Jack Kelly From Newsies: How to Make Wonderfully Relatable Characters

There’s just something special about certain fictional characters. You probably know the ones I’m talking about: the loveable, heart-warming ones that seem so real you could almost reach over and give them that hug they deserve. They’re the characters you cry with, the ones you whoop for joy with, the ones who make a lasting imprint on your mind. 

Who doesn’t want to make such a character? As a writer, you’re probably standing on tip-toes, vigorously waving your hand through the air, shouting: Me! Me! I want to make loveable, realistic characters!

Well then, my dear friend, you’ve come to the right place.

Today’s Example:

Jack Kelly from Broadway’s Newsies is one of the most relatable characters I know. He’s an orphan newsboy who sells papers and lives in New York City in the year 1899. Unfortunately for him, he’s depressingly poor. Luckily his wits and charm are enough to get his papers sold each day and therefore keep him alive, but just barely.

Jack is one of the things that makes Newsies so fun to watch. Not only is he funny and charming but he also fits all the qualities I listed above: Loveable, relatable, and real. 

But…what makes him that way?

Desires and Fears

Everyone has their own unique interests and hobbies, so not everyone will have the same interest as your character. Your character may love ham sandwiches, but not everyone does. Sure, your character can have quirks and a personality (in fact they should have those things in order to appear real), but this doesn’t make them relatable.

So, what’s something everyone has? The answer is quite simple: desires and fears. Every human being on this planet has a desire. This can be anything, from the desperate desire to rescue a good friend, to a deep hungering for wealth. But, they can’t just have a desire; there has to be something driving them to get this thing, a reason for their actions. This is where fear comes in. 

Maybe your character desires money because they’re afraid of being poor and losing everything. Or, maybe your character wants to be surrounded by friends, because they hate being lonely. This is called internal conflict, and is vital to any good fictional character.

With that in mind, let’s look back to Jack. When he’s first introduced, you get to see his internal conflict as he talks (sings) to his friend Crutchie. Right there, in the very first scene, the viewer gets sucked in. Jack mentions his Santa Fe, his own special haven, a place that’s full of great people and limitless horizons. He hates how he’s forced to live in a filthily cramped city and admits that the second he gets enough money, he’s going to flee New York. 

Later on in the play, this explains why Jack is furious at the publishers for raising the price of the papers. Pulitzer, the man in charge, is draining his money and therefore, his hope of escaping New York. Internal conflict not only makes your character relatable, but also helps the reader understand the motive behind their goals. Goals, not to be confused with a desire, are the actions a character will take to flee their fear and pursue their deepest desire. 

So we’ve mentioned Jack’s desire and goal, but what about his fear? From the very first scene, you can see that Jack is worried he’ll end up like his dad — working to death in a place where he’s barely scraping by, with no hope of a better life. Ultimately, he’s afraid of losing all hope, as he’s seen so many other people do. 

Everyone has hopes and dreams for what their perfect home will look like and everyone is afraid of losing hope. This universal desire is what makes anyone able to connect with him. Even if you have never had the specific goals that Jack does, (winning a strike to be able to buy your way out of the city that drained the life and hope from your father) we’ve all felt the desires that he has. And that’s what makes him so relatable. 

Keep in mind that your characters shouldn’t be too up-front about their desires either. It’s normal for a Broadway singer to burst into song and tell you all of their hopes and dreams, but for written stories, make sure to keep it less blunt. I’ll release another article on that soon, but for now, try focusing on giving your characters desires and fears in the first place.

Next time when you sit down to watch a show or open a book, see if you can spot the character’s desire and fear (or lack thereof). Try it with your own writing as well, making sure that every character, from the protagonist street boy to the villainous overlord has a desire and fear. That way when a reader picks up your novel or switches on their TV, they’ll become so emotionally attached that they can’t help but sing with your character, laugh with them, and maybe even cry with them. 

What about your characters? Do they have desires and fears? What characters do you find the most relatable? Why? And how was this article? Too sweet? Too sour? Just right?