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.
Master and Apprentice
Description:
A master is a highly skilled worker with much talent and experience who trains an apprentice in a particular vocation. This relationship may go on for years for the apprentice to be properly trained and prepared to work on their own. Traditionally, the relationship exists in trade vocations, such as masonry, metalwork, welding, etc. In modern times, fields such as architecture, artistry, medicine, computer programming, and others may utilize an apprenticeship structure.
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.
The apprentice wanting to learn a trade and taking to the master’s teachings enthusiastically
An apprentice having the confidence to solve problems and make decisions without needing hand-holding
The master wanting to do anything possible to make the apprentice successful
An apprentice being partner with a master who is strong in their craft but weak on mentoring and teaching
Challenges That Could Threaten The Status Quo
The apprentice getting a better offer from someone else
The master taking on multiple apprentices
Either party developing a bias (socially, culturally, racially, etc.) against the other
The master becoming jealous of or feeling threatened by the apprentice’s skill
The apprentice reaching a skill level that makes them feel they don’t need further instruction
The master’s business booming, resulting in less time for them to devote to the apprentice
The apprentice surpassing the master’s skill level
The master falling ill
Wounds That Could Factor into The Relationship
A learning disability, A parent’s abandonment or rejection, A speech impediment, An abuse of power, Battling a mental disorder, Being disappointed by a role model, Being fired or laid off, Being forced to keep a dark secret, Cracking under pressure…
Clashing Personality Trait Combinations
Ambitious and Lazy, Judgmental and Oversensitive, Nurturing and Withdrawn, Controlling and Weak-Willed, Independent and Needy, Mature and Irresponsible, Efficient and Scatterbrained, Cautious and Reckless, Confrontational and Timid
Negative Outcomes of Friction
Fights and arguments
The apprentice avoiding their training
The master bullying or belittling the apprentice
Ways This Relationship May Lead to Positive Change
Both parties learning from one another and growing
The apprentice’s life being greatly enhanced through the apprenticeship and what results from it
Themes and Symbols That Can Be Explored through This Relationship
A fall from grace, A quest for knowledge, Beginnings, Coming of age, Friendship, Inflexibility, Innocence, Journeys, Knowledge, Passage of time, Stagnation, Teamwork
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.