One of the questions I get most often is “Where did this idea come from?” or “What was the inspiration behind this story? This character?” It’s a tough question to answer because ideas come from everywhere. Everything you see, taste, touch, smell, and hear, can become an idea for a story. So, sometimes it’s hard for me to pin down exactly where the inspiration for something came from. After all, some characters just trickle into a writer’s imagination. Yet, in this post, I want to explore the inspiration behind the character of Bain in my first novel, In Articulo Mortis.
Obviously, I didn’t create the Grim Reaper. That character has existed for centuries, but bringing him to life in my debut novel wasn’t as big of a challenge as originally anticipated. Bain seemed very natural to me, almost like I’d known him for a long time.
When I was a teenager, I had trouble keeping my bedroom door open at night because I always felt like some unseen force was looking in on me. Even when there was no one else home, there was sometimes a shadow on the edge of my vision, but of course, when I turned, nothing was there. It didn’t necessarily feel good or bad, simply there. At night, the darkness of the bathroom across the hall seemed like it could swallow me whole. It was slightly terrifying, especially when one has an overactive imagination.
To add to the idea, I have the distinct memory of a dream I had once in which I had met the Grim Reaper. I wasn’t dying or dead, but we were speaking to one another like old friends. In the dream, he was both an ally and a guide. I, of course, took that and pulled it into what the story is today.
Art Begets Art
In trying to form what he would look like, I drew from the art and makeup effects of movies. Listed below are some of the fictional characters that influenced the image of the Reaper/Bain.
- Billy from Hocus Pocus (played by the amazing Doug Jones) was a large piece of inspiration. Despite his rot and decay, he has this charm and playfulness about him that makes you love that character.
- Arlington Steward from The Box inspired part of Bain’s face that is rotted through on one side.
- The depiction of Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix does a wonderful job highlighting the classiness of a three-piece suit. It’s very snazzy and timeless. I loved this idea for the Reaper. It made so much sense to me to have this crisp, tailored suit despite his rot and decay.
- Another character that interested me was Anthony James’s portrayal of the Chauffeur in a movie called Burnt Offerings. The character never speaks and doesn’t have a lot of screen time in the film, however, his role is very critical to the story. The image of the Chauffeur was striking. It stayed in my head. The idea of this tall, lanky, pale man reminded me of a psychopomp. That was the Grim Reaper I wanted.
The Voice of Death
Bringing his voice into the book was really a no-brainer. It’s described often as “raspy” and a cross between “something foreign and ancient.” I was always entranced by the voice of actor Michael Wincott. He, much like singer Tom Waits, has a gravelly voice. It’s very distinct, and the older he gets the more beautiful his voice is. A lot of people don’t know Michael Wincott by name, but if you saw his face you could probably list at least two or three movies that you’ve seen him in. He normally plays a bad guy.
There are far too many wonderful clips on YouTube showcasing the Canadian actor’s voice in varying accents and degrees of rasp through the years to show here. However, he did recently voice the character of Death in a video game series, which proves to me how perfect his voice is for the character.
In a nutshell, I think that’s where most of Bain came from. Ultimately, these ideas and influences coming together are what helped me form the character in my novel. If you’re a fiction author looking for character ideas, try to use characters you’ve already seen. Notice the way these characters dress, talk, and walk. See what small character quirks they may have that ring true for you, and before you know it you’ll have a character of your very own who is just as unique.
Thank you for reading and stay safe out there!
-Eliza
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