Question for a story

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CapnJack

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In the background of my main character, she grew up as a Baptist preacher's daughter, in the 1860s-70s, in a little town in Texas.

I know, because after he lost his wife and son, it was just him, and the main character when she was growing up. He was a little less hard on her than he might have been, because she was all he had left.

Does this make sense? That, though he was stern, and not really good with emotional things, that there was no doubt that he loved his daughter, and would have wanted her to be happy? That, though maybe he disapproved of some things, he never stopped loving her?

I'm sorry if these questions seem odd. But whenever I write, or characterize a character who is a pastor, I go out of my way to avoid the stereotypical image that TV loves. And even though he's not really going to make an appearance, I kind of want to get the influence he had on the main character right.
 
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hopeful09

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I think this makes sense. People are people are people. He could be stern and not good at showing emotions and still love her and want the best for her. She likely sensed/knew all of that, so that would affect her and the way she sees herself and the way she reacts to other people. There's quite a bit of built-in conflict there to play with and to help you develop her character. If you haven't, I'd recommend delving deeper into what it was he exactly disapproved of, what it means when you say he wasn't "really good with emotional things," and why there's no doubt that he loved her and wanted her to be happy. Regarding the disapproval, was it something big or was it little things? How did he show that disapproval (or did he show it)? How did she react to the disapproval? Regarding his problems with emotions, did he show none at all? Did he show them only rarely? Did he show only anger? Did he show lots of love? And how did he show what he did? Did he yell and throw and hit? Did he only shake his head and walk away? Did he hug her and kiss her? Did he squeeze her hand? The more you know about these kinds of details, the more developed her character will be--even if the reader never knows any of this.

Happy writing!
 
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