Character Development - 17/04/2011

One of the main things I have learnt throughout the rehearsal and research process for Lord of the Flies is that there is so much more to Piggy than meets the eye.

When I first read through the script I wasn't completely taken by Piggy. He seemed like quite a one dimensional character. I thought he seemed: co-dependant, spineless, unintelligent, yet opinionated. You could tell that he was civilised and wanted to do things diplomatically but was not confident or perhaps smart enough to get his point across.

After we were shown the movie interpretation in class it opened my eyes slightly to his character. You learn in the movie that he was bullied in school - this being the reason for the name 'Piggy' - which is probably the reason for his self loathing and shyness around others. Also, they clearly show his strong relationship with his Auntie. She was the person he turned to in times of trouble or hurt, but she isn't with him on the island. This fully explains why he would be so co-dependant on Ralph. He is filling the role that Piggy's aunt left behind. I think through the watching of this interpretation I gained a bit more respect for this character. There obviously are completely valid reasons for his insecurities, he's had a hard life.

In class we did an exercise similar to hot seating but for the whole group to do at once. (Answering the questions to empty air) This helped me hugely in developing my character even more.


Questions:

• What is your family life like? What's your relationship like with your parents?

"I.. Uh.. My mum and dad actually passed away when I was six. (long pause)  But I live with my auntie now and she's really amazing. She takes real good care of me. She's really smart too! She was always there for me when I used to get bullied in school. She even rang in to speak to the principal about it once. She's never had any kids of her own so I guess she treats me as though I'm hers. I wouldn't be me without her."

• What is your first memory?

"I don't really want to talk about it. (fidgets) I don't know what to say.. My first memory was.. Mum and Dad's funeral. I don't remember much. I remember feeling lost. I remember being annoyed because I didn't know what I'd lost. My auntie was leading me around my old house introducing me to people I didn't know. Or at least, I didn't know I knew. I had strangers trying to comfort me because of two people I never knew. How can you mourn for people you don't know? But I did.. I cried. I cried because I was surrounded by distant relatives, family friends and my parent's co-workers that knew my mum and dad better than I did. They would sit around a box of tissues talking about memories of my parents.. Memories that I would never, ever have. Ever. (cries)"

• Who is the person you trust the most in life?

"Oh that's easy.. Well.. Actually.. I'm not sure any more. If you'd have asked me before the.. Before everything, I would have said my auntie. She was my best friend, I could tell her anything, I knew that she was always there for me. That was, until now. Where is she now? When I need her the most. I don't know who I trust now, probably Ralph. He supports my ideas and doesn't pick on me like the others. But, he's not always there for me. He follows Jack when he thinks he's losing support from the others. I think he's just trying to fit in.. But I'm not sure. I don't know who to trust any more. (thinks)"


This exercise helped me so dramatically. Even though some of the details were made up or filled in and may or may not have been intended to come across in the story, it helped me understand Piggy. I hadn't even decided that his parents had died until this exercise. It just made sense. It made me feel so much more connected to Piggy on a more emotional level, so much so that I actually cried during the second answer. I think that this has helped me the most during this process. His character has developed so much more in my eyes and I now feel that I could portray him in a more realistic and relatable way.


I am very excited about this prospect and look forward to more character development.


- Ebony.