(no subject)
What do you know about this character now that s/he doesn’t yet know?
That he needs people. Mathias doesn't think he needs anyone, but it's only because he ignores his feelings that he doesn't realize how lonely he is. Especially with Veronica gone, he's kept to himself too much. Having Lucy in the hut and having Danny and Neil around help, he just doesn't realize how much they help.
What is this character’s greatest flaw?
His difficulty sharing with people. It makes him seem cold and calculating, when he really isn't. He doesn't realize how much it separates him from others or how off-putting people might find it to have him stare at them without saying a word. It can be a little creepy.
What do you know about this character that s/he would never admit?
That he still has horrible, horrible nightmares.
What is this character’s greatest asset?
He's pulled together. He's very reserved, very strong. In the end, he isn't a leader, but he can sustain a lot of emotional and physical damage before he gives up.
If this character could choose a different identity, who would s/he be?
Someone who hadn't been on that hill in Mexico.
What music does this character sing to when no one else is around?
He only sings when no one else is around, unless it's for Sam, and then she's obviously allowed to be there. R.E.M. and The Beatles remain some of his favourites.
In what or whom does this character have the greatest faith?
Faith isn't something Mathias is particularly good at.
What is this character’s favorite movie?
He was never much of one for films, always preferring music. In general, he likes older movies better.
Does this character have a favorite article of clothing? Favorite shoes?
Mathias is fairly simple when it comes to his clothes. Board shorts, t-shirts, flip flops. There isn't any on particular piece that he would miss if it disappeared.
Does this character have a vice? Name it.
At one time, it might have been alcohol, but he hasn't had much to drink since he started dating Veronica and now he doesn't drink because of Sam.
Name this character’s favorite person (living or dead).
Henrich. His brother. There's no one in this world Mathias loves as much as his brother and knowing his brother is dead is the sort of thing that hurts him every single day. It hasn't faded, hasn't diminished. It always hurts.
What is this character’s secret wish?
To have never gone to Mexico. To be home in Germany now, fighting with Henrich. To see Henrich again, to tell him he's sorry.
What is this character’s proudest achievement?
Not that he would say it, but Sam. He's doing his best with her and although he doubts himself, he thinks she's a wonderful little girl and he's very proud of that.
Describe this character’s most embarrassing moment.
A broken heart. A lot of alcohol. A girl he thought was attractive. An awkward conversation at Henrich's pushing. A ruined pair of shoes that he barfed on. He only remembers pieces of that night and he thinks it's okay if he doesn't remember any more.
What is this character’s deepest regret?
Where to start? Fighting with Henrich, letting him go to the hill, following him, bringing the others. Getting them killed. Cutting off Pablo's legs. Acting too quickly, getting stabbed in the chest.
What is this character’s greatest fear?
A long, dark hole in the ground opening up. A fall that never seems to end. A broken back, broken legs, the smell of shit and piss in the dark. The vines. The gentle whisper of a leaf against his arm. The knife. All that blood.
Describe this character’s most devastating moment.
Finding Henrich's body. Even before he started to pull back the vines, he knew it was his brother. He could feel it and he'd been feeling that Henrich was dead for hours at that point, but that didn't stop the discovery from being horrifying.
What is this character’s greatest achievement?
Adjusting to a life on the island. Trying to be a complete person, trying to ignore his fears. He thinks that's dealing with it instead of just bottling it up and would consider it his greatest achievement.
What is this character’s greatest hope?
That Veronica will come back. He knows she won't remember him, but maybe... well, it's a useless thing to hope for, he knows it.
Does this character have an obsession? Name it.
Plants and vines and red flowers.
What is this character’s greatest disappointment?
When Amy, Stacy and Jeff started to drink. He was so disappointed in them.
What is this character’s worst nightmare?
The worst nightmare he has is the one where he relives what happened in Mexico. Any piece of it, all of it, sometimes even things that never actually happened, but things he feared would.
Whom does this character most wish to please? Why?
At this point, it's all about pleasing Sam. He wants her to be happy, above all else.
Describe this character’s mother.
Distant. Kind, but absent. She loved Mathias and Henrich very much, but as a woman with money to spend, she did travel often and spent weeks or months away from home after they were old enough to be left by themselves. She taught Mathias how to dance and he loves her. She was happy with her boys, but she was a touch selfish as well. His reserved nature comes from her.
Describe this character’s father.
Very similar to his mother. Kind, loving when he was there, but sometimes absent. He was more outgoing than his wife, more outgoing than Mathias, not nearly as reserved. He liked to socialize and the trips he and his wife took were very much a part of that.
If s/he had to choose, with whom would this character prefer to live?
He's quite content living with Sam and Lucy. There's a part of him that would like to be closer to his other friends, but he loves the hut he's in now, especially since he built a good portion of it.
Where does this character fall in birth order? What effect does this have?
He is the elder brother, very much what an older brother is supposed to be. Responsible, pulled together, smart, calm, reserved. Especially compared to Henrich, who was impulsive and outgoing where Mathias was not.
Describe this character’s siblings or other close relatives.
Henrich was a pain in the ass. He was too impulsive. He thought too much and too little all at once. He'd lunge for things without thinking, but he would give too much consideration to things that didn't matter. Like Mathias, he was prone to bouts of anger and depression, but unlike Mathias, he would turn these things outward, often ending in a fight. He was bright and outgoing and charismatic in a way Mathias will never be.
Describe this character’s bedroom. Include three cherished items.
Mathias lived in a flat above a bakery in Munich. His bedroom was small. There was a bay window that he'd filled with plants, something he found peaceful until Mexico. His bed frame and headboard were made of iron and his furniture had that rustic look that's only achieved by paying a lot of money for new furniture designed to look that way. His bedroom was warm, cozy, kind of like a den.
His most cherished items would have been his cat, a framed family picture and one of the plants.
What is this character’s birth date? How does this character manifest traits of his/her astrological sign?
I gave him the birth date of April, 17, making him an Aries. The first sentence in what I'm reading about Aries is that they're adventurous and active, which is very fitting of Mathias. Trusting, the ability to bounce back from anything, 'doers' rather than 'talkers'. These are all very, very fitting of Mathias, so it seems I picked a good day for him. They often travel to escape any feelings of being stuck. That is VERY MUCH Mathias.
If this character had to live in seclusion for six months, what six items would s/he bring?
It would depend on what the terrain surrounding him was like. If he could dive, it would be scuba gear. If there was a mountain, it would be climbing gear. Anything that would let him get out and experience where he was located.
Why is this character angry?
For many of the reasons listed above. A lost brother, lost friends, the guilt that comes with surviving when no one else has. (Though he doesn't survive in canon, the island is a close second and he knows it.) He's angry that people leave, that they're taken away. That he doesn't know how to deal with loss.
What calms this character?
Music. The ocean. Eventually the jungle will calm him again, but not yet.
Describe a recurring dream or nightmare this character might have.
As someone with PTSD (though he doesn't know it/wouldn't admit it) he has recurring nightmares of everything that happened in Mexico. It varies. Sometimes it will be the sounds, the vines calling him a Nazi in Eric's voice. Sometimes it's finding Henrich's body. Sometimes it's Pablo falling down the hole, the moment when they amputated his legs. Sometimes it's the knife or Eric covered in blood. Sometimes he'll have nightmares of things that didn't even happen. They're all down in the dark and they don't stand a chance. The white bones of Stacy's skeleton, though Stacy didn't die, he didn't watch her die.
List the choices (not circumstances) that led this character to his/her current predicament.
Though he wouldn't consider it a predicament, Mathias did choose to become involved in Sam's life to the point where she was left with him when Veronica disappeared. It's not something he ever planned for himself, something that still scares him if he thinks about it too much. But he made the choice and he wouldn't change it for anything.
List the circumstances over which this character has no control.
Killer vines. He was pretty much screwed with that.
What wakes this character in the middle of the night?
The recurring nightmares. Thoughts of Sam's safety. All sorts of worries.
How would a stranger describe this character?
Reserved. Calm. Sometimes cold. Maybe a little weird, given the people watching he does. Tactile.
What does this character resolve to do differently every morning?
Let his memories upset him or bother him less. He thinks he's successful, but he's really just shutting down.
Who depends on this character? Why?
Samantha Halpert. Because he's the one taking care of her now that her parents and Veronica are gone. He's lucky he has lots of help, though.
If this character knew s/he had exactly one month to live, what would s/he do?
As much as he could. He'd try to pack as much living into that month as possible and he'd involve as many people as he could.
How would a dear friend or relative describe this character?
Steady, patient, kind. Maybe a little too emotionally reserved. Tactile.
What is this character’s most noticeable physical attribute?
His height or his eyes. He's 6'4" (in the book, it describes how he crouches/kneels in front of Stacy and is eye to eye with her) and his muscles are the lean kind, so he looks fairly lanky as well. But his eyes are ridiculous.
What is this character hiding from him/herself?
That he's scared. That he's really, truly still scared.
Write one additional thing about your character.
He spends more time looking at the scars on his hands than he realizes. They've faded quite significantly, but he still knows they're there.