Ambiguous Characters

 

Ambiguity can be good or bad, depending on the writer’s purpose. If a writer is looking for clarity, then ambiguity is his or her enemy. If the writer wants to keep the reader guessing, however, then ambiguity is his or her friend. This is true of characters as well as events and circumstances.

Professor Snape from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series is a good example. Is he friend or foe? Most of the time he looks like a villain, and then something happens and you wonder. Even if you think you’ve figured it out by the end of a book, the next one makes you question your earlier conclusion. It isn’t until the end of the series that we discover the answer. And no, I’m not going to spoil it for you.

The photo at the top of this post shows a Jack of Clubs that I intentionally distorted to make it ambiguous. If you look closely you can tell it’s a Jack, although the clubs are harder to see. That’s what happens with an ambiguous character. The reader gets enough detail to make out the character’s more superficial traits, but the deeper ones are unclear.

I used the Jack of Clubs to represent an ambiguous character in one of my current works-in-progress, which takes place in 1850 when gambling had fewer restrictions than it does now. My protagonist, Matthew, is befriended by Addison, who is a professional gambler. At first, Addison won’t let fourteen-year-old Matthew join in his poker games, declaring that Matthew is too young and too naïve. Eventually, however, he allows Matthew to play with ever-increasing amounts of money until Matthew steals money from his father and loses it all to his supposed friend.

When Matthew confronts the gambler about his betrayal, Addison says he was concerned about Matthew getting addicted and wanted to shock him into understanding that gambling doesn’t pay. Then the conversation continues as follows. (Keep in mind that this is the first draft and will probably change.)

“If you’re trying to teach me a lesson, I’ve learned it.” Matthew swallowed. “So you can give the money back now.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t think you have learned it, and if I return the money, you never will.”

So is Addison a good guy or a bad guy? I don’t even know myself.

But sometimes a little ambiguity is a good thing.