Last night, the family sat down and watched THE BREAKFAST CLUB. As I watched it, I really started to think about why this movie, that came out so long ago, still works today. It all came down to the characters. The success of the story comes down to the believability of the characters and the way an audience member can relate to the characters.
Think of this last dialogue:
Brian Johnson: Dear Mr. Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. What we did *was* wrong. But we think you're crazy to make an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us... In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain...
Andrew Clark: ...and an athlete...
Allison Reynolds: ...and a basket case...
Claire Standish: ...a princess...
John Bender: ...and a criminal...
Brian Johnson: Does that answer your question?... Sincerely yours, the Breakfast Club.
We can't help it. There IS someone in that movie that we are. The success of the story comes from our ability to make a connection with the characters. Sure, there are great lines in the movie and yes, there are great scenes. But, the real success comes from the way we can connect.
I do believe that, too often, writers are so focused on the plot of the story, then end up forgetting the characters. They forget that these people, living in this world you created, have to be "real". As readers, we want to have sympathy and empathy for the characters. We want to feel what they feel, cry when they cry and laugh when they do.
As you think of your writing this weekend, ask yourself. Are these characters that would really exist? Or is their only existence in your brain?
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