Romeo: Romeo + Juilet. The son of Montague, Romeo is first introduced to us as a sad, melancholic, apathetic youth. His reason for sadness is universal; Rosaline his love will not return his affections. Not initially daring, it is his friends Mercutio and Benvolio who suggest he gatecrash or arrive uninvited at the Capulet party to see Rosaline. There he meets Juliet falling instantly in love. From this point on, Romeo no longer is melancholic, but dynamic and courageous, risking his life at the Capulet's house to be near Juliet and later breaking a banishment order which threatens death for him, to see his Juliet again. Well regarded even by Capulet, his enemy, Romeo is a thoughtful man, unwilling to provoke fighting unlike the hot-blooded, adversarial Tybalt, whom he kills. Romeo also kills Paris but in both encounters sought to avoid fighting, winning only to defend his life. At the end of the play, he commits suicide, rather than live without Juliet, the ultimate display of loyalty for his love Juliet since his life obviously no longer had meaning without her.
This is all very similar to one of the main characters in my radio play for example at the start of the radio play Billy is confused and sad of what job has to do because of his father. However even though Romeos sadness is about love and Billy's is about not being to be a writer both characters are toubles until they meet their lover. Romeo has a best friend and a cousin who in my radio play is Rory- the ideal German soldier- they both influence Romeo and tell him to keep his heads out of the clouds which is similar to the friendship in the play. Romeo also gets banished once he kills Tybalt which could be the same as Billy being disowned because of his ambitions of being a writer and not a soldier. They both also risk their lives for the one they love.
Character research: Billy Hoffmann
Michael Berg: The reader: he is 15 years old when he develops Scarlet Fever and must stay in bed for months. As he recovers, he searches for the 30-something woman who helped him when he first became sick. He finds her, and they become lovers. She insists that he read to her each time before they make love. When he turns 16, she leaves. Years later, in law school, he finds her again. This time, she is being tried by a German court: she was a guard over women at Auschwitz and sent them to their death. He struggles because he knows a secret about her that could result in her receiving a lesser prison sentence, but it is something she does not want to admit.
This relates to the character of Billy because Michael is a dreamer- he wants something that he can never have which is Hanna- this is the same with Billy- he knows he can never love a Jew because of his position in the army and because of the relationship with his father however he does it anyway. Michael also feels loss and betrayal which also appears within my character. In the film the reader once Michael and Hanna become lovers his attitude and mood changes towards his family- he is quieter and more awkward with his behaviour which is the same as Billy when he spends the day with Helena. They both also take a risk which si going back to what they have hope and faith in- their lovers.
Character research: Billy Hoffmann
Charlie Babbitt: Tom Cruise: Rain Man:
the ruthless car-salesman, Charlie Babbitt, discovers that his father had a three-million-dollar fortune that was left behind after the man’s death. However, to his disbelief and infuriation, all he inherited were the 1949 Buick Roadmaster Convertible and his father’s prized rose bushes. The remainder of the fortune was to be spent by a trustee to carry out the man’s requests. Through his charm and his manipulative talks, he was able to find out that the person in charge of the trust fund. This character that Tom Cruise portrays has similiarities to my character.
First of all in the film of Rain Man Charlie wants to win his fathers effection which is very similar to Billy who wants his fathers approval for him being a Nazi soldier. Charlie is also selfish and arrogant which is similar to the behaviour of most sterotypical young Nazi German soliders and can be used when Billy looses his anger and the soldier side of him comes out to the listener. Charlie also has the ambition to look after his brother and to prove to his father that he can do it alone which is similar to Billy's job at the camp and his effort to have Emmetts approval. Charlie is also quite sympathetic. When he hears about his brother Raymonds story about how he was taken away Charlie soon sympathises with his brother and realizes that it was his fault why his brother was taken. He blames himself when he finds out the truth and he makes the effort of being nice to Raymond instead of getting annoyed with him all the time- he even shows love towards him near the end of the film. This is similar to Billy- he realizes it is his fault why Helena is in the camp, he also realizes what he has done to many Jews and the pain that he has caused to both them and Helenas family.
First of all in the film of Rain Man Charlie wants to win his fathers effection which is very similar to Billy who wants his fathers approval for him being a Nazi soldier. Charlie is also selfish and arrogant which is similar to the behaviour of most sterotypical young Nazi German soliders and can be used when Billy looses his anger and the soldier side of him comes out to the listener. Charlie also has the ambition to look after his brother and to prove to his father that he can do it alone which is similar to Billy's job at the camp and his effort to have Emmetts approval. Charlie is also quite sympathetic. When he hears about his brother Raymonds story about how he was taken away Charlie soon sympathises with his brother and realizes that it was his fault why his brother was taken. He blames himself when he finds out the truth and he makes the effort of being nice to Raymond instead of getting annoyed with him all the time- he even shows love towards him near the end of the film. This is similar to Billy- he realizes it is his fault why Helena is in the camp, he also realizes what he has done to many Jews and the pain that he has caused to both them and Helenas family.
Character research: Billy Hoffmann
Christian: Moulin Rouge: Ewan Mcgregor:
Christian, a young writer with a gift for poetry moves into the bohemian underworld of Paris. He is taken in by the absinthe-soaked artist Toulouse-Lautrec, whose life centres around the Moulin Rouge. Christian falls into a passionate but doomed love affair with Satine, the Sparkling Diamond, the most beautiful courtesan in Paris & star of the Moulin Rouge.
This character has similarities to Billy because he is a writer and is taken in by love. They also are in a difficult love situations whereby they aren't meant to fall in love with the person they are with. Christian and Billy also risk their lives for their love for example Christian takes beating's from the Duke's henchmen and threats for him to be shot which is similar to Billy's Father who realizes what his son has become because of love.
Character research: Billy Hoffmann
Bruno:Boy In The Striped Pajamas: Asa Butterfield: Bruno is an eight-year-old child living in Germany during WWII. He loves exploring and adventures. He also loves to read adventure stories. He is a very active little boy who loves to play and hates boredom. He has many friends until his Nazi father makes his family move to Auschwitz, Poland where he befriends Shumuel, who is also eight, but Shumuel is a Jew living on the other side of a barbed wire fence. When he brings food to his starving friend, he learns more about why the fence is there and why his friend is on the other side. He begins to question whether his father is a good man or not. What Bruno doesn't know is that his dad is a commandant at Auschwitz, and he kills, beats, and puts thousands of Jews like Shumuel to work every day. When his mom announces that she, Bruno's sister, and Bruno are returning to Germany, Bruno, being the caring lad he is, tried to help Shumuel find his missing father. But, when he goes to the other side of the fence with Shumuel, the Nazis make the Auschwitz inmates march to the gas chambers, marking a tragic end to Bruno's short, adventurous, and sad life.
Bruno shows similarities to Billy because Billy (even though he isn't as young as Bruno) is a young German boy who was hypnotized by the education of Germany around the time of the second World War. He is confused as to what is going on and he loves adventure and books which is similar to Billy who questions his father's job as a commandant and who has an ambition to be a writer.
The Boy In The Striped Pajamas is also told through the eyes of Bruno which is similar to my radio play which is told through the eyes of Billy. Even though Bruno's friendship with Shumel appears strong he betrays him when one of his fathers men questions him when Shumuel is eating inside the house. Bruno lies and avoids punishment whilst Shumel takes the blame and gets punished , this same theme of betrayal happens to appear in my radio play.
Character research: Billy
Count Laszlo de Almásy: Ralph Fiennes: The English Patient:
Beginning in the 1930's, "The English Patient" tells the story of Count Almásy who is a Hungarian map maker employed by the Royal Geographical Society to chart the vast expanses of the Sahara Desert along with several other prominent explorers. As World War II unfolds, Almásy enters into a world of love, betrayal, and politics that is later revealed in a series of flashbacks while Almásy is on his death bed after being horribly burned in a plane crash.
This character relates to Billy because both want to risk everything for love even though it is forbidden . Both also have a relation with books and being read to as their story continues. Almasy is also wound up on love and is very impatient when wanting to see his loved one- this is very similar to Billy when he wait's for Helena to appear again.
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