As I developed the character for Jolene, the main character and the protagonist in the story, I thought of the misunderstood, creative type who married a much older man…for love. This is where the “misunderstood” part of her profile comes into play because everyone assumes she’s a gold digger.
She is the typical girl next door who can put most men to shame with her knowledge of tools, but she can also be naughty when she wants to be.
The actress, Katherine Heigl came to mind when developing the physical characteristics of Jolene Davis. Below is her personality profile and description.
Meet Jolene:
Jolene Davis, 33, is a Blacksmith from Port Aransas, Texas. She is widowed with no children and has had a lot of education. She’s been known to say “”Carpe Diem!”” She wants to start her life over and support herself.
Jolene is the introverted artistic type. She looks inside the heart for the answers, creating outer expressions of that self and deciding on who she is by what comes out. This subtype is introverted and really considers what she thinks as the real qualifier. She is in this to discover herself and not to make money or find fame. Jolene can be reclusive and painfully shy. However, she has successfully found within herself a universal thing, something that comes out through the artwork, that is, her expression of self. This universality draws people to her. She reacts with warmth and humor, enjoying the feeling of being unique. Creative, passionate, empathetic.
Jolene never identified with either parent. Her parents seemed to be from another planet, so she was left alone to discover her own personality. This self-discovery became her life mission and her only option was to look inside to see what she could find. As a child, she tried to fit in by compromising her authentic self because she didn’t feel safe. She always regretted this. As an adult, she is introspective, even to the point of losing herself in thought, becoming reclusive at times, staying away from distracting people, noise and activity.
Jolene can be very shy and discovering her feelings and opinions about things can be next to impossible. Eventually, once a safe place has been established, amazing insights and perceptions come out of this person. She can be self-revealing and emotionally honest. She has visited a pretty incredible place, the soul of a person. She has an understanding like no one else and can be very perceptive about others. Sometimes seeming psychic.
Jolene can be sensitive and emotionally honest in a relationship. Other characters may be drawn to her depth of feeling, but later feel that she subtly rejects them when they get too close.
Jolene’s psychological change is to move away from this painful self-consciousness to a more stable place. Someone or something gives Jolene a concrete sense of who she is, a place to finally rest from this constant search. Finding someone who knows her true self and likes that person does wonders, giving her stability. She becomes “whole” by appreciating what is here and accepting herself as is, which makes self-expression more of a desire and less of a need.
