Character Trait Entry: Honesty

Definition:
To be forthright, truthful, candid

Causes:
Growing up with a strong moral center or in an environment where truthfulness is placed in high regard; a desire to help; having strong ethics; a religious background/upbringing where lies are viewed as sin

Characters in Literature: 
 Harriet in Harriet the Spy; Joachim Ziemssen in The Magic Mountain

Positives:
Honest people are seen as trustworthy and without dark ulterior motives--if they did they would be viewed as manipulative, not honest. If you need a candid evaluation or someone to bounce an idea off of, an honest person is gold beyond measure. Honesty is one of the most valued traits, heavily relied on during tight situations and stressful times. Many people who are honest are also highly objective, and can weight pros and cons effectively.

Negatives:
Honest people can lack the social skills to judge when complete honesty is not wanted or needed. People with this trait often also give advice unsolicited, which is not always appreciated, or they see things in such black and white lines that their honesty can come across as brutal. Honest people sometimes have a hard time maintaining friendships because they do not understand that often a listening ear is what is wanted, not an open assessment of the situation or truthful opinion.

Common Portrayals:
A by-the-rules kid in the classroom; the co-worker who is always reporting going-ons to the boss out of a sense of duty; the brutally truthful wife who offers her honest opinion unsolicited to advise her husband and family friends; the sheltered teen who believes everything she's told because of her own honest disposition.

Cliches to Avoid: 
 Tattle-tail little brother or sisters as a plot device; the honest, trusting nature of a focal character softening the antagonist's heart, the honest girl corrupted by a 'bad boy'

Twists on the Traditional Honest: 

• Put a character who embraces honesty into a situation where she freely chooses dishonesty for the greater good
• Have a character feel the effects of brutal honesty so it leads to enlightenment and self growth
• Give your honest character a compulsion to flout authority or break the law

Conflicting Characteristics to make your Honest unique or more interesting:

Sensitive, selfish, violent, motivated, jealous, risk-taker, promiscuous