object of affection
[Adapted from R.T. Smith’s “Object of Affection” chapter in “Naming the World,” edited by Bret Anthony Johnson]
Think of an object you have that has sentimental value for you—an object that carries more symbolic than practical value. Most of us have at least one these items: a totem, talisman, or lucky charm.
Fictional characters have these too. In Little Women, Jo wore a special black cap whenever she would sit down to write her stories. In Great Expectations, Mrs. Havisham was unduly attached to her wedding dress. And in The Great Gatsby, Meyer Wolfsheim shows off his cufflinks, which are made of human teeth (gross).
These objects are great ways to characterize the people in your novel, and over the course of your storytelling, these objects may even come to take on metaphoric weight.
Want to explore how to use objects more thoughtfully in your own fiction? Try out this little exercise:
Choose an object that is important to your character.
List the reasons it might carry metaphorical force for your character.
Imagine how your character acquired this object.
Write the character’s explanation to himself/herself as to why this item has taken on personal meaning. Some of the explanation might be logical, but some might be irrational.
Finally, write a scene in which another character asks your character why the object is important to them. Your character should answer in such a way that doesn’t fully reveal the truth about their feelings toward the object.
This simple but layered exercise helps you develop your character’s psychological complexity and also generate ideas for creating more dramatic tension in your story.
