Assignment 2: Character Sketch Template

Assignment 2 - Central Character and World of the story, including want, need, or desire
Genre; Historical fiction
CC being introduced: Joshua Barney
Theme: When dreams destroy…
Practical Exercise #1

This exercise comes from Lecture #1. Create a static item with a "Character Sketch Template" for your central character, as well as a Prose Synopsis.

Disclaimer: This character sketch is of Joshua Barney in his living years. For purposes of my longer story, he will most assuredly be of the spirit world. This assignment will be approached within that caveat.

Name: Joshua Barney.
Age: Although Barney died at age 59, in the spirit world for purposes of the story, he will be in his 30's i
Location: New England for Vignette
Family History: He was born and raised in the Baltimore area in a large catholic family. He was raised on a farm, but longed for the sea. Joshua fought in the Revolutionary War and stayed in service afterwards. He married young and also had a large family. HIs first wife died young and he remarried. He had children with both wives.
On December 1, 1818, four years after his last battle, Barney died, most probably from a delayed consequence of a bullet wound.
Career aspirations: Joined the continental Navy at a very young age. Loved the sea and being in the Navy. Happiest and most ingenious when commanding in battle. When not in battle, he was happiest as a Gentleman Farmer
Race: White
Features: sea weathered skin. Large oval eyes that have seen too much and seem to have a permanent sadness. Chubby cheeks. Shoulder length blonde hair. Small hands for a man. Stocky build. In youth, tied hair back, wore a powdered wig or pulled hair up into a Mohawk and twisted it down into a large forelock curl.
Appearance: Handsome by that day’s standards.
Likes: The sea. His wife’s farm. His family. Attention and admiration of his peers.
Dislikes: Anything or anyone British.
Physical condition: Fit and physically strong.
Ailments: Combat wounds, and he was proud of those.
Education: Catholic education, through age 10. Continuing education from his job at a counting house
Socioeconomic background: Prominent Baltimore family. His father educated all 14 children with a catholic education. The family started out in town, and then moved to a farm on the outskirts of town when Joshua was 2. His father found him a job in a counting shop, where he learned on the job. But Barney refused to spend his life chained to a desk, and left home at age 13 to seek his fortunes on the sea. He became an apprentice mate on the brig Sydney engaged in the Liverpool trade. The captain of the brig died suddenly on a voyage to Europe and the 14 year old Barney assumed command and successfully completed the voyage. Joshua was married and had his first child by age 22.
Parents: Son of William Barney II and Frances Holland Watts
Siblings: He was one of the youngest of 14.
Ambition: To defeat the British while in the continental Navy.
Hobbies: Farming.
Significant Others: Joshua married twice and had 13 children. His wives were Harriet and Ann, both quite lovely by the standards of the day
Intelligence: Cunning. He was well educated at first, but quit school at age 10, having learned everything he needed to know. His only other education was through his jobs.
Emotional Stability: The wars left their scars. He could never command the seas in private ventures with the same success as when he was in the continental navy.
Flaws: brazen. reckless
Other Traits: well traveled.
Pivotal events in life: Becoming captain of a ship at age 15
Favorite foods: Irish
Favorite music: Irish
Favorite reading material: Anything about the sea and strategies
Religion: Roman Catholic
Personality: Intelligent seaman
Habits: Your character gives names to inanimate objects.
Favorite thing to do: sailing and farming
Comfort level with opposite sex: He had 13 kids and was loyal and faithful. He married the first time at age 20.
Things he/she takes pride in: war record
Things that bother him/her: Dandelions
Things that make him/her laugh: Bawdy jokes
Speech patterns: a dry strain of sarcasm when in a bind, otherwise normal for mid 17th century slang and proper


Prose Synopsis of the Central Character:

He is a naval hero and collected the accolades of that triumph. Yet his eyes always had an element of sadness that never quite left. Joshua Barney died in the early 1800s having not completed his pre-destined assignment. His spirit tarries and wanders the earth looking for the one who will assist him to complete his mission. His spirit is guided by the swashbuckling career he had in mid 17th century America. Only Joshua will know when his penance is complete.


Post your completed Central Character Sketch in the "Classroom (Assignment Forum) of EWW" as a bitem.
Title your post: PE #1 and your name.