Tuesday's Inspiration - inspired by Vogler - Characters - Eager or Reluctant #MFRWauthor #Characters

The third of Vogler's steps on the journey is the Reluctant Hero. As I read what he'd written about this, I wondered if all heroes or heroines were reluctant. For me this isn't necessarily the case. Some heroes or heroines are eager to undertake the quest. This is due to the development of their natures. Are they more or less interesting than the reluctant one? I don't think this is the case. A character who is eager and avid to pursue a goal can be interesting especially if they are faced with an opposite who is equally opposed to the character reaching a goal.

Now we come to the reluctant one. Is fear the only reason for a character being unwilling to take on a quest? Maybe but maybe not, unless fear engenders more that a fear of the unknown. The reluctant character may be afraid of hurting someone. They usually know what pain their actions might cause.

What about your characters? Are they among those who are reluctant or are they the kind that leap into action barely giving a thought to the consequences? Of mine, I think I have written both kinds. Since some of my works are ensemble groups of heroes and heroines, I can have both types in the same story. That often leads to a few complications that weren't planned but add depth to the story.