Contradictory Personality

by Alys
(Seymour CT)

Question: So my main character is very contradictory, or at least to me. She's very ditzy at times and unfocused, and when she tries to be serious she sounds like she couldn't care less. At random times, with little to no reason and somewhat relevant to the conversation, she can sound smart and philosophical. One of her lines is 'That will be the end of the humans. When they need to focus on reality and fix their issues, they much prefer to go to the realm of fiction, dreams, and impossibility. And their world will come crashing down when they notice, it will be too late.' But other than that she seems like a bit smarter than a stereotypical blonde. Should I change her character traits or will it work and not look like trash?


Answer: It is important that your character be consistent (apart from the change main characters may undergo as part of resolving their inner conflict). However, sometimes you only need a reason to resolve an apparent contradiction.

For instance, many geniuses can appear clueless in mundane areas of life because they are focused on certain topics to the exclusion of all else. Asperger's personalities can lack interpersonal or social awareness, yet be sensitive to things in the environment most people don't notice.

You may just need to clarify the areas where your character is smart and focused, and where she is not, so you can keep her consistent.

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Thanks
by: Alys

Thank you. That cleared it up for me and makes a lot of sense. I'll brush over he finer details. Thank you!

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