04-08-03 @ 7:21 am EDT

Character profiling.

THE CRUSADER

Ready for action, the CRUSADER marches in. This is a heroine in the truest sense--deeds of valor are right up her alley. She is confident, tenacious, and headstrong against opposition. Lines of battle have been drawn, and she never backs down from a contest. The world has veered off its course, and she is just the one to set it straight again. From her perspective, if she does not do it, it will probably not get done. Or at least, not done correctly.

The CRUSADER is a fighter, through and through. Do not try and calm her down or attempt to divert her into having a picnic. She just brushes right past, intent on her cause. If she meets up with a brick wall, she goes over, under or around, but quitting is never an option.

The task in front of her is all-important and everyone should realize that. She walks right past those who disagree. Anyone not part of the solution is part of the problem. Her compassion is for those she champions, not the people she tramples over to succeed in her mission.

She has no faith in the intrinsic merit of human nature; no belief that all will end well if left alone. The CRUSADER knows that action is necessary, and she is the one to get the job done. Fully prepared to stand alone against the enemy, she views those who fall short of her rigid standards with scorn. If necessary, she can become a one woman army.

Think about...Helen Hunt as Jo Harding in Twister

Julia Roberts as Erin Brockovich in Erin Brockovich

Mulan in Walt Disney's Mulan

Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy in the TV series Buffy, The Vampire Slayer

Sister Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls by Damon Runyon

Milla Jovovich as Joan of Arc in Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc

Lucy Lawless as Xena in the TV series Xena, Warrior Princess

Sally Field as Norma Rae in Norma Rae

Antigone in Antigone by Sophocles

Jane Eyre in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley in Alien

QUALITIES

The CRUSADER believes in commitment, but is much more committed to a cause than to her loved ones.

VIRTUES

* Courageous--This woman risks everything in pursuit of her mission. The CRUSADER faces danger, of any kind, without flinching. Brave in the face of opposition and bolder than many a man, she is fiercely resolved to win every encounter.
* Resolute--The CRUSADER's determination is absolutely unyielding. She has decided which side is right and will not be swayed from her path. Her intense focus on every mission makes her an extremely formidable opponent.
* Persuasive--The belief in her cause shines in her eyes and gives her the words to convince almost everyone of the righteousness of her position. If the CRUSADER needs help, she uses reason or even emotion, whichever works, to gain supporters.

The CRUSADER:
* is determined
* is dynamic and
* is not easily discouraged

FLAWS

* Obstinate--The CRUSADER is not easily diverted from her mindset or her goal--no matter how misguided her ideas, actions or presumptions are. And do not make the mistake of thinking she will be pleased to have any errors in her reasoning pointed out. Actually, this may cause her to dig her heels in even deeper.
* Rash--Stopping to think is never high on her list. She rushes in regardless of the fears of those around her. Personal safety is not a priority for the CRUSADER. Her cause is more important. Her reckless attitude might win the battle, but it can also lose the war.
* Opinionated--She has no trouble saying what she really thinks, regardless of the wisdom of speaking up at a particular moment. Issues regarding the CRUSADER's mission are non-negotiable in her mind. Her strident statement of her position can easily raise hackles in others.

But she also can:
* be stubborn
* be quick-tempered and
* be so engrossed in her work that she neglects those closest to her

BACKGROUND

The CRUSADER has always fought for her cause
The CRUSADER's personality developed from her reaction to injustice. She never turned her face to the wall. Whether she personally experienced the wrong or merely witnessed it, this defining moment molded her into an avenging angel.

Her parents may have been amazed by her tireless energy and capacity to feel the pain of others. Or maybe they were the source of the injustice she fought. Was her childhood one traumatic event after another, requiring her to develop the skills to face life's battles? Or did she learn about the harsh realities from the safety of her living room? Whatever happened in her past, she is not capable of letting go or forgetting.

The CRUSADER made a difference
She did her best to drag the other kids into her campaigns--Charity races, walk-a-thons, or just standing up to a bully, she roused her playmates to the cause. She championed the most unpopular victims, because it was the right thing to do.

Intense and directed, she was involved only in high school activities with importance far beyond those hallowed halls. She saved the whales, ran the food drive or, while serving as school newspaper editor, butted heads with the principal over student rights. She also devoted some time to her studies, but only if education fit into her long term plan of action.

The CRUSADER never eased up
Too busy for a social life, she never had a date unless it was for a protest march. A boyfriend would have demanded way too much of her precious time. She assumed there would be time enough for romance when the struggle was over. Whatever the battle, she was certain that if she did not do the job, no one else would. Or, at least, no one would do it as well as she could. In her experience, if events were left to themselves, the world fell apart. She neither gave nor accepted excuses.

Does she feel responsible for the wrong she is trying to right? Or does she feel a need to give back because she has been so fortunate?

STYLES

The CRUSADER might be the ZEALOT...
This CRUSADER moves unswervingly towards her goal, and heaven help anyone who gets in the way. She is a true believer in the absolute necessity for the completion of her task. This Superheroine pulls off the impossible task, while making it look all in a day's work.

The Zealot has a mission
She has to save the world. It is her duty, her mission, her purpose in life. Buffy, The Vampire Slayer was destined from birth for her demon-fighting role. She is totally committed to the literal protection of the world from evil. Her persistence in the drive to overcome obstacles standing in front of her is unwavering.

In Damon Runyon's Guys and Dolls, Sister Sarah answers her calling to save souls from the vices that tempt them. She is fervent in her belief, and certain of the righteousness of her cause. In the face of temptation, it is she who entices the sinner to the moral path.

The Zealot does not let personal matters interfere with her goals
When she is in the heat of battle, she has no time or interest for anything else. She is able to direct her focus with single-minded determination. Think of Joan from Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc. This young girl believes her mission is a task given to her by God and no one can persuade her otherwise. Fervent and devout, her passionate views transform her into a mighty force that changes the political landscape. She may lose the battle, but she does win the war.

The burning desire to change the world pervades her life. The Zealot brooks no interference and takes no prisoners. Xena, Warrior Princess gives up any pretense of a "normal" life without blinking an eye, if it means that she is one step closer to her objective. Her strength of will and indomitable spirit make it impossible for this woman to understand why other people give up in the face of adversity. She believes that fear is usually the strongest enemy, and she shows how to put that enemy to rout. She never gives up and never gives in. Never.

STYLES

...or else she is the RESCUER
This CRUSADER is not out to save the whole universe--just the piece of it that belongs to her. All is not right with her world. She steps up to the plate when a pinch hitter is needed.

The Rescuer rights wrongs
She knows she has the right and obligation to go after what she wants. Norma Rae has to fight and fight hard for fair wages and treatment, but she keeps going even [in] the face of the jeers and taunts of her fellow workers. This woman is not just going to make things right, she is going to make them better than right.

Sophocles' tale of Antigone, one of the first heroines in literature, shows a woman who will not be swayed even by the threat of death from following the path she knows is right. The gods demand certain funeral rites. It is her duty to see that her brother is able to go to the underworld. She will face executioners rather than allow the body of her brother to go unburied. She wars against the male power structure, and shows far greater bravery than any of the men who scorn her.

The Rescuer pushes back
The Rescuer has a specific target, and is determined to wage war until she has won. She fights back when wronged. She bides her time, watching for her chance to gain the upper hand. In Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte presents a heroine, unique for her time, who gives as good as she gets when faced with injustice and mistreatment.

In Alien, space trucker Ellen Ripley is not the captain, but when terror strikes, she takes control. Her primary goal is to get out alive. She uses every weapon at her disposal to defeat the savage alien. Utterly ruthless in battle, she is unclouded by conscience, remorse or delusions of morality. When it becomes clear that survival will cost the ship, she does not hesitate. Winning against this evil enemy is everything.

OCCUPATION

The CRUSADER seeks out jobs that let her make an impact and change lives.

CRUSADERs
* move quickly to action
* excel in emergencies and
* command and inspire others

PARK RANGER
She is on the frontline in the battle to save the earth. All her energy goes into protecting the animals and the environment from those evil, marauding humans.

Her brisk manner does not always make her the easiest ranger to follow down the forest path. The CRUSADER knows her job, and she shares her breadth of knowledge with an enthusiastic idealism, but litterbugs had better not expect much compassion.

FIREFIGHTER
She is one of the few women on the force and she takes this responsibility seriously. Firmly believing in her right to be there, she is oblivious to the negative comments of her fellow firefighters. Rescuing babies from flaming buildings and resuscitating heart attack victims gives her satisfaction. The CRUSADER is making a difference.

Her captain has one worry about her: she has a tendency to rush into burning homes before assessing the risk. But he has a hard time convincing her that she should think before she saves.

MISSIONARY
Whatever her cause, be it saving good men from the evils of demon liquor or working the deep jungles of Africa winning souls for her God, she has never been happier. Heat, sickness and danger scarcely penetrate this woman's consciousness.

No one could ask for a person with more stamina and determination, but the CRUSADER can be quite abrupt with anyone who disagrees with her. This woman is not a diplomat and she has no desire to become one.

Other occupations CRUSADERS might have:
* social worker
* union organizer
* environmental activist
* adult education teacher
* feminist
* revolutionary
* cancer specialist

--from Heroes & Heroines: Sixteen Master Archetypes by Tami D. Cowden, Caro LaFever, & Sue Viders

Commentary!

After browsing the different types of heroines (I despise that word, FYI, and just prefer to use the non-gender-specific "heroes")--Boss, Seductress, Spunky Kid, Free Spirit, Waif, Librarian, Crusader, and Nurturer--I came to the conclusion that Crusader: Rescuer was the one that fit Charmian from Manitou Island best. HOWEVER, she does seem to have some traits of some other types. She's NOT as undiplomatic and heedless of trouble as the above text makes her seem. You'll remember (if you're one of the few readers of the story) that Charmian is poked at by Drake for being the "school brain"--so she likely has a trace of "Librarian" in her character makeup. Many times she tries to reason things out before going through with a course of action, so she's not TOTALLY action oriented.

As well, she might have a trace of the Nurturer as she believes in helping others, and is very compassionate about others' needs and can be quite self-sacrificing if need be; she does not trample over anybody in her quest to right wrongs, and she even tries to help bad guys redeem themselves if possible, before attacking. The thing is, she's not always so sure about her abilities to help others, and so prefers to charge into action rather than deal with emotions--even her own emotions get her confused at times. Witness whenever she gets a crush on anybody, how muddled her thinking can get; that's probably her emotional side trying to deal with the logical Librarian right there. o_O;

I don't wish to type up more of the book at the moment, but I want to try to figure out what type Drake is...Chief? No. Bad Boy? No. Best Friend? Hm, not sure. Charmer? Possibly. Lost Soul? Too negative. Professor? Too brainy! ^_^ Swashbuckler? Maybe, as hard as that may be to believe. Warrior? No. So...he's most likely either a Charmer or a Swashbuckler. The Swashbuckler strikes me as more unreliable, flighty, and enthusiastic, like Drake is, but he's not the most courageous person in the world, so he might be a Charmer instead. Too bad they don't have a Fool; I think this book misses a few archetypes. o_O

Well, I have more, but am tired of typing and need to proofread. I've started rewriting Part 1 of the Ameni Chronicles to include more actual story; after that I would like to create an R-rated version to post at FictionPress.net (the new offshoot of FanFiction.net), but I can't get the support staff there to answer any of my e-mails regarding a problem I've had on the site for MONTHS regarding chaptered stories. Basically, I have not been able to update or even edit Manitou Island for that long because it has too many chapters; the chapter upload page, with all the different fields to fill in, will not load properly since there are so many fields on one page--it's similar to the errors that would pop up around here regarding surveys. Writing.com FIXED the survey problem by putting the fields on different pages when creating the surveys--but the other website has not addressed this problem, not even after repeated e-mails from me to their different support addresses. My last e-mail I sent out two days ago and I was literally begging for their help--I want so badly to post there again, but I have forbidden myself to do so until they fix that damn problem! Why won't they even ANSWER me? I know there are people in charge, but they're ignoring me. This is very disappointing behavior for webmasters of a writing site. I don't rightly feel I can post any of my work there, chaptered or not, if I feel my needs will be ignored should I encounter another problem. They were quick enough to jump in and delete one of my items and suspend my posting privileges when I broke a rule, but I'll be damned if they'll ever address my tech support concerns. :(

If anyone has any advice on how to get their attention in a decent manner let me know...I've been depressed lately because I would love to be active there again--I have like seventeen people who list either myself or my serial in their faves--and I have not even been able to update the thing to say why it hasn't been updated in so long. I write primarily in long serials, and I can't post ANY of them if I know this error will continue--they don't allow you to post chapters as separate items, BUT they won't fix this error I get on long chaptered stories, so I'm screwed! I can't understand what these webmasters are thinking by ignoring somebody who has been begging for assistance for months. It's a simple fix, if they'd just split the edit/upload page into more than one page! But I can't for the life of me get a shred of attention from them, no matter how many times I try. Is anybody here good at dealing with webmasters?? Because apparently there is something wrong with ME.

*sigh* Have to go now...tar...