Successful stories are driven by authentic and interesting characters, so it’s important to craft them carefully. But characters don’t usually exist in a vacuum; throughout the course of your story, they’ll live, work, play, and fight with other cast members. Some of those relationships are positive and supportive, pushing the protagonist to positive growth and helping them achieve their goals. Other relationships do exactly the opposite, derailing your character’s confidence and self-worth or they cause friction and conflict that leads to fallout and disruption. Many relationships hover somewhere in the middle. A balanced story will require a mix of these dynamics.
The purpose of this thesaurus is to encourage you to explore the kinds of relationships that might be good for your story and figure out what each might look like. Think about what a character needs (good and bad), and build a network of connections for him or her that will challenge them, showcase their innermost qualities, and bind readers to their relationship trials and triumphs.
The following is just a sample of the content available for this relationship. To see it in its entirety (along with 45+ additional relationship entries), check out our Description Thesaurus Collection at One Stop For Writers.
Godparent and Godchild
Description: A godparent plays the roll of mentor, encourager, and guide to their godchild. Chosen by the child’s parents, the godparent is a family member or good friend. This relationship can be a close one where the two spend a lot of time together, with the godparent offering advice and correction and taking an active role in the child’s upbringing. In some situations, the godparent is meant to become the child’s legal guardian should anything happen to the parent. Other relationships…
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.
A trusting relationship where advice is eagerly sought after and granted
A godchild viewing their godparent as a trusted confidant
The godparent taking over legal guardianship for a godchild whose parents are deceased
The godparent being more of a figurehead who only makes an appearance at birthdays, high school graduation, etc.
Clashing Personality Trait Combinations: Apathetic and Needy, Controlling and Rebellious, Humorless and Playful, Dishonest and Honorable
Negative Outcomes of Friction
The godchild losing a confidant and advocate
Poor communication, pushiness, or disrespect causing a rift in the relationship
The godchild’s interaction with their godparents causing them to lose respect for authority figures in general
Ways This Relationship May Lead to Positive Growth
One of the two parties realizing their need for help and learning to accept it
A helpless or hopeless child or adult learning that they have something to offer
Themes and Symbols That Can Be Explored through This Relationship
Betrayal, Coming of Age, Death, Family, Friendship, Illness, Inflexibility, Isolation, Passage of Time, Rebellion, Refuge, Religion, Rite of Passage, Sacrifice
Other Relationship Thesaurus entries can be found here.
Need More Descriptive Help?
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Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and its sequels. Her books are available in five languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling.
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