Creating Irene was a different animal than Alice. Because Irene is a different animal than Alice, almost polar opposite.
There was no name that came to mind for her from the people of my life. But Irene seemed to fit the person I created. While Irene was the great goddess of peace, the Irene of my story was not about peace.
The characteristics of Irene came from all the grumpy, unhappy, even mean people I have met. A tall order to put all those characteristics in one person perhaps.
What I wanted to portray was someone who had underlying reasons for her behaviour. Reasons that are not evident, and perhaps layered, and hidden deep within her. Maybe she doesn’t even know why.
People only see the behaviour, and without knowing history may assume the reason for the behaviour is what is present, or themselves. Sometimes it isn’t but whatever the reason, the impact of the behaviour is destruction to relationships.
In Irene’s case, I wanted her to become aware of her behaviour and its impact. And then to consider change. In story writing, we get to decide if they change or not. Sometimes for the good of the story if not for the character.
