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Entry tags:
character survey
Body and Appearance
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is he heavyset, thin, short, rangy?
Florian is in many ways the archetypical academic. He’s tall (189 cm) and slender, bordering on teenage lanky. His body is lean and well-proportioned mainly thanks to daily runs, not natural inclination.
2. How old is he?
Born August 1983, Florian is 32 in 2015 when his storyline is introduced.
3. Describe his posture. Does he carry himself well or does he slouch?
When standing and walking, Florian has a good posture. As soon as he sits down, though – he slouches; a habit born of ten years of studying and therefore, sitting bent over heavy books on small tables in huge university libraries.
4. How is his health? Is he fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities?
He’s in very good health. He used to smoke, but quit and took up running to counteract the abstinences. Since he loves German cuisine, he probably eats more meat and fat than he ought to, but exercise and a high metabolism ensures that it doesn’t show.
5. How does he move? Is he clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid?
Generally nursing a casual personality, Florian moves with natural ease and seems relaxed as a rule with few exceptions.
6. How attractive is this character physically? How does he perceive himself in the mirror?
Florian is attractive and he knows it. In spite of his age, he still has a boyish charm about him and it’s a demeanour he nurtures, both privately and professionally.
7. Describe his complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred?
He’s typically Northern European to look at, so his complexion is pale and clear – altogether German in appearance.
8. Describe his hair: color, texture, style.
Poetically spoken, he has soft, chocolate brown strands of hair. Practically spoken, it’s in a bobbed style with bangs that fall into his eyes.
9. What color are his eyes?
Blue with grey speckles.
10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features?
He laughs a lot and has a horrible sense of humour to go with it.
11. What are his chief tension centers?
When Florian gets worried or stressed out, the tension builds in his neck and shoulders first, spreading gradually to the rest of his back. It rarely lasts very long, but when it does, it’s sometimes necessary for him to see his massage therapist. Especially during exam periods.
12. What is the character's wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does he have six of the same suit?
His wardrobe is extremely casual. Lots of t-shirts, sweatshirts and jeans in various shades of blue, grey and other earthy colours. His wardrobe is still pretty varied, though – ranging from t-shirts from various concerts to a Burberry sweatshirt to jeans bought by his ex-girlfriend at stores he doesn’t know the names of.
13. Do his clothes fit well? Does he seem comfortable in them?
He is always comfortable in his clothes and since he’s of an average build and size, finding clothes that fit well isn’t difficult for him.
14. Does he dress the same on the job as he does in his free time? If not, what are the differences?
In comparison to most of the other professors at Luxembourg University, Florian is very casual in his choice of clothes on the job, but there are differences. Albeit he still wears jeans, he only wears shirts at work, whether they be short-sleeved or long-sleeved depending on the season – and leather shoes to match, rather than trainers.
15. You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando?
Briefs. In lots of bright colours.
Speech
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse?
For a man, Florian’s voice isn’t terribly deep, but it’s warm and rich. Even so, the lighter pitch makes him sound younger than he is.
2. How does he normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does he talk easily, or does he hesitate?
Florian talks very fast and without pause once something gets him started. Whenever he’s addressing others, his tone of voice is almost always friendly and open, often amused.
3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics?
Born and raised in the southern part of Germany, Florian’s casual speech is in a southern German dialect, although his professional speech is always standard German. Due to the dialect, however, he retains his ch sounds in all positions which isn’t phonetically correct, but it’s what he’s grown up with and something he’s given up on changing.
4. What language/s does he speak, and with how much fluency?
He’s a native German speaker who also speaks English with some fluency. Additionally, he can manage everyday conversations in Luxembourgish.
5. Does he switch languages or dialects in certain situations?
Generally, he’s very careful not to switch from his standard German to his southern dialect when teaching, because he thinks his material should be approached with the neutrality that is the standard version of the language in which it’s written. Nevertheless, when he gets deeply engaged in a discussion, he sometimes switches to his southern dialect out of excitement.
6. Is he a good impromptu speaker, or does he have to think about his words?
He’s very much an imprompty speaker. To a degree where he sometimes speaks without thinking.
7. Is he eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change?
With his many years of education and his love of language and literature, Florian is extremely eloquent, even if it’s sometimes obscured by his casual demeanour. However, after meeting Mireille, he finds himself speechless more often, due to her no-nonsense attitude and honest directness – completely opposite his own approach to conversation.
Mental and Emotional
1. How intelligent is this character? Is he book-smart or street-smart?
Intelligent, but book-smart. He can analyse any contemporary German pop song down to the letter, but that’s about the breath of his competences.
2. Does he think on his feet, or does he need time to deliberate?
Everything around Florian moves at the same pace his mind works at. Fast. As such, he has a tendency to make instant decisions and deals with the consequences later, if need be.
3. Describe the character's thought process. Is he more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical?
Like his field of study, literature, Florian is all about intuition and ideals. If it feels right, it’s right – to hell with logic claiming the opposite. The ideal of love outweighs everything else in practice. However, he’s the son of a lawyer, thus he knows that there are things you can’t do or that must be done in a specific way not to stir trouble for any of the parties involved and he’s ready to accept that, too.
4. What kind of education has the character had?
He’s graduated Hauptschule and Realschule in Trier, Abitur in Berlin and then went on to attend the Humboldt University of Berlin where he studied German literature for seven years – for his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree as well as his PhD.
5. What are his areas of expertise? What, if anything, is he interested in learning more about?
German literature, with his main field being contemporary poetry. He has been researching the Luxembourgian author, Jean Krier’s writings and would like to study Anise Koltz’ German poems as well.
6. Is he an introvert or an extrovert?
Florian’s very extroverted. He thrives around people and enjoys both small-talk and academic discussions, depending on who he’s speaking with. Despite having a large circle of acquaintances, he doesn’t have a lot of close friends, especially not in Luxembourg – it’s not something which bothers him much, though. He’s fully content with what he has.
7. Describe the character's temperament. Is he even-tempered or does he have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven?
Even-tempered. Generally happy and always laid-back. Having used to live the wild life of a hedonist, Florian still believes in staying relaxed and cheerful in all situations, a talent he has nursed ever since he was a teenager and therefore, something he’s extremely good at.
8. How does he respond to new people or situations? Is he suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic?
Being an extrovert and of a good temper, he approaches new contexts with curiosity and enthusiasm. He’s always happy to engage in interaction with people he hasn’t met before, is interested in learning more about them and keen to hear about their points of view – especially if it leads to a fruitful discussion.
9. Is he more likely to act, or to react?
Florian acts more than reacts, though the two are mutually dependent. Even his reaction to situations is most often in the form of action.
10. Which is his default: fight or flight?
Fight. He’s stubborn and rarely stands down willingly, until he’s been defeated. As a consequence, however, he isn’t afraid to admit defeat either – when a discussion has been lost or a situation has left him out of options.
11. Describe the character's sense of humor. Does he appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks?
At Luxembourg University, Florian is notorious for having a horrible sense of humour, despite how he thinks himself pretty funny. He enjoys humour in people and appreciates jokes a lot, whether he’s the one making them or the one at the receiving end. Himself, he has a preference for puns, mostly bad and over the top.
13. What moments in this character's life have defined him as a person?
There are two moments that have shaped his development into what it is today.
First, when he was 15, he had a big argument with his father about what career to pursue after he’d finished Abitur; his father wanting him to become a lawyer like himself and Florian knowing that if there was one thing he didn’t want to study, it was law. However, he had no idea what exactly it was that he wanted to engage in instead, so to shut his father up, he simply blurted out that he wanted to study literature. Being stubborn, he quickly decided that since it was what he’d said, it was what he’d do and worked towards getting the grades he needed to be accepted, quickly realising that the field pleased him. During this process, his rebellion against his parents slowly developed into actual hedonism and his youth was defined by the need to just feel pleased.
Secondly, an abrupt change took place in him when he visited his hometown, Trier, in between his Master’s and his PhD. On a daytrip to Luxembourg, he was suddenly reminded that there was a world outside Berlin that was worth studying and that, perhaps, it would add a purpose and direction to his life that he had begun noticing was lacking. As a result, he did some personal research on German literature about Luxembourg and decided to apply for a PhD on the subject. This choice of action ensured that the next two years of his life wasn’t just pleasure and fun, but work and dedication as well and it gave him an endless satisfaction that he hadn’t truly known before.
14. What does he fear?
Like everyone else in the Silver Wolf-verse, Florian is afraid of being alone, although he’s not overly aware of it. He seeks out other people at all times to fill the void, but doesn’t question the need to do so. He sees it as a natural inclination that it’s necessary and most of all, pleasant to comply with.
15. What are his hopes or aspirations?
Having mostly achieved what he wants academically, Florian hopes to find the right woman – get married, settle down, have a family. All in all, have the fulfilled life of a grown-up man who’s well-functioning both professionally and privately.
16. What is something he doesn't want anyone to find out about him?
That he used to be addicted to hash. During his Bachelor’s years, he smoked hash daily and especially needed it during exam periods when he got stressed out. Later, he managed to quit the habit, but he doesn’t want to be a bad example for his students and keeps the information very private.
Relationships
1. Describe this character's relationship with his parents.
His relationship to his parents hasn’t been very complicated since he began his PhD and found a direction in his life, despite him being very different from them in interests and approach. While him and his father are still somewhat estranged from one another due to Florian’s former lifestyle, they are also good discussion partners and Florian always enjoys talking with him. His mother is grateful that he’s finally got his life figured out and takes a great interest in everything he does, in a very German, no-nonsense way. All in all, Florian isn’t close to his parents as such, but they are a great support for him, a support that he can count on in all situations.
3. Are there other blood relatives to whom he is close? Are there ones he can't stand?
After he moved to Luxembourg, he sees his grandparents on his father’s side a lot, since they live in Trier – right on the other side of the German border. He didn’t see his grandparents a lot after his family moved to Berlin when he was a teenager, but having resumed the relation, he enjoys hearing their stories about their lives and what they know about the area.
4. Are there other, unrelated people whom he considers part of his family? What are his relationships with them?
His mentor for his PhD thesis, Lenz Fried, has become a very close friend who has begun seeing both Florian and his parents privately. His presence during the period where Florian was working on his thesis became part of the stabilisation he experienced and Lenz has gradually become somewhat of a father figure to Florian over the years.
5. Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet?
His ex-girlfriend, Hanna, whom he dated for two years until he moved to Luxembourg, has stayed a close friend after their break which was without drama and on mutual consent. They’ve known each other since they both began studying literature, though Hanna later opted for dramaturgy instead. They met at university where they were in a study group together, but didn’t begin seeing each other privately until they met by chance at a bar. A wild night on the town and a one-night stand later and they were practically inseparable.
6. Does he have other close friends?
When he still lived in Trier and went to school there, he was friends with a boy called Sepp whom he met again after beginning to visit Trier more often as an adult. Sepp works as a librarian and they spend a lot of time discussing the newest literature of all genres.
7. Does he make friends easily, or does he have trouble getting along with people?
Florian makes friends extremely easily. He’s friendly and likeable, so people enjoy his company and he rarely fails to enjoy theirs.
8. Which does he consider more important: family or friends?
Friends. Not that his family isn’t important to him, but they are there by default, by virtue of being family. Friendships must be nurtured and maintained, thus they take first priority.
9. Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has he been married more than once?
Currently, Florian’s single. He’s been in a few long-term relationships more recently in his life, but when he was younger it was mostly a month or so with a new girl every half year. After he moved to Luxembourg, he’s not been in any established relationships, but there is a girl he’s seen regularly as a friend with benefits.
11. Who was his first crush? Who is his latest?
His first crush was a girl named Sabine. He was 16 and she was older than him, so she didn’t pay him any attention at all. For a long time, he was obsessed with her, until he learned that she was in a relationship with another girl. A few wanks later and he gave up on the idea of winning her over, went back to his earnest studies and moved on to another girl who also had a name that began with S.
His latest crush is Mireille. They grew close gradually while working on their book about Jean Krier’s poetry and likewise, it was a gradual process that he fell in love with her. One day while they were discussing something, it simply occurred to him that he was and that he hadn’t noticed it happening. Despite her being married, he welcomed the addition to their interaction, even if Mireille didn’t outwardly reciprocate his feelings.
12. What does he look for in a romantic partner?
Wit. His partner has to be intelligent. He likes small-talk, but unless he can have discussions of greater substance with her, he’d get bored too quickly. Other than that, he’s aesthetically vain, so she has to be relatively attractive, preferably with a nice pair of breasts.
13. Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does he relate to them? If no, does he want any?
Florian would like to have children. The idea of having a family is attractive to him, because it symbolises stability and functionality – aspects that have been missing from his life for many years.
14. Does he have any rivals or enemies?
Jean Louis doesn’t qualify as either a rival or an enemy, because Florian doesn’t perceive him as such, but he is in the way for his relationship to Mireille, so as such – he is probably a rival in his own right.
He also has academic rivals, scholars who refute his research and results, but he knows it’s simply part of the academic milieu and not anything that weighs on him heavily. Instead, he accepts the challenge implied.
15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does he fall on the Kinsey scale?
Being strictly heterosexual, Florian is an 0 on the Kinsey scale.
16. How does he feel about sex? How important is it to him?
Florian 1) loves sex and 2) finds it vital. He’s certainly had a lot of it throughout his twenties, despite the general lack of committed relationships. Now, living alone in Luxembourg, he mainly gets his share by sleeping with a girlfriend of his every now and then.
For him, sex has come to equal intimacy and craving intimacy naturally leads to wanting sex with the person he wants to be intimate with. Unlike many who sleep with multiple partners, Florian doesn’t enjoy one-night stands (anymore) unless he’s somehow invested in his partner, more than physically so.
Not to mention that a man has needs…
17. What are his turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits?
Breasts are Florian’s biggest turn-on. He loves breasts; the shape of them, cleavage in a dress or shirt, looking at them in bras and without… Not to mention touching them. He could spend hours fondling his partner’s breasts in bed if he didn’t get hard from doing so. Neither does he have any uncommon turn-offs, though he dislikes women who sound like porn stars in bed. It ruins the mood for him.
Beliefs
1. Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does he fit type?
Florian’s Western zodiac is Leo and he fits those characteristics to perfection. He’s confident, ambitious, encouraging, generous and loyal – but he’s also vain, stubborn and at times almost pretentious in his confidence, the negative traits of Leo. His Chinese zodiac is the Pig and once again, it fits him well. Seeing how the Pig is intellectual, generous and kind-hearted.
2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in his life?
Florian has grown up in an intellectual family that didn’t employ or value religion, but he’s attended church (Lutheran) at holidays and on special occasions, like christenings and weddings.
3. Does this character have a personal code of morals or ethics? If so, how did that begin? What would it take to compromise it?
In his twenties, Florian was a hedonist and believed strongly in only doing things for your own pleasure and contentment. As he grew older, this philosophy began feeling empty to him and the more alone he felt in his quest for his own happiness only, the more pressing it seemed to be – to fill his life with something besides himself.
4. How does he regard beliefs that differ from his? Is he tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent?
Ever the intellectual, Florian is interested in hearing other people’s opinions, even when they differ from his own. He’s curious about other people’s reasons to think the way they do and will always be willing to engage in a discussion on the topics where the disagreement lies, to understand their point of view and make them understand his.
5. What prejudices does he hold? Are they irrational or does he have a good reason for them?
Florian has a problem with obesity and is generally of the opinion that all obese people lack the willpower to exercise and eat correctly. It’s an irrational prejudice, especially because he – as an academic – has access to research papers that cast the issue in a more nuanced light.
Daily Life
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is he rich, poor, comfortable, in debt?
Due to his job as a professor at Luxembourg University, Florian is comfortable financially, but not rich enough to simply squander money as he pleases.
2. What is his social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected him?
He’s upper middle class and has grown up in a family of the same status. Not until he meets Mireille, does his status begin to change and even then, not in any financial sense. Escorting her to parties and beginning to mingle with Luxembourgian high society simply gets him press attention and publicity.
3. Where does he live? House, apartment, trailer? Is his home his castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does he share it with others?
His apartment is mainly a place to store his books and listen to his music in the evenings. The rest of the time, he’s out working – either teaching or conducting research. He lives alone, so it isn’t that he hurries home at night to spend his time with a significant other, rather he has a tendency to stay out late. He likes relaxing at home in the weekends, though – to read while listening to music and drinking coffee.
4. Besides the basic necessities, what does he spend his money on?
He spends a good percentage of his monthly income on books, everything from poetry to crime novels, and contemporary German music.
5. What does he do for a living? Is he good at it? Does he enjoy it, or would he rather be doing something else?
Working as a professor of German literature at Luxembourg University is Florian’s dream and something he feels extremely blessed being able to do for a living. He enjoys giving lectures, doing research and couldn’t imagine doing anything else at the moment.
6. What are his interests or hobbies? How does he spend his free time?
Books and music. He spends a lot of his free time going to concerts, reading poetry and writing various academic articles. Every morning and evening, he goes for a run to stay in shape and burn some energy. Clear his head.
7. What are his eating habits? Does he skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods?
Florian eats like a bachelor. Which means, sometimes not at all. Sometimes out. Sometimes whatever happens to be in the fridge. He isn’t a bad cook, but he’s too often occupied with other things and doesn’t take the time to cook a proper meal. He drinks wine to his food as soon as it contains meat and has a small storage of quality red and white wines from his father.
Associations
Which of the following do you associate with the character, or which is his favorite:
1. Color? Blue.
2. Smell? Library.
3. Time of day? Noon.
4. Season? Summer.
5. Book? Jean Krier’s “Bretonische Inseln”.
6. Music? Herbert Grönemeyer’s “Demo – Letzter Tag”.
7. Place? Berlin.
8. Substance? Cotton fabric.
9. Plant? Fern.
10. Animal? Horse.