GIVER AND TAKER
Never struggle with Show-and-Tell again. Activate your free trial or subscribe to view the Relationship Thesaurus in its entirety, or visit the Table of Contents to explore unlocked entries.
CHOOSE MY PLANHELPFUL TIP:
Relationships are part of the very fabric of your character’s life. How well or poorly they get along with others oftentimes comes down to personality, so carefully consider the positive traits and negative traits of your story’s cast. Another factor that can pull characters together or create friction is motivation, so keep each individual’s goal—both at the scene and story level—in mind as you write.
DESCRIPTION:
RELATIONSHIP DYNAMICS:
The giver making excuses for the taker, even accepting the blame for their actions
The giver finding their identity as a caregiver or in relationship to the other person (instead of having their own identity)
The giver sacrificing their own needs in favor of the taker's
The giver being unaware of their own needs or being unable/unwilling to communicate them
The giver experiencing frequent stress or anxiety due to never knowing where they stand with the taker
The giver always being the one to make amends when conflict occurs
The giver taking personal responsibility for the taker's happiness
The giver believing that no one can care for the taker like they can
The taker guilting, bullying, or manipulating the giver into doing something for them
The taker mistreating the giver, then attempting to make up for it with gifts or gestures
The taker expressing dissatisfaction with how a giver is doing things
The taker controlling every aspect of the giver's life
The taker becoming jealous if the giver gives their time or attention to anyone else (including a child, parent, sibling, etc.)
The taker showing little or no interest in the giver's true needs or desires
The taker refusing to negotiate or compromise with the giver (“my way or the highway” thinking)