CREATING A RICH(MOND) AND INTERESTING WORLD
This activity will help you to create a rich and interesting world for your characters to inhabit. Your central character may fit in easily or may be the odd one out.
I'm going to answer as many of these questions as I can, I'm still reading my stimulus material so after I finish that and making my notes I'll have a better concept of my world and how to answer these questions. For now, this will be a little brain storm of facts and ideas.
THE WORLD OF YOUR CHARACTER:
Human Attitutes
1) what preoccupies the people in this world?
Work mainly, it's a poor area so many people would be working constantly to make money. However, they are often caught up in drinking and social outings as the drinking culture was big then.
2) What motivates them?
Not a lot I'd say, probably thoughts of a better life that may come along. Some of them motivated by love. Others by crime, power and reputation. Others can't wait for their next drink.
3) What are their priorities?
Family, money.
4) What historical/cultural/social influences exist that effect these people?
Football is really prominent in this world, bringing them together in the slightest of ways. Crime and gang leaders such as Squizzy Taylor and Henry Stokes make crime prevalent in this society. Bring out the crime in others such as kids like Charlie.
5) How does the central character fit in to this society?
Poor, craves for a better life, cares for his family deeply, has been effected by the crime in Richmond and has almost been empowered by it, though a fine and smart kid, doesn't have bad intentions and a good enough head on his shoulders so not to become a drunk
Language
1) how do these people communicate?
Talking
2) What is unique about their language?
They speak in slang and have their own terms, it's not proper english in the slightest, every second word would'nt be in the dictionary by the way they say it, says their not educated
3) Do different social classes speak differently?
The more slang the lower the class pretty much
4) What types of words are commonly used?
‘cripes , Charlie’, shindig, struth, taking the piss, ‘copper’, ‘wolfed down’ ‘jiff’, awight, lads,
Technology
1) what role has technology had in the world at this time and in everyday life?
It hasn't really been mentioned yet which is strange there hasn't been any mention of telephones or cars though I assume there was those two things, they are probably the highest form pof technology during those times. I need to think more about leuisure, commerce and housing which is something I will consider the more I research.
Setting
- Squizzy Taylors
Not a lot of explanation here though I imagine at as one of the better homes in Richmond, it's in Darlington Parade. Made from weather boards or bricks, simple yet large and over bearning.
- Charlie's home
Cubbitt street
Walls were mouldy grey and black, patchy plaster
run down but always well kept
mention of cockroaches
small, creaky
- Charlie's mind
- Streets of Richmond
The streets of Richmond were like pages in a book. They told a story.’ Pg. 69
‘This story was full of hardships. Hard to mouth and day to day, that’s how it was.’ Pg. 69
Industry boomed here
Tanneries, breweries, the boiling down works, the cork factory, the jam factory, the tip
Smells bad
Fisho’s and rabbito’s
‘these were the same gutters that children played in – a playground full of blood and guts, iof horse manure, of empty tins and rats
Everyday Activities
1) what is unique or ordinary about the everyday activities of the world of your central character?
Day to day activities, chores, looking after his brother, having a kick of the footy. Out of the ordinary would include watching his duck harriet, running a lot, running for squizzy
The extroadinary moments
1) What are their life experiences?
- His father's death
- Running for Squizzy
- His mother's rape
Character Profile
1) physical
what I assume - brown hair, slightly scrawny but muscly legs because of all the running, smallish build, medium height
2) age
15 in the beginning and turns 16
3) interests
running