Welcome back, Campers. This month we’ll look at three other types of romance heroes: the Delta, the Theta, and the Beta heroes. (And how about those Oxford commas!)
The Delta – the dark and dangerous. His past is so dark, so damaging, and combines with such a darker temperament that he exiles himself from society and takes on loner/outlaw status. His issues have to do with the past and how to overcome it – guilt, shame, rage, isolation versus need for love…. Delta means change, and these heroes most of all must change to be able to give and accept love freely.
Conflicts for Delta
•Guilt vs Trust
•Outlaw vs Authority
•Freedom vs Home
•Self-sufficiency vs Family
Trust/Love/Intimacy
He lets no one see inside. Trusts no one.
The Theta – the wounded. Theta means both death and art. These are the wounded creators, the ones too sensitive to put on the Delta’s armor, and too passionate about life to kill themselves. Their very vulnerability to life’s suffering makes them creative. They can be artists or writers or healers, but
their way of dealing with pain is to create with it. The Theta’s issues have to do often with the self-destructive nature of the artistic temperament–substance abuse, loneliness, the need to stay open to life without dying of the pain of it.
Conflicts for Theta
Addiction vs Pain
Art vs Life
Past vs Future
Care-taker vs Care-needer
Then there’s the Beta, and him I define not as a wimp but more as a good-time guy. He’s the open, friendly fella always willing to lend a hand or a shoulder to cry on. He likes a party and has many friends, most of whom take advantage of his good nature. His issues have to do with ‘self’ boundaries – care-taking, giving too much, and not planning for the morrow because today is too involving. He could be a leader but is too lazy or too busy or too uncaring to do that. Mostly he just wants to enjoy life today.
Conflicts for Beta
Commitment vs Freedom
Loyalty vs Loyalty (friend/job/girl)
Trust vs Betrayal
(Delta expects betrayal – Beta doesn’t)
My favorite Beta hero – Jack (Bill Pullman), the nice younger brother, in “While You Were Sleeping”
Example: He’s playing cards with his comatose brother and says, “Whoever gets the high card, gets Lucy.” (No direct confrontation.) Love this guy!
Feel free to leave comments about these heroes – your favorites – and any questions you have.
That does it for our Romance Heroes for this month. Next month, we’ll talk about the last one.
Until then, remember BIC-HOK – Butt in Chair, Hands on Keyboard. Scribendo disces scribere.