External Pressures

Definition

External pressures refer to influences or challenges from outside sources that affect characters and their actions in a narrative. These pressures can stem from societal expectations, family dynamics, cultural norms, or situational events that force characters to respond in specific ways. Understanding how external pressures shape character development is crucial for creating relatable and memorable personalities in storytelling.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. External pressures can create tension and conflict that drive the storyline forward, making characters' choices more impactful.
2. These pressures often reveal deeper layers of a character's personality, showcasing their strengths and vulnerabilities.
3. Relatable characters often face external pressures that mirror real-life challenges, allowing audiences to connect with their struggles.
4. The response of characters to external pressures can define their relationships with others and influence the overall narrative arc.
5. In comedy, external pressures can lead to humorous situations as characters navigate absurd or exaggerated challenges imposed by their environment.

Review Questions

• How do external pressures contribute to character development in storytelling?
  • External pressures play a significant role in shaping a character's decisions and actions, often pushing them to confront their fears or embrace change. By responding to these influences, characters reveal their true selves, which helps audiences connect with them on a deeper level. For instance, a character facing societal expectations might struggle between personal desires and conforming to those demands, ultimately leading to growth or conflict.
• In what ways can external pressures create comedic situations within a narrative?
  • External pressures can lead to comedic situations by placing characters in exaggerated or absurd circumstances that challenge their usual behavior. For example, a character might be forced to attend an important event while dealing with ridiculous obstacles such as a wardrobe malfunction or an unexpected guest. These situations can create humor through misunderstandings, slapstick elements, and the character's attempts to maintain composure despite overwhelming odds.
• Evaluate the importance of balancing external pressures with internal conflicts when crafting relatable characters.
  • Balancing external pressures with internal conflicts is crucial for creating well-rounded characters that resonate with audiences. While external pressures provide the context for a character's struggles, internal conflicts reveal their personal beliefs and motivations. This duality creates complexity; for instance, a character might feel pressured by societal norms (external) while grappling with their own insecurities (internal). The interplay between these factors enriches the narrative and allows for more profound character arcs and relatable moments.

Related terms

Conflict: A struggle between opposing forces, which can be internal or external, driving the plot and revealing character motivations.

Character Arc: The transformation or growth a character undergoes throughout a story, often influenced by both internal and external pressures.

Motivation: The reasons behind a character's actions, often shaped by external pressures that compel them to pursue certain goals or make specific choices.