A Time to Move Characters

Main Character: Beth Johnson
Age: 42
Name: Elizabeth Marie Johnson
Location: Rhinelander, WI
Family History: Her husband left her when Lexi was very small. Her mother has been living with them for quite a few years.
career aspirations: She wants to run a business of her own
Race: White
Features: Small frame, long, mousy hair, short
Appearance: Fairly non-descript and unassuming
Likes: Quiet nights at home with her family
dislikes: Loud, rude people
Physical condition: Not really in shape, but also not overweight
Ailments: some arthritis creeping in, but in good health otherwise
Education: Associate’s degree in hospitality mgmt – graduated in her mid thirties
Socio Economic background: She struggles to pay her bills and take care of her family
Parents: Mother, Marie, lives with her. Her father, Ralph, died of a heart attack 10 years ago
Siblings: None
Ambition: To be successful in business and make her mother proud
Hobbies: She likes to read, garden, and take walks with her dogs
Significant Others: None since Lexi’s father left her
Intelligence: She’s very intelligent, although she doesn’t give herself much credit for it.
Emotional Stability: She is a strong woman, but doubts her own abilities. She lives her life, largely, for her daughter and mother.
Flaws: She’s a perfectionist and is too hard on herself.
Traits:
Pivital events in life: Lexi’s father leaving and her mother moving in with them
Favorite foods: her mother’s lasagna
Religion: non-practicing Christian
Personality: Friendly and outgoing
Habits: bouncing her knee when sitting for a long time, pacing while she’s on the phone
Favorite thing to do: Anything outside
Comfort level with opposite sex: Comfortable, but doesn’t take the time to get into a relationship
Things they take pride in: Her work quality and her family
Things that bother them: Worries about having enough money to support her family
Things that make them laugh: her dogs, her friends – she has a great sense of humor
Speech patterns: typical Mid-west accent

Supporting Character, Lexi Johnson (Beth’s daughter)


Age: 16
Name: Alexis Ann Johnson
Location: Rhinelander, WI
Family History: Her father left when she was very young. She only has slight memories of him. Her grandmother lives with her and her mom
career aspirations: She wants to be a beautician… or a lead singer in a rock band
Race: White
Features: Very slender, pretty girl. She had blonde hair just below her shoulders. She has a small frame, like her mother
Appearance: Very fashion-conscious. She always dresses nice and does her hair and make-up before leaving the house
Likes: Hanging out with her friends and her boyfriend, Charlie. She goes to all of his football and baseball games.
dislikes: staying home alone
Physical condition: She’s skinny and in good physical shape
Ailments: None
Education: High school sophomore
Socio Economic background: Her mom has trouble making ends meet, but she works with a friend of hers at a clothing store, so she has her own money to do things
Parents: Mother, Beth – father has been gone for a long time
Siblings: none
Ambition: To become a fashion designer or beautician for the stars
Hobbies: designing clothes (she has a pile of sketchbooks on her bedroom floor) and creating choreographed dances to popular songs
Significant Others: Charlie, her new boyfriend, who is on the football team
Intelligence: She’s fairly intelligent, but doesn’t act it most of the time
Emotional Stability: She is fairly stable, but wishes she had a “normal” family like her friends
Flaws: She can be very self-centered
Traits:
Pivotal events in life: Her father leaving, her grandmother moving in with them
Favorite foods: Pizza, burgers, Chinese food
Religion: non-practicing Christian
Personality: Fun and outgoing, life of the party and center of attention
Habits: twirling her hair, snapping her gum
Favorite thing to do: hang out with friends
Comfort level with opposite sex: very comfortable
Things they take pride in: her looks and being “in fashion”
Things that bother them: Questions about her father and what he was like
Things that make them laugh: Her friends, her dogs, even her mom who, she admits, is quite funny
Speech patterns: Typical teen-speak, and uses some text-speak in her conversations

Supporting Character, Marie Horning (Beth’s mother)

Age: 63
Name: Marie Horning
Location: Rhinelander, WI
Family History: Her husband died 10 years ago. Shortly after that she moved in with her daughter and granddaughter
career aspirations: retired
Race: White
Features: white hair, sturdy build, fiery green eyes
Appearance: Medium build, dresses fairly nice, but in dated fashions
Likes: She likes volunteering with some senior women friends and with her church group
dislikes: she doesn’t like to drive and doesn’t like winter
Physical condition: She’s not in shape. She’s moving a bit slower these days
Ailments: Arthritis and high blood pressure
Education: She has a bachelor’s degree and worked as an accountant most of her life
Socio Economic background: She is used to a bit better lifestyle than her fixed income provides, but she is still comfortable
Parents: Both deceased
Siblings: 2 sisters who live in different parts of the country
Ambition: to help those in need
Hobbies: crafting, reading, gardening, volunteering
Significant Others: deceased
Intelligence: Very intelligent woman
Emotional Stability: very stable, very strong
Flaws: tends to be judgmental
Traits:
Pivital events in life: the birth of her daughter and the death of her husband
Favorite foods: Greek food, Chinese food, and Italian food
Religion: Christian
Personality: Very strong and wants to be independent, although there are things she can’t do anymore
Habits: Baking when stressed
Favorite thing to do: baking, gardening, meeting her friends for lunch
Comfort level with opposite sex: comfortable
Things they take pride in: Her granddaughter (her family), and her standing in her peer groups
Things that bother them: struggling with her own mortality
Things that make them laugh: her friends and family
Speech patterns: Nothing out of the ordinary for a Mid-Western senior