Trauma not only shapes how we perceive our world but also how we act within it. It translates into our fears, actions, and words. Same goes for the characters in a book. In Let It Fall, each character’s progress is tied to their inner turmoil…their grief, trauma, and mental health struggles. Today I want to talk about two such characters from my book; Chris and Giselle.
Compared to a more prominent character who struggles with his mental health throughout the book, these two characters seem healthy. But everyone has their baggage, right? I read a quote somewhere that said, “Just because they carry it well, doesn’t mean it’s not heavy.” That resonated with me a lot, and it is a perfect example for Chris and Giselle.
On the surface, it might seem that these two characters don’t have much to worry about, but the kind of actions a person takes tells a lot about the silent struggles they’re going through. It’s not different for these characters either. Basically, you can not write characters without inner turmoil.
If we look at the real world, not a single person can be found without their fair share of worries. Not a single person can be found with zero struggles. Kids worry about homework and being bullied, teens worry about peer-pressure and identity, adults worry about responsibilities and leaving a mark, elderly worry about their legacies and what could have been, and so on. Forgive me, that was a vague generalization, but isn’t it true? Every person who walks this Earth is troubled about something.
For Giselle, grief over her mother’s death defines what her relationships are going to be like. Because of what she’s been through, she remains vulnerable yet resilient, and a little afraid of losing her loved ones. She tolerates no toxicity because life’s too short to endure that. When it comes to Chris, his emotional wounds influence his attachment to Giselle. The fear of losing her to someone else is what his inner conflict looks like. After losing his parents, he’s afraid to lose the only good thing in his life; his best friend. He spends sixteen years silently in love with her, afraid that if he tells her how he feels, he’d lose her.
Trauma, in many ways, is what influences the actions and behaviors of these characters. These backstories make the characters deeply human and complex. Their struggles are not just plot devices. They are elements that mirror real-world experiences. If you’re a writer, read on to learn how these elements can be incorporated into your stories.
1. Use Trauma as a Foundation for Growth
Characters who have endured trauma are weighed down, the burden affecting every decision they make. As a writer, you must allow your characters’ actions to be guided by their past traumas. It can be hesitation in relationships, being indecisive, or feeling unworthy of love or appreciation or friendship. And then throughout the book, subtly heal their traumas from unbearable to manageable, and give them a character arc that is only noticeable when looked closely. This can add much depth to the narrative and make your story stand out.
2. Let Mental Health Struggles Reveal Vulnerabilities
No one is perfect. To make your characters more relatable, make them flawed. A character’s mental health struggles can be used to reveal vulnerabilities here. Chris, for example, is deeply afraid of losing Giselle to someone else, so he keeps his feelings to himself and emotionally isolates himself. His struggle with self-worth and emotional scars make him relatable. Using inner monologue or small actions instead of dramatic outbursts can make the readers understand the characters more on a personal level.
3. Show Recovery as a Process, Not a Destination
Like we discussed before how we can use trauma to influence the character arcs. But it can’t be black and white. When it comes to the mental health struggles of your characters, you can’t just make them disappear by the end of the story. After the lessons are learnt, your readers may see a visible improvement in your character’s mental health and choices, but a completely healed version of them may seem unrealistic. It can be that they manage their struggles better. That they learn to carry it well…
4. Use Symbolism to Reflect Internal Struggles
You don’t have to say it outright what the character is going through. Sometimes imagery gives a poetic feel to the narrative. For example, in Let It Fall, imagery like the wolves attacking a deer or the rain-soaked cemetery reflect the characters’ emotional states. Giselle visits her mother’s grave under a downpour. It serves as a metaphor for her overwhelming grief. If you’re a writer, try incorporating symbolic elements in your scenes. You can use settings to subtly echo the mental state of your characters.
5. Ground Your Characters in Reality
If you’re writing about mental health and trauma, you know it’s not easy. It requires sensitivity and authenticity. When Giselle’s father died, her reaction of running into her room and locking herself up was directly mirrored with how I’d reacted to the news of my father’s untimely demise. My characters in Let It Fall face real, raw emotions that don’t always have easy solutions. They struggle, fall, and rise again, just as real people do…just as I did. As a writer, try to avoid romanticizing mental health struggles. If you can not relate, fortunately, then research real experiences, listen to people’s stories, and deal with these topics with empathy. That’s the only way to make your characters’ reactions, choices, and thoughts more realistic and relatable.
To Sum it Up
If you’re looking to make you characters more human, more flawed, and more relatable, trauma and mental health battles can be your way to go. In Let It Fall, the struggles my characters face lead to conflict, as well as, growth. By giving your characters emotional complexities, you can make your narrative rich and layered and something that resonates with readers.
And remember that the goal isn’t to resolve these struggles perfectly in the end. The goal is to show the beauty in resilience and the strength that is found in imperfection.
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If this post was helpful to you in any way, please don’t forget to leave a comment. I love hearing from you.
Question: If you were writing a book (or if you’ve written one), what would be (or is) your be your main character’s trauma that guides his/her actions?
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Munazza Bangash | Author 
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