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Boring Q&A format away~
(Hey, it seemed to work best. lol)
o What is your character's deepest fear?
Fred is, quite frankly, afraid of making an a** of himself. He perceives people (occasionally correctly) as judging him rather harshly from the beginning because of his mutation, and so he feels as though he has to fight that first impression by doing everything perfectly in order to be seen the way he would like people to see him. In his mind, his positive aspects, particularly being polite, helpful, and good at his job, need to be first thing people notice about him after the third eye that happens to be growing out of his head. His social discomfort is mostly due to his fear of screwing up or saying something wrong, and thus off-setting those positive attributes. Human interactions being as unpredictable as they are, Fred is essentially afraid of finding himself in uncomfortable situations, and handling them poorly. This is the largest reason he tends to avoid much socializing.
His other worst fear, however, comes up slightly less frequently. Because Fred wants to help people, but has trouble standing up and taking action (particularly by himself, or in a way that would call attention to him), he worries sometimes about whether he would be able to do the right thing in a situation of great importance. He’s afraid of letting people down, allowing injustice, or even causing others harm through his own inaction.
o What is your character's greatest regret?
Like most people’s, Fred’s regrets are numerous, scattered throughout his life, and, for the most part, fairly mundane after the fact. Though some may still make Fred himself cringe to think about, they consist mostly of “why did I do/say that”s that resulted in embarrassment or failure. But Fred’s life is more or less the way that he wants it, so there really isn’t anything worth seriously regretting*, even if the small things can seem like a big deal. And, as is sadly common, some of Fred’s greatest regrets are risks he didn’t take, of which there are many.
*Except perhaps dying. Fred very much regrets dying.
o What is your character's biggest unrealized dream/goal?
Not being eaten is high on the list. Second to this, though, is the sad fact that Fred never finished his quest to discover the origin of his mutation, and the mutations of others like him. He’s never made a big deal of it, but throughout his entire life, Fred has quietly wondered just why it is that he was born so different from everybody else. As a child he was picked on quite a bit, as one might expect, and was resentful of the feature that made him a “freak”. But as he aged, and his peers (for the most part) matured beyond outright ridicule, Fred came to terms with his mutation and learned to just accept it as a part of who he is. He now fairly comfortably identifies himself as a mutant, at least privately, and feels a small, pleasant kinship towards others of his kind.
Despite this, however, the curiosity has remained, if not strengthened. He’s done some private research, but no real answer has presented itself…so when new rumors surfaced in Haverdon about information on the origins of mutants perhaps lying out beyond the forests, dangerous as the journey was, Fred’s curiosity finally got the best of him. To everyone’s great surprise—including Fred’s—he took the largest risk he ever has and left Haverdon, determined to return with answers. Unfortunately he lost his life before uncovering the truth he sought, and never did return home.
o What is your character's place in society?
Fred’s place in Haverdon society is, usually, a comfortable one, and a good fit for him. A neighbor, acquaintance, and small business owner, he has more positive relationships than he realizes. Most of these relationships are somewhat formal to him, even though most have acquired a comfortable amount of familiarity—a polite wave and a “good morning” to his neighbors as he makes the short walk from his home to his workshop each day, small talk with strangers and friendly conversation with the grocer, and welcome invitations to community events. Fred is a quiet and private man, though, and the people that know him do respect this, and find that he is none the less quite friendly and helpful, though occasionally awkward, when the situation calls for it. If you look lost, he can be counted on to stop and offer directions—if you’re short a bit of change for a newspaper, he’ll dig through his cluttered pockets, mumbling an apology for the wait, until he comes up with the difference. It is small gestures like this that have earned him the affection of his neighbors.
Unfortunately outside of the areas familiar with him, when meeting new people, Fred can still occasionally be looked down upon, or even slightly feared, for his mutation. Because their origins are such a mystery, and because they often look strange and even frightening, mutants are still seem by some people as freaks or even monsters, and suffer discrimination in some parts of Haverdon.
o What is your character's moral standard?
Sharing a lot of views of basic wrong and right with the rest of Haverdon’s society, and a lot of societies on the whole, Fred’s morality is somewhat uninteresting. He believes people should be free, safe, and equal, and that these three aspects of life are important to protect. He would like to be more selfless in his efforts to do the right thing, but often hesitates to take action in righting perceived wrongs because he isn’t comfortable getting involved. For more important issues, he is more willing to help, but still finds it difficult. When push comes to shove, though, Fred is a good man, and if there is no one else that can do what needs to be done, he will try.
o What is your character's greatest triumph?
If you asked Fred, he would say the 156-light chandelier hanging in Haverdon’s town hall, the most elaborate piece he’s ever completed. However, though he may not realize it, Fred’s greatest accomplishment is simply the fact that despite his unusual appearance and less than outgoing nature, he is regarded quite fondly among his peers. Many people that meet Fred do gather the impression that he is a somewhat strange man, but more often than not that he is a pleasantly strange man, whose quirks serve more to endear him than to repulse. Most of his neighbors and clients actually like him quite a bit, a fact that Fred is himself only partially aware of. Considering the great disadvantages that he could potentially have, socially, it really is quite remarkable, and a testament to his good nature, that Fred is embraced the way that he is.
o How does your character view themselves?
Fred’s view of himself is very rooted in how he perceives others are viewing him. He becomes self-conscious and awkward mostly in situations where he feels others may be judging him or thinking negative things about him. He knows the qualities he wishes to possess, but is often unsure of whether or not he actually does—this includes things such as being polite, friendly, and helpful, as well as original and creative. When feeling unsure, he tends to look to the reactions of other people to tell him how to feel about himself.
He does usually believe himself to be fairly creative and good at his job, though, and does derive satisfaction and pride from personal accomplishments, helping him at least briefly to overcome his insecurities. He may, for example, upon finishing a light fixture that he is particularly happy with, present it proudly to his client, with very little fear of them disliking the piece. This pride and feeling of self-worth come most often from his job, since it is in general the aspect of his life he has the most confidence about. Though often practical as well, Fred’s work is a form of art, and the creator of these artistic pieces is really what Fred likes to define himself as. He is very passionate about light fixtures.
He also, of course, thinks of himself as part of a sort of unspoken mutant “community”. He worries a bit about what others think of his mutation, but he no longer resents it himself. It’s simply who he is. The negative traits he sees in himself tend to center more around his social discomfort and general awkwardness.
In short, Fred views himself as a decent man…with a lot of room for improvement.
......DDaarree yyoouu eenntteerr??
