Story Nook Bend

Character Voice: Age Perception

Hello everyone! This is part two for the previous article, Character Voice, to extend on the knowledge of expressing your character’s inner voice. You’ve already learned the basics on how to express their true personality, now let’s add some factors that influence their personality, such as age.

       Age is a big factor when it comes to character development. If you first choose the age of your character before developing their personality, you can easily draw from the perceptions and natural mannerisms of that age and create your character. The difference between age groups greatly makes a difference in your writing. If you don’t at first introduce your character’s age indirectly or directly, your readers will be lost as to how to relate and think of your character( this can be excluded for ageless characters like robots and such). Here are examples of a character, Kyra, and how her perspective looks in the same situation in several different stages of life:

( Age 5)

I looked around the store holding my mommy’s hand. I sucked my fingers, anxiously waiting for the man at the tall desk to give us our groceries. I wanted to go home and play with my new doll I got for my birthday, but then I got distracted and saw some bright candy on a shelf. I saw a boy walk down the store and take some candy. I knew that was wrong, but when the boy looked at me, I did nothing. I stared at him and decided to give him a mean stare. He made a mean face right back at me, and I gasped, hiding behind my mom’s leg, and started crying, saying,

“ Mommy, that boy was being mean to me! And he stole some candy!”

“ Shush, Kyra! Stop pointing at other people! I’m sure he didn’t mean it. He’s probably going to pay for it anyway. Let’s go home now.”

( Age 10)

I sighed, trying to be patient about the wait at the cash register. My mom got a lot groceries for dinner. We’re having my favorite tonight: chicken pot pie! Mmmmm. I also can’t wait to make my favorite dessert, chocolate pudding, and try out some of those new dance moves my friend, Avery, taught me at school. I hope I can do well at that ballet recital. I look around at the neat cooking magazines and at the kid’s magazines with the mazes at the back, when I see an older boy walk by and take some candy. He looks pretty rough and mean in that black jacket, so I tried not to stare at him too much. He glanced at me and walked the other way. I sighed in relief. Teenagers are scary. I hope I never become a teenager. I walk towards the cash register and see a neat Snickers bar, and asked,

“ Mom, can I please have a Snickers bar?”

“ We’re having pudding tonight. You don’t need anymore candy.”

“ But I’ll pay for it! I promise!”

“ You’ve got money with you?”

“ Uh… no.”

“ Then no Snickers bar. Come on, let’s go home. Help me with the bag of groceries.”

I hung my head, and begrudgingly walked out the door with the bag of groceries.

( Age 15)

I scrolled on my phone, trying to see who texted me, and I couldn’t believe how many conversations were going on, until I came to the new one and saw that Braiden was texting me, trying to see if I could go to that Friday teen night again. Ugh, won’t that creep just leave me alone. If only he had another girlfriend to keep him distracted. I’m just not that type of girl. I kept scrolling through my texts, then saw that Avery was wanting to spend the night. Not realizing that I was slowly walking forward, I bumped into my mom and I said,

“ Oh sorry.”

“ You really shouldn’t be walking and texting at the same time, darling.”

“ Yeah I know, but… oh hey, Avery is asking if she wants to come over and spend the night.” “ Tell her if she can have her mom drive her over to our house, that’s fine. I’m tired and don’t want to deal with anymore today.”

“ Okay, I’ll let her know.”

I sent the text, wishing that I had my permit, which reminded me of my driver’s written test I had to study for this Saturday, as well as all the other school projects and tests I need to be studying for. Ugh, if only high school wasn’t so hard. I glanced briefly around the store and I saw a cute boy with a neat black jacket and russet brown hair walk this way. All of a sudden, I smoothed down my blonde hair, seeing if my curls are set just right on the shoulders. Hey what are you doing, Kyra? Don’t look at him! I avert my eyes when he looks this way, and then I dare to glance back and he winked at me! At least I think he did. Man, if I’d go on a date with anybody, it’d be him.

Deciding not to be too obvious, I hurriedly helped Mom carry the groceries and rushed out to the car.

( Age 25)

I walked through the cash register line and waited patiently as an elderly lady was standing right in front of me. I sighed, trying not to worry about the kid I have to pick up from day care, and then the bills I have to pay when I get home. Oh, I totally forgot that I need to get gas when I get home too. Don’t forget, Kyra. As I mentally went through my checklist, I spotted a Snickers bar just across the counter. Mmmm, I’d love a sweet treat right now. But, 4.99? For a Snickers bar? That’s outrageous. I don’t know if I can stand the rising prices these days. But… oh what gives. It’s just money. Ha! I’m probably gonna regret that later. I tossed the Snickers bar in the cart. As I daydreamed about the time when my husband would get home from work and finally have that nice, cozy movie night together, I noticed a teenage boy walking around the store, looking rather suspicious. I decided to watch him more carefully as I made my way up to the counter. He grabbed a piece of candy and then slipped something shiny in his pocket. I watched the boy closely to see if he would come up to the counter and pay for it. When he didn’t and he walked right out of the store, I leaned closer to the cashier and said,

“ Hey, um. I just thought I’d let you know, that boy over there looked pretty suspicious, and if you lose anything valuable, that may be why. Just thought I’d let you know.”

“ Thanks. We’ll try to keep that in mind.”

“ You’re welcome.”

I payed for my groceries and ate my Snickers bar on my way out to the car.

( Age 50)

I walked up to the cashier counter, feeling exhausted and worn out from the day. I tried stretching my back, when I felt that familiar crick in there, making pain shoot up my spine. I’ll have to go to the chiropractor again. Ugh. As I complained about the never ending bills on chiropractors and those protein shakes I’ve been ordering for the past couple of years, I spotted a magazine right next to me that I couldn’t ignore. It was a picture of a woman advertising another weight loss program, which is the tenth one I’ve seen today. I can’t seem to get away from it. Every time, I’m always reminded of my constant gaining weight, but I can’t help the fact that I love Snicker bars and those puddings and desserts I used to make, at least when I owned a bakery. I got a little depressed at the fact that I don’t own a bakery anymore and don’t have much to do now that my husband is only working. I just wish I had something to do, like a new hobby. Then I saw the kids magazines and thought how great it would be to give them to the grandkids on Saturday. They’d love it so much. I imagined their happy, little five year old faces and grabbed those magazines, then headed up to the cash line when I saw a gothic dressed boy walk very oddly out of the store, as if he was hiding something. Deciding to ignore it, I shrugged and paid for my groceries then headed back home.

( Age 75)

I stepped up to the cash register, struggling to get hold onto my walker and my bag of groceries at the same time. I stepped up to the cash register, barely able to hold on. My wobbly knees shook and my arthritis kicked in again as I shakily tried to put the groceries on the counter. The young lady kindly got the groceries for me and scanned them and put them in another bag. I hope I got the right peppers for dinner. I agonizingly stepped an inch closer to the cash register. I wished I wasn’t so painfully slow all the time and be as young as that cashier again when the kind young lady asked me,

“ How is your day going?”

“ Oh, it’s going as well as can be expected. My knees aren’t what they’re used to be. I got my darling, Fred, some of his most favorite vegetables for dinner, bell peppers. He loves the green ones, or I think they’re the green. Well, anyway, they’re his favorite, and I’m going to cook for him.”

“ Well, that’s nice.”

“ You in school?”

“ Yes, just finishing a college degree in math. I’m going to be a math teacher.”

“ Oh that’s wonderful. I remember back the day I was a college student, and I did wonderful on the grades, but hated studying and hated math. But you keep on learning and make something of yourself, you hear? You keep studying then someday you can make a difference in our world today.”

“ Yes ma’am, I’ll try.”

“ Now, what do I owe ya?”

“ Uh, that’ll be 17.98, ma’am.”

I struggled to get my purse open and set it down on the counter. The arthritis in my fingers made me struggle to get my wallet open, and I slowly but surely gave the nice young lady a twenty dollar bill. She gave me the change, then asked,

“ Would you like to sign up for our rewards program using your email?”

“ Email? Oh no thank you, haven’t used email in years.”

All of a sudden, this little punk brushed right past me and made me trip and almost fall off of my walker, when the fiend helped catch me and said,

“ Are you alright?”

“ OH DEAR! Young man, you’d better watch where you’re going next time, ya hear?”

“ Oh I’m sorry ma’am, I know it won’t happen again.”

“ Thank you.”

I brushed myself off, angry and huffy, when I noticed on the floor a shiny necklace. Then I realized what had happened and the boy looked at me like he had committed a crime. I gestured for him to pick it up, and then I sternly looked the young man in the eye and said,

“ Young man, you and I need to have a talk.”

Seeing how he can’t refuse me, cause I’m old I guess, he silently obeyed. I guess there’s some advantages to being so old and rickety. The boy sheepishly followed me back inside the store, and I walked him purposely to the jewelry department. Honestly, the more he turned red with shame, the more I liked it. It’s good for a soul to feel shame every now and then. But seeing as how he may be a troubled boy, I tried not to enjoy my little lesson too much.

“ Now, why did you take this?”

The boy looked down at the necklace and said,

“ I don’t know.”

“ You don’t know. Do you know why the necklace is important to you?”

“ I.. uh… I just wanted to help my family because my father has cancer and my mom is struggling to find work while I have to look after my siblings and skip homework because of it. Please don’t call the police!”

The boy burst into tears when he blurted it all out to me. I suddenly realized that this was the reason why he was stealing. So I put a kind hand on the boy, and said,

“ This is the wrong path, my son. There are other ways to get money. You’re a good strong young man. I’ll tell you what. My dear Fred is getting old, and unfortunately I’m too frail to be doing any lawn work anymore. So, I’ll pay you ten dollars an hour if you show up and don’t make any funny business.”

The boy wiped his tears and beamed, saying, “ Yes! I would like to do that.”

“ Very good. Now I won’t say anything. I suggest we just put everything back the way it was supposed to be and we’ll just forget all about it.”

“ Okay.”

And so the boy helped me with my groceries, and even helped me carry them to the car, and then he came every Saturday to help me and my dear Fred. And we were happy.

So there you have it! Age perception! What did you think? Notice how Kyra’s age and experience influenced her perception on life? Notice how it changed her personality? Also note that backstory and different life experiences and settings are a big part of character development. This was just a fun exercise to do, and I hope you enjoyed the extra little tid bit of the boy thief getting reconciled in the end. Try out this exercise with your own characters, and see how they think at different stages of their life. Might be a fun exercise to try( I know I enjoyed watching Kyra’s evolution).

Have a good week!

— Abygayle Wynderas