Cotton Eye Jo Character Building

"Where did you come from , Where did you go?"

The Cotton-eye-Jo method of character building is relatively simple. Inspired by the lyrics of the song, this method focuses on the most fundamental questions about the character:

1. Where did they Come from?
2. Where are they going?

Where Did You Come From?

This question does not literally refer to the world location of the character. Sure, being born on a farm or in a palace will have an impact on their history, but it does not define them as a person. A character is exactly that: A Person, complete with complex emotion and stigma, allowing their situation to transform them for better or worse.
A great example of this would be too look at the brother's in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". Both born to exactly the same circumstances, even raised in the same manner, Frollo and Jehan could not be more different. One a priest, one a thief illustrates how where your character comes from is not a question of place. When you ask yourself where your character comes from you need to address these points:

• What is your character's personality?
• What is their outlook on life?
• Have there experiences made them bitter, strong or passive?
• Are they a product of their circumstance, or are they the person they are despite those circumstances?
• How does this affect the manner in which they view other people? Are they resentful of the aristocracy? Disgusted by the poor? Compassionate to the needy?

Where Did You Go?

Once again, this is not a question of physical destination, but of volition and desire. Two merchants travelling to the same city, will not fit the same mold. Where one is honest, the other may be a charlatan, where one is generous, the other may be stingy. This is where your character motivation will come into play. Drawing from what you have learnt in the "Where did you come from?" phase, you are able to ascertain the character's shortcomings and establish a character arc. some things you want to consider are:

• What sort of person would your character be if they followed on their current trajectory?
• Is the character aware of their flaws?
• Does the oppose, fear or desire change or are they apathetic?
• Are your character's flaws defense mechanisms, learned behaviors or unconscious decisions?
• What keeps your character doing what they are doing?
• What are their ethical and moral boundaries?