much. We could consider the character mute, but that would be the same as having no main character at all. The main character makes choices in every important situation—pulls everyone out of their fears and leads them to victory. (like the main character rushes on the scene signaling that 'he intends to help,' or stops and watches the scene unfolds signaling that 'he doesn't want to help,' and the main character's friends follow his actions.) The natural leader of sorts... but in any case, the main character is tight-lipped most of the time.

How does one manage to pull a good story out of this kind of character? If the character is silent, wouldn't that mean the main character is thinking a lot of things in his mind? But even if the main character's thoughts aren't written, and only describe what he has seen... what would make the silent character fit in the story—a good story?

I swear it'd be a loss of words and pages for chapters, but it would be a good challenge to test someone's ability to describe something with ease and concise details without making it sound so hard or fluffy.

 

[Kuropon]

Give him a parrot that talks for him

 

[Snusmumriken]

As Kuropon said might be better to give him a speaking companion. perhaps a teammate or a sidekick. when it is necessary to do social interactions.

You can have him internally monologue his thoughts while the other characters are scratching their heads trying to understand him.

 

[AliceShiki]

I was thinking of a cool and hushed main character that doesn't talk so much. We could consider the character mute, but that would be the same as having no main character at all. The main character makes choices in every important situation—pulls everyone out of their fears and leads them to victory. (like the main character rushes on the scene signaling that 'he intends to help,' or stops and watches the scene unfolds signaling that 'he doesn't want to help,' and the main character's friends follow his actions.) The natural leader of sorts... but in any case, the main character is tight-lipped most of the time.

How does one manage to pull a good story out of this kind of character? If the character is silent, wouldn't that mean the main character is thinking a lot of things in his mind? But even if the main character's thoughts aren't written, and only describe what he has seen... what would make the silent character fit in the story—a good story?

I swear it'd be a loss of words and pages for chapters, but it would be a good challenge to test someone's ability to describe something with ease and concise details without making it sound so hard or fluffy.

I don't see why a mute main character wouldn't be able to function as a main character... You'd just need to make the MC handling their disability part of the key points of the story.

As for how to make a story where the character simply doesn't talk much... I think the ideal method would be to make the story have a 1st person narrative. You can narrate things directly from the MC's point of view and show all their thoughts, so it wouldn't be too hard to make the readers relate to them and understand their reasons behind their actions.

 

[Motsu]

Give him a parrot that talks for him

As Kuropon said might be better to give him a speaking companion. perhaps a teammate or a sidekick. when it is necessary to do social interactions.

You can have him internally monologue his thoughts while the other characters are scratching their heads trying to understand him.

It's not that they need to have someone to talk to for the main character—it isn't also that the main character has to be mute! The main character is just silent, makes decisions with actions, but while the MC may be tight-lipped—the MC does talk.

Let's say we make choices for the MC using indirect dialogue, "He turned behind her—undesired to chatter—but after a stubborn persuasion, he looked at her and agreed to talk." And him agreeing to talk would him doing a single nod or a single 'Yeah.'

The companions can also be replaced for friends, like this...
"Gasp! You're going in there alone?"
"..."
"I knew it! Let me join in. Two is better than one, you know." Or some sort.

Having the main character's internal monologue ramp up the entire chapter isn't good... it is like dumping information than necessary and almost doesn't progress the whole story because you kept reading the MC's thoughts about nothing but insults, their day, or about the future (but of course, if they don't this then they're good!).

Maybe we could do that, but with a monologue that's related to the story... like for example, they're fighting an evil organization—his minds would be thinking about the evil organization, his allies, him/their next plan, and past (if there is something that happened to the MC related to the evil organization). However, it would break plot twists as now you can't introduce something the main character knows in a surprising way! The mystifying main character would then be just a silent main character who keeps talking in his head. I'd like to keep the main character's thoughts so I could use his past for a good plot twist.

I don't see why a mute main character wouldn't be able to function as a main character... You'd just need to make the MC handling their disability part of the key points of the story.

No, no! Don't make the MC disabled all of a sudden. I know I made it sound like the MC couldn't talk but he is just tight-lipped most of the time. The MC can actually talk. The problem is making the character fit into a story, making the MC important even though he is silent—and mysteriously cool.

For example, the MC has been chosen by a power to fight back an evil monster and has a past related to the events he is currently facing which he can't remember—making the MC important. Of course, he has allies who are chosen too that follow him and respects his decision. Other than that, I don't know how to fit the character in a story?

As for how to make a story where the character simply doesn't talk much... I think the ideal method would be to make the story have a 1st person narrative. You can narrate things directly from the MC's point of view and show all their thoughts, so it wouldn't be too hard to make the readers relate to them and understand their reasons behind their actions.

The 1st person narrative is what I was also thinking because having a silent protagonist unable to make any readers grasp the protagonist's intention, perspective, and moral conscience would be bad.

 

[Deleted member 45782]

Thought you meant mute character for a sec. So just kinda quiet character. Still interesting.

 

[OneSixSeven]

Give him a parrot that talks for him

I see you what did you there...

 

[Deleted member 45782]

We could consider the character mute, but that would be the same as having no main character at all.

Actually, its a challenge but one can pull it off. A mute character can still be an interesting main character.

That aside, for a character that is quiet and doesn't talk much. Maybe its through actions and how others interpret them.

 

[Motsu]

Actually, its a challenge but one can pull it off. A mute character can still be an interesting main character.

Oh yes, of course, with the right method. That is what I was talking about actually. A silent MC yet interesting and unique.

That aside, for a character that is quiet and doesn't talk much. Maybe its through actions and how others interpret them.

Right. Using actions to communicate is a silent MC's ability.

I've actually said all of the points you've made already. As you can see, I still need different ways to make a silent MC interesting and a solid real life like character.

 

[hueyhare]

Having a mute or silent character is actually pretty common in survival stories. Look at Robinson Crusoe, for example. He doesn't have anyone to talk to for over half of the book. Survival stories are often a single character alone in the wilderness with no one to talk to, but I don't see why you couldn't do it in a more populated location either.

I think it would be a mistake to leave out the MC's thoughts though. Because he/she participates in very little dialogue, the reader needs a way to know who the MC is. One of the biggest reasons people fall in love with books is the characters, especially the MC. They can normally learn that through their actions, thoughts, and conversations. Little to no conversation means you need to increase the other two.

I also think that it might be helpful to make the MC a good problem solver. Instead of showing every single thought the MC has, focus on the thoughts that drive the story forward. Focus on the MC trying to think their way out of a bad situation, or understanding subtle (but relevant) body language in a conversation.

 

[Motsu]

Having a mute or silent character is actually pretty common in survival stories. Look at Robinson Crusoe, for example. He doesn't have anyone to talk to for over half of the book. Survival stories are often a single character alone in the wilderness with no one to talk to, but I don't see why you couldn't do it in a more populated location either.

That's basically where we throw a silent MC most often to make him fit into the story. But we shouldn't apply it too much to survival stories as it is typically cliche. We can put the MC in a populated town... he is silent, but maybe because of a certain past. Although, he can talk with little sentence and no more. Trying to make someone mute, limits the interaction and plot clarification inside a story, even if the MC's dialogue to others is pretty short. It is at least recommended to have one.

Let's say, a generic character thrown in a parallel monster world, meeting different characters who's in the normal world too who'd acknowledge the MC as silent and go with him to fight the mastermind and get back to their world. Of course, some may hate him for being silent or insult him but that's for conflict purposes. And while he'll be hated, he is still the leader and will lead the characters with actions or little words. Like telling someone, "Don't run from yourself!" Or doing an action like saving a person.

I think it would be a mistake to leave out the MC's thoughts though. Because he/she participates in very little dialogue, the reader needs a way to know who the MC is. One of the biggest reasons people fall in love with books is the characters, especially the MC. They can normally learn that through their actions, thoughts, and conversations. Little to no conversation means you need to increase the other two.

Ah, yeah, I thought about that for a while. The MC's thoughts is important and so more than describing what he saw. Make the MC think so much and you fail the character per se. And yes, if words can be louder than action, then opposite-wise too.

I also think that it might be helpful to make the MC a good problem solver. Instead of showing every single thought the MC has, focus on the thoughts that drive the story forward. Focus on the MC trying to think their way out of a bad situation, or understanding subtle (but relevant) body language in a conversation.

Right, that's what a natural leader meant in my example. A silent character is considered rational and smart, so I see no reason why we shouldn't do this.

 

[MajorKerina]

… don’t have them talk?

I’m a little confused. If you have a silent character then I assume…no talkie? Just because the character doesn’t talk, doesn’t mean they don’t communicate. I’ve had several characters who are deaf mute and it’s a blast to be able to present that perspective, especially based on people I know who inspire them. Body language, disposition, and physical actions. People talk in way more ways than verbally. One way you might be able to get ideas for what to give your character is to take any sort of media you haven’t seen before with performance and just turn off the sound and then try to piece together what’s going on based on what the characters are doing. If it’s a good work then you should be able to get an inkling. But it will especially allow you to pay attention to the physicality of characters. Also watching a foreign language piece without subtitles or a children’s cartoon. Cartoons for young kids need to communicate a lot of things visually instead of speaking.

 

[Motsu]

… don’t have them talk?

I’m a little confused. If you have a silent character then I assume…no talkie? Just because the character doesn’t talk, doesn’t mean they don’t communicate. I’ve had several characters who are deaf mute and it’s a blast to be able to present that perspective, especially based on people I know who inspire them. Body language, disposition, and physical actions. People talk in way more ways than verbally. One way you might be able to get ideas for what to give your character is to take any sort of media you haven’t seen before with performance and just turn off the sound and then try to piece together what’s going on based on what the characters are doing. If it’s a good work then you should be able to get an inkling. But it will especially allow you to pay attention to the physicality of characters. Also watching a foreign language piece without subtitles or a children’s cartoon. Cartoons for young kids need to communicate a lot of things visually instead of speaking.

Right. Just because they don't talk, don't mean they don't communicate. It isn't anything to be confused about. Of course, non-verbal communication or action is the justified answer and will always be. Moreover, we aren't making a whiteface clown that performs using actions—just a silent character (with whatever sad background story) that causes him to be silent but will talk when really needed.

Cartoons do that to humor kids because they don't understand heavy words. For example, Tom and Jerry and Mr. Bean focus on non-verbal communication to communicate to the kids in order to make them emotional. We aren't doing that—and it ain't going to be the same with Cartoons either.

This is a question of making a silent character in a novel that teens and adults will read—not middle childhood nor tween kids. It is also written not shown on a TV so it is easy to understand a lot of things from reading a sentence.

Like...
"Kyaaaa! Help!"
As a high-piercing pitched cry of terror was let out, he immediately rushes (implies he wants to help) on the root of the sound, followed by his friend. What came before them were a bunch of thugs wielding a tube and an alarmed female student quivering on the ground.
"...!" MC was surprised by these immoral wrongdoings unfolding before him.
"Tch. These douchebags! MC, what do you say we do?" SC clenched his hand, ready to pummel them to the ground.
MC threw his bag and punched his palm (implies he wants to fight) ready to give them a beatdown while alerting the thugs.
"What's with that attitude, huh?! Whaddaya think you are? You wanna fight?!" The thugs ready their weapon and point it at MC and SC, but they weren't fazed one bit.
SC ignored the thugs' provoking prattle and snickered, "Knew you'd say that. Now then, let's show them our strength!"
...Or some sort.

 

[Deleted member 45782]

… don’t have them talk?

I’m a little confused. If you have a silent character then I assume…no talkie? Just because the character doesn’t talk, doesn’t mean they don’t communicate. I’ve had several characters who are deaf mute and it’s a blast to be able to present that perspective, especially based on people I know who inspire them. Body language, disposition, and physical actions. People talk in way more ways than verbally. One way you might be able to get ideas for what to give your character is to take any sort of media you haven’t seen before with performance and just turn off the sound and then try to piece together what’s going on based on what the characters are doing. If it’s a good work then you should be able to get an inkling. But it will especially allow you to pay attention to the physicality of characters. Also watching a foreign language piece without subtitles or a children’s cartoon. Cartoons for young kids need to communicate a lot of things visually instead of speaking.

Pretty good advice. agreed on that perspective. I know someone who is hard of hearing. This thread made me think back how they view and interact with others is a different experience than what some like us would experience. To some, we may be mute to them and they have to find ways to come understand what we try to communicate. The person I know has hard time hearing me unless I speak louder to them otherwise I sound muffled or silent (depending on distance, how loud I use my voice, if their hearing aids are on, etc.).

I know probably off topic since OP mentioned character is not mute but just doesn't talk much. Just some thoughts about mute characters.