Small, enduring details that show character

[munley]

Reading about the recent tornadoes in the southern U.S., I came across numerous tales of people helping other people. One in particular stood out as a good example for fiction writers--describing a character in their typical role, yet going beyond the type and showing something unique about that person. In this case, there was a postmaster who did what postmasters typically do, work with mail, but did something with it a bit out of the ordinary, exhibiting a kind of heroism in a special way.

Here is a quote from an AP article:
Lisa Smith, who has been Henryville's postmaster for six weeks, told people that they could pick up their mail in Scottsburg, about 10 miles north. She said she was most worried about people needing medication and she had been shaking boxes to see if they had pills inside with hopes of connecting them to their recipients.

She probably doesn't go shaking the packages every day to see if they contain pills. Of course, if she did, that detail would make for a whole nother story and say something else about the kind of character she is.

[Zooks]

Interesting, munley.  Thanks for posting this. It's the little bits of business like that that add verisimilitude.

[LateToTheParty]

Good stuff, M. I'm reminded of Robert B. Parker's axiom: no one is one thing. He used the principle constantly, (redeeming a lot of his formula writing) from a pimp that held a degree from Juiliard (and aspired to a master's degree) to a NYPD detective that studied and cited Shakespeare. It kinda turns Heinlein's (over used) competent man model on it's ear. 

[lexcade]

I love stuff like that too. It adds a depth and complexity to characters. Doesn't have to be anything big. Just simple acts of kindness like hers can go a long way to shaping a character. Thanks for sharing, Munley!