The lady doth protest too much, methinks

By James M. Jackson

“The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”
~ Queen Gertrude in Hamlet, Act III, Scene II

I teach a two-week class on story structure. One of the key early lessons is that every good story has two parallel structures: one for plot and the other for character development. Today, I want to talk about character development.

I’ve always been jaded at protestations by politicians about how bad or evil someone else or some other group is. It seems to me that more often than not, fear-mongering or hate is as much inner-directed as directed toward the “offensive” individual or group.

Without naming names, recall the politicians who have been most vituperative describing homosexuals, who were themselves gay. Those most praising the sanctity of marriage were serial philanderers. Those loudest about the need to drain the swamp of corruption are the most corrupt.

Those are perhaps egregious examples of politicians gaslighting the public to hide their misdeeds. Somewhat more subtle are individuals who state what they in fact believe, but they increase their intensity because they know they exhibit the same characteristics they wish to eliminate in the world.

That understanding has taught me to listen carefully when someone sounds off because it can provide clues about what things they don’t like about themselves. This applies equally to people and fictional characters.

It took me a while, but I realized Niki often espoused her appreciation for teamwork and lambasting those who looked out primarily for their own best interests. She points to her participation in team sports, particularly her college championship softball team, on which she played second base, to demonstrate that she practices what she preaches.

And yet, softball is one of the most individualistic team sports. Yes, teamwork is required to turn a double play or to sacrifice bunt or hit behind the runner. But it’s you as the batter against the pitcher and catcher; it’s you who has to catch the ball. Her other high-school team involved target shooting—again a solo event.

She joined one of the most team-oriented law-enforcement agencies in the world—the FBI—and became an undercover operator. She relied on the team—until she went undercover. Then, she was by herself and wanted it just that way.

In Niki Unbound, the final book in the Niki Undercover Thriller trilogy, she learns of a plot to kill the president and disrupt the presidential succession. And she cannot stop it herself. If the enemy is to be defeated, it will require a team's coordinated skills and actions. This realization means Niki must address part of her shadow that she has danced around and actively tried to suppress: she does not trust other people to the extent necessary to be a true team player.

Her challenge in this story is to find some way to change so that when the pressure becomes intense, she maintains her trust in her team. Or will she revert to what’s worked for forty years and go it alone?

Sound interesting? Niki Unbound is available in paperback, Kindle (and free to read on Kindle Unlimited), and as an audiobook on Audible.

Have you ever caught yourself protesting a little too loudly against something you quietly recognize in yourself? For me, it’s lamenting people wasting money on crap with no value other than a quick endorphin boost. Any confessions?

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James M. Jackson writes justice-driven thrillers with brains and bite, including the Niki Undercover Thriller trilogy and the Seamus McCree series. To learn more information about Jim and his books, check out his website, https://jamesmjackson.com. You can sign up for his newsletter (and get a novella and two free short stories featuring his protagonists).