Today, we’re going to be taking a look at what makes a good child character. We’ll be using examples from several different Bible passages, so, as always, be sure to look them up for yourself.
Child characters can be protagonists, antagonists, contagonists, sidekicks, and even mentors. Often, they offer unique insights and experiences to both the audience and the MC (unless, of course, they are the MC). So let’s take a look at some points that can help make your child character dimensional.
(Note: In this post, we’re focusing mainly on child characters below age 13. However, the Bible examples I use might not always be below that limit because their exact age wasn’t given.)
- Innocent
Child characters aren’t always “cute” (in fact, they can be downright bratty), but they will have some level of innocence. This is especially true if the child has been removed from their normal environment.
For example, in the books “Oliver Twist” and “David Copperfield,” both MCs are taken away from their original home. This paints them in a very vulnerable light, and shows their innocence and ignorance of certain things. When Oliver witnesses some of his companions stealing from an older gentleman, he is so appalled and frightened that he takes off running.
There are, however, exceptions to this. As we’ll see, children can be very smart and act maturely at times. Also, a child with a bad past may know or have experienced things far beyond their age. This will inevitably have an effect on their personality, making them either more helpless than ever, or aggressive and defensive.
We see how the mistreatment of both Oliver and David make them somewhat wise beyond their years, having gone through things no child should have to go through. But through characters like the Artful Dodger and Uriah Heep, we see that a bad past can also nudge a child in the wrong direction.
From the Bible, we get glimpses of several children who acted bravely or intelligently, despite their background or past. However, there was an overall recognition that children were simply not as wise or as knowledgeable as their elders. Several men, when called by the Lord to perform a task, said that they were “but a child.” In general, it was recognized that children were not meant to lead or to teach, as they had much to learn themselves.
- Talented
Of course, not every kid will be a prodigy, but God made us all skilled in some way or another. Some children are good at art, or are peacemakers, or have a knack for math. And kids are not dumb, either… they are capable of understanding a lot of things. As we’ve determined, they do have much to learn. But they are good at something, even if it’s considered small.
There is also a choice that must be made at some point in a person’s life—whether as a child or an adult—as to how they will use the talents they’ve been given. Will they waste them on fruitless or evil endeavors, or will they use them for good? Of course, ultimately, a person must first trust Christ before they can truly fulfill their purpose of glorifying Him.
In the movie “The Incredibles,” Dash has superhuman speed and reflexes. While, of course, the average child character won’t have superpowers, running is what Dash is good at. And, as the movie goes on, he learns to use that skill for good.
In the Bible, David certainly was talented with the sling. Up until he fought Goliath, he’d been using that skill for the Lord in smaller ways. But because of his trust in God, he was able to defeat the giant with the talent he’d been given.
- Flawed
If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, I’m sure you knew this one was coming. While we generally think of a child as “innocent” (which is true, as I mentioned in Point #1), they’re just as human as adults. This means that they have a sin-nature inside of them.
Anyone who has been around kids knows how true this is. While children can say cute things, give hugs, and flash adorable smiles, they’re also capable of snatching toys, throwing tantrums, and fighting with their siblings. Even these actions might be considered “innocent,” but they really stem from the same problem that causes adults to bomb buildings and rob banks—sin.
As I stated at the beginning of this post, child characters can play many roles. Their placement in the story will determine whether they end up overcoming their flaws or sinking deeper in them.
An example of this is the Von Trapp children from the movie “Sound of Music.” While we remember their angelic voices and unique personalities most, don’t forget about their deception and trickery towards Maria in the earlier part of the film. Even though their reason for doing it was plausible, that didn’t make it any less wrong. Of course, Maria ends up showing them a better way to get their father’s attention than simply getting into trouble.
There’s a lesser-known story in 2 Kings chapter 2 about the prophet Elisha. As he was traveling to Bethel, children came out of the city and mocked him, calling him “bald head”. The Lord ends up judging them by calling bears to come and tear them up. It’s saddening that even little kids had no respect for God or for His prophets, but it’s also realistic.
- Insightful
Sometimes, adults can get so caught up in their own minds that they fail to look at things from a different perspective. Children, while young, can sometimes offer that perspective. They see things differently than adults do, and can often be quite smart.
Don’t make your child characters so innocent that they don’t seem to know anything about anything. Of course, there might be a place for that if the child was brought up very sheltered, or (as I said before) has been removed from their normal environment. But it can sometimes be surprising what children know.
In the book series, “The Baker Family Adventures,” Tom is the youngest child in the family. When the series starts, he’s given a very minor role since he’s very young. But, as the kids grow older, Tom gains a more prominent place in the series. He also gets wiser.
While, in the 8th book, Tom makes some very foolish choices, he’s shown earlier in the series to be pretty intelligent. In the book, “Prisoner of the Pyrenees,” Tom, his older sister Abby, and his mother, are captives of Del Quera in his mountain fortress. During his talk, he denies the existence of God, and Tom speaks up. Surprisingly, he manages to disarm Del Quera’s argument with a simple case of his own.
In the story of Naaman, we find a little maidservant who proved to be very insightful. If it hadn’t been for her idea to send Naaman to the prophet Elisha, Naaman most likely would have died a leper.
- Individual
While all of us would recognize that kids have unique personalities, many authors don’t write like it. Their child characters are all cookie cutters with no individuality. But, again, children grow up into adults who have different personalities. So, while there may be ways that kids are alike (especially while they’re still figuring out their personality), they’re different people.
Since kids are also very impressionable, their childhood has much to do with their shaping character. This includes their family, friends, circumstances, and experiences. These will also differ from child to child, making each one unique.
Child characters in fiction have a wide range, but one of the ones who stands out to me is Sophie from “The BFG.” She’s spunky, but her imagination can often scare her. She’s lonely, resourceful, smart, and likes to read. Her personality is brilliantly shown when she yells down some drunk men in the street, yet buries herself in her bed at a slight breeze.
I’ve already given several different examples of child characters from the Bible. It’s especially interesting, though, to compare them side by side. Some are brave, others brilliant, and still others are foolish. Keep an eye out for these children yourself as you read through the Bible!
- Purposeful
While we might think of goals as mainly for adults, kids have them, too. It might just be something small, like wanting a cookie. It might be something unrealistic, like wanting to launch a cardboard rocket into space. Often, children’s goals change quickly, and they always seem to want something. But they will have goals.
Just as with several of the other points, these goals can be for God’s glory or otherwise. It all depends on the role the child plays in your story.
Riley in “Inside Out” is a perfect example of this. Throughout the whole movie, she just wants to go home. And, as things progress inside her head, she finally decides to run away. No matter how unrealistic this goal might be, Riley wholeheartedly believes that this is the right thing to do. (Until, of course, she realizes that it’s not.)
In the beginning of Daniel’s story, he “purposed in his heart” that he wasn’t going to eat the food that was sacrificed to idols. Even as a child, he knew that he wanted to follow God, no matter what it would cost him. He carried this goal with him throughout his life—famously, when he was thrown into the lion’s den.
- Realistic
No matter what personality, background, or talent, kids are still kids. They still like to play, eat too much sugar, and stay up past their bedtime. They make mistakes and have misconceptions about things. They still have much to learn about the world.
As you write your story, keep this in mind. For all their talents or insightful advice, your child character is just a child. And it’s generally an accepted fact that the best child characters are those who really think, talk, and act like children.
Russell in the movie “Up” is lovable because of his childishness. He’s so innocent—and, yes, ignorant at times—that viewers can’t help but like him. Even grumpy old Carl eventually comes to care for Russell. This is not because he’s so brilliant or talented. Rather, it’s because Russell is simply a kid who loves animals and wants to earn a few merit badges.
In the Bible, all of the children are portrayed as just kids. The more well-known ones performed heroic deeds, but, at the bottom of it, they were still children.
Here are a few more examples of child characters from fiction:
- Boo (“Monsters Inc.”)
- Lily (“Do You Believe?”)
- Emily (“Courageous”)
- Luca (“Luca”)
- Adria (“Pendragon”)
- Laura (“The Redemption of Henry Myers”)
- Anna, Caleb, and Cassie (“Sarah, Plain and Tall” series)
Comment below what your favorite child character is!