RELATIONSHIP THESAURUS

STALKER AND TARGET



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HELPFUL 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:
Note: This entry may contain triggering content.

This relationship involves a one-sided fixation where a stalker deliberately observes, pursues, harasses, manipulates, and maliciously targets another person, causing that party psychological distress and often physical harm. A stalker may choose their victim via certain visual or personality factors (having a preferred "type"), manic beliefs (political, for example), an inability to let go of a past relationship, feeling wronged or scorned, or even because the target is a fit for a fantasy. They may believe they have a special bond with the other party, their fate is intertwined, the two are meant to be together romantically, or that the target must die.

RELATIONSHIP DYNAMICS:
Below are a wide range of dynamics that may accompany this relationship. Use the ideas that suit your story and work best for your characters to bring about and/or resolve the necessary conflict.

The stalker pursuing someone they have a relationship with (a co-worker, neighbor, acquaintance, etc.), and possibly interacting with them on that level
The stalker and target having no actual relationship
A stalker pursuing the target anonymously, from afar, without the other person knowing
The stalker remaining anonymous but making sure the target knows someone is pursuing them (by sending gifts, calling the target and hanging up when they answer, leaving notest, etc.)
A target and stalker who are aware of each other and knows who each other is
The stalker being violent, making demands, or making threats against the target

CHALLENGES THAT COULD THREATEN THE STATUS QUO:
A seemingly passive stalker's actions escalating to the point that the target must take action
The target filing a complaint and it being dismissed or not taken seriously
The stalker infiltrating the target's safe place (their home, a vacation getaway, etc.)
The target's children or pets being threatened or harmed
The target being blamed for the stalker's interest
The target wondering if the stalking is all in their head
The stalker disappearing without being apprehended, causing worry and anxiety for the target, who has no closure

WOUNDS THAT COULD FACTOR INTO THE RELATIONSHIP:
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POSSIBLE CONFLICT SCENARIOS:
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CONFLICTING DESIRES THAT CAN IMPAIR THE RELATIONSHIP:
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CLASHING PERSONALITY TRAIT COMBINATIONS:
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NEGATIVE OUTCOMES OF FRICTION:
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FICTIONAL SCENARIOS THAT COULD TURN THESE CHARACTERS INTO ALLIES:
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WAYS THIS RELATIONSHIP MAY LEAD TO POSITIVE GROWTH:
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THEMES AND SYMBOLS THAT CAN BE EXPLORED THROUGH THIS RELATIONSHIP:
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