Nigel Sudarkasa

Contemporary Scene Study

Character Analysis #1
A. My name is Matt, and I’m a struggling playwright who also happens to be a hopeless romantic
still recovering from a breakup. I am eagerly clinging to any sort of optimism the world still has
to offer, but unfortunately that doesn’t seem to be a lot. I was born I New York City on the 25th
of September, 1975, to an incredibly average household. My father – Thomas White – was a
banker and my mother – Dorothy White – was a pre-school teacher. I was introduced to my
older brother – Mathew White – an incredibly brilliant and amazingly talented child, unlike
myself. I have never been much of an optimist. My first years of life were spent being
adequately loved and appreciated. I entered middle-school with an optimistic outlook on life.
What I came to find out is that I would mostly find disappointment in this pessimistic life. I had
an average amount of friends. I clung to any attention I could get from them. Once I entered
highschool I learned to have a much more realistic (grim) perception of the real world. My
friends began to notice my unlikely negative feelings towards the world and as a result they
began to gain distance from me. I graduated high school with a

1. The playwright explicitly indicates through the progression of the play that I am a pessimistic
average man, who possesses nothing special and is nothing out of the ordinary. A character of
little interest and misfortune. A person who has been fated to be let down and disappointed, by
both the ones around him and society.
2. I believe that I am inadequate, but still deserving of love and undivided affection
3. Other characters believe that I am a good, whole-heated person who expresses himself in the
most genuine of ways but does not grasp the beauty of life, because of his insecurities.

Red Light Winter

2005

Night (7:30pm)

Matt

28

I was born to an incredibly average household. My father – Thomas White – was a banker and my
mother – Dorothy White – was a pre-school teacher. I was introduced to my older brother – Mathew
White – an incredibly brilliant and amazingly talented child, unlike myself.

My first year of life was filled with love and compassion. A false perception of what the real world would
hold. My parents spoiled me with all the niceties of an average child. I had moderate toys and
acceptable attention.

Pre-school was a regular experience for me, nothing too special. I was never really noticed in my classes.
I had friends – that I would see at school and only at school – and as a result I was never an unhappy
child. I did well in school but never enough to compare to my older brother.
Middle school years became a monotonous task of resilience.

My birthdays were always filled with the most amazingly undistinguished decorations. I appreciated
everyone that came to them – although not many – their presence was still greatly appreciated.

In my teens I finally discovered my true role in this society, to simply be overlooked. It was something
terrible to understand, it was just the reality of the world. My friends believed that I had a somewhat
pessimistic outlook on life, but I just saw it as a realistic perspective of the harsh truths of life.

After I graduated, I decided to look for a job that could suit my incredibly ordinary set of skills.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any jobs that suited my personality, but I did find a love for writing and
that started a lifelong journey to create works of art.

On my 27th birthday, I found out that the love of my life, and my girlfriend of two and a half years –
Sarah – had fallen in love with someone else, my best friend, Davis.

Nothing in my life has ever gone the way I had hoped it would. I’ve gotten to an extremely low-point in
my life, that I don’t see a way out of. I am sitting at a desk, in a dimly-lit hotel room, in Amsterdam’s
Red-Light District. I’ve been contemplating whether or not to do something about my overbearing
misfortune. I decide to take my belt and morph it into a noose. I tie it around my neck and attach it to a
hook. I desperately try to displace my weight from the ground, but unfortunately the hook breaks and I
fall to the floor. I hear keys rattling at the door, and swiftly untie the belt from around my neck. I hide it
and greet my best friend, Davis. He brings a prostitute – Christina – into our hotel room, in an attempt
to bring some sort of happiness to my life. He tries his best to introduce us to one another and then he
briskly leaves the room. I begin to speak to her to calm my nerves and understand more about this
atypical individual. I am a little awkward, so for now we’re sitting in silence.

B. Role Analysis
1.
I am about 5 feet 10 inches (average height), thin, boyish and slightly unkept. My dress is
somewhat nondescript. My pants are just regular pants, my shoes are just regular shoes and I’m
wearing a long-sleeved thermal undershirt under a plain brown T-shirt.

I am moderately physically active, I go for an occasional jog once every few weeks and I do
about 10 pushups a day.

Slowly, awkwardly, carefully, wishfully

Slouched, head held low, quick-paced

I don’t play any physical sports, but I do partake in mediocre exercises at home.

I manipulate

I’m quite uncoordinated, slow and I have a somewhat downbeat personality.

2.
 I have unremarkable senses and subsequently am somewhat Intune with said senses. However,
because of my hopelessly romantic mindset, my hands can feel even the most sensitive of
touch. my eyes can sense even the slightest of colors and my tongue can taste even the softest
of flavors.

Sub-par, I can comprehend my senses but not at any exceptional rate or degree. I
See the world through charcoal-colored glasses, because my life has never given me any reason
to be overly optimistic.

My strongest sense would be my sense of touch because I crave affection from anyone willing to
give me the time. My weakest sense would be my sense of sight

3.
I am adequately healthy, I’m not ill or anything, but I also wouldn’t say that my health is
exceptional. Although I am physically healthy, my mental health is not as stable as it should be. I
have a lot of insecurities and as a result my negative thoughts take a toll on my mental health.

Yes, it is good, and no I do not have any ailments or illnesses. The only negative health factor
would be my mental health, I suffer from situational depression, which has an overwhelmingly
deplorable effect on my overall health.

I grew up in the shadow of my brother and as a result I grew up never truly feeling adequate. I
suffer from sever insecurity, but I mask it with humor and over-affection. I deeply long for
affection, and as a result I feel alone most of the time.

4.
I am a heterosexual male, who is deeply in love with the idea of love. I haven’t really
experienced any sexual experiences with anyone other than my semi-prolonged girlfriend,
Sarah, and a girl I dated in college.

5.

I have a slightly lower-pitched voice, with a quick speaking pattern.

I have a somewhat disinterested and pessimistic undertone with most people, but an overly
affectionate tone, when it comes to talking to attractive women.

Quickly, truthfully, affectionately, wholeheartedly

I have a non-regional American dialect

I speak in a somewhat monotone manner most of the time, but sometimes it can become
sporadic
6.
I work as playwright. I’m struggling to think creatively at the moment, but hopefully my creative
essence will return to me sometime soon.

Drinking, loving, reading, writing plays, playing computer games

I occupy most of my time with my computer, attempting to write plays

Rubbing my hands together out of nervousness, rambling

7.
My chief preoccupation is writing, I spend every minute that I am not busy in the day attempting
to come up with new and interesting concepts for plays.

Writing, reading, wallowing in self-pity

8.
I am smart, guilelessly loving, ambitious, naïve, faithful, helpless, pitiful, caring

I enjoy the potential idea of one day finding love and affection in my life in a manner that does
not concern anyone else or any underlyingly destined misfortunes. I dislike the kind of man I
turned out to be, and the fact that nothing my life ever goes the way I hope it does.

I have a habit of giving all of myself to people and being overly loving. I also have a habit of
being profusely pessimistic. I can also sometimes be naively childlike in thought and sometimes I
struggle to understanding the seriousness of some situations.

9.
I prefer to wear casual clothes and be comfortable, even if that means I sometimes appear
unkept. I prefer functionality over aesthetic, and I don’t believe in spending significant amounts
of money on clothes. My clothes are averagely adequate, and they do what I need them to do.

My home is moderately furnished with semi-aged furniture. My home is not too old but also not
very new. I would describe my home as averagely decorated and furnished. Nothing spectacular.

I have short, well kept, brown hair.

I don’t wear any makeup, but if I did, it would be extremely neutral colors.

I am wearing khaki pants, with a white, stripped button-up shirt, formal shoes and a black
sweater-vest

10.
 My most important relationship would be the relationship I have with my best friend, Davis. He
is everything I wish I could be and as a result, I look up to him and cherish his role in my life,
regardless of how much damage he may cause.

My relationship with my best friend, Davis, is kind of jaded because of the fact that he is now in
a relationship with my ex-girlfriend, Sarah, and they actually seem to be in love, but
unfortunately, he’s all that I’ve got, and for that I need him. My relationship with Christina, is an
interesting one, because although I don’t know her well, I have an emotional attachment to her
and as a result, I just want the best for her. We are both connected by the same unfortunate
event, and as a result we share a sense of relatability.

11.
I suffer from debilitating insecurities as of my brother’s effect on my self-esteem and self-worth.
but I mask it with humor and over-affection. I deeply long for affection, and as a result I feel
alone most of the time.

I am very intelligent; I use my intellect to write my plays, however, I choose not to apply myself
with my true ability because I don’t see the point in doing something that still will not compare
to my brother’s accomplishments.

I have a very immense and intellectual vocabulary because I read a lot and have been forced to
maintain an above-average vocabulary in hopes of distinguishing myself as a professional
playwright and because of my brother’s unwarranted need to use large word in our
conversations.

12.
Yes, I am desperate for affection and love and I essentially beg the Christina to show me the love
that I’ve been craving. Because of my lack of affection in my life, my true naturally loving
emotional life is exposed whenever I am around a beautiful and intelligent woman, and in this
case, it’s Christina.

Fear – I fear losing Christina, I say anything to stop her from leaving because I fear the idea of
me being alone again.
Love – I love the concept of love itself, and Im in love with the idea of not being alone.
Throughout the text I desperately try my best to make sure that Christina doesn’t leave me.
Hate – I hate the way Davis makes people feel. He uses them, but because of his charming
personality, no one ever seems to notice they’re being used. Davis manipulates Christina into
spending time with me, without her consent or knowledge.

13.
Describe your character’s relationship with God.
I do not believe in God or any other superior being.
Do you practice a religion? Describe that practice.
 I grew up in an Atheist household and as a result I do not believe in any cosmic force that might
have control over my life, because if there was one, there’s no way they would have let my life
turn out so miserably.
Does your character tell the truth?
I am always honest. I see the only way to be myself is to tell those I love how I truly feel.
List nouns exemplifying the things in life your character most values and the things she or he
most dislikes.
I explicitly value Love, family, happiness, freedom and Loathe the concepts of pride, status,
money, arrogance, selfishness and self-absorption
Describe your attitude towards love, sex, life, death
Love is the most important aspect of life and without it, there is no true reason for life. Sex is a
privilege and a sacred task that should only be done with someone you love. Life is a beautiful
thing and holds endless possibilities. Death is the fastest way to end all pain and it is also one of
the only things in life that is certain, but with happiness in life, death should never be something
to fear.
How do you feel about suicide?
I think suicide is the quickest and easiest way to end all pain or suffering.
Have you killed or would you kill? Under what circumstances?
No, I would never kill anyone, because I believe that everyone deserves the right to choose what
happens in their life and how they would like to spend it.

14.
a. I believe that I am as mediocre as they come. I think that there is nothing extraordinary
about me and as a result that plays a toll on my insecurities and my mental health.

b. I dislike people who don’t see the value in other people’s lives. People who think in an
egocentric manner and do not consider the emotional standpoint of anyone else, have no
place in today’s society. It is people like this that would make working as an artist a difficult
medium, for the world is filled with these types of individuals and I fear that as a playwright,
I’ll definitely come into contact with them, somewhere along my journey.

c. Food, Music, Sex

d. I wish to forget the love I had for Sarah. She is happy with Davis now, and I just wish I could
forget about all the joyous times we had together. Maybe then it would make it easier for
me to move on with my life and find someone who really appreciates me for who I am and
cherishes me purely for what I stand for.

e. I feel guilty about the fact that I wasn’t able to please Sarah when we were together, and
fear that my inability to bring her happiness, is what drove her to pursue happiness
elsewhere.
 f. I’m proud of the fact that I am a good person. I believe in people and I give them second
chances. I believe that everyone is worthy of forgiveness, no matter what their actions may
have done to your emotional health. Forgiveness is the ultimate remedy to pain.

g. I have never told Davis how I truly feel about his relationship with Sarah, but because I care
about him, I don’t think I ever will. I also haven’t told Sarah how much she hurt me by
choosing my best friend over me. I understand I might not have been adequate enough, but
my best friend? Was there no one else who could fill the position that I left behind.

h. Yes, detail

i. I fear that I will spend the rest of my life constantly chasing after the concept of happiness
only to fail at actually attaining it. I fear that I will end up alone and that the love I crave to
find, will never find me.

j. I am never early nor late, but I arrive right on time. There is nothing grand about my
entrance, I am neither vividly punctual nor unprofessionally late. It is a habit I picked up
when I was younger, and as a result, it has stuck with me my whole life.

k. I am primarily kind

l. I believe that my name is an average, unexciting and unexceptional name. It is the 43rd most
common name in America and as a result, I don’t really feel to special, or unique.

C.

I hunger for emotional intimacy and long for the affection I never got as a child. I dream of
falling in love, starting a family and basing my happiness on my emotional state of mind, and not
my ability to feel needed.

4.
Christina begins the conversation with me

She makes me open up about my love life

She makes me vulnerable with the question she asks

She makes me feel anxious because of her monotone attitude

I begin to become attached to her because I can sense her pain

She gets me to see her for who she truly is and not what society perceives her to be

I ramble as a means of getting her to stay in the hotel room with me and not leave me alone

I try to get her to understand that she is worth more than what Davis has to offer her

I finally confess my sexual inexperience as the last wall of my defense

 I move closer to her as a means of bridging the gap between us both physically and emotionally

5.
I successfully manage to convince Christina not to leave the room by rambling and getting her to
understand that there is more to our dynamic than what meets the eye. We are both victims of
the same person and as a result we have a certain degree of connectivity that I try and get her
to comprehend. It is because of my wholehearted and genuine nature that I convince her to stay
with me.

D.

When I love, I love hard. I give people all of me and as a result that makes me extremely
vulnerable, just like Matt. We both have somewhat realistic outlooks on the world and yet still
have somewhat of a childlike naiveté about the possibilities of the future. We also, both seek
comfort in confiding in others because of our own personal inner turmoil, that makes us very
trusting of those who keep our secrets.

Unlike Matt, I do have a slightly more optimistic perception of the world. I am also not as
emotionally unstable as Matt, and do not require as much attention as him. I understand the
finer aspects of life and as a result, I am able to create and determine my own sense of
happiness as opposed to relying on others.

My friend Liam, he too longs to be free from the shadow of his siblings, and the expectations as
a brother of someone accomplished. He and Matt are both misunderstood, and they both long
for emotional support and affection, but both cover it up with humor and lightheartedness.
Liam is brilliantly intelligent but refuses to apply himself as a means of lashing out against his
parent’s wishes, and as a means of preventing any type of disappointment from his parents.

Dave Franco, a man who has always lived in the shadow of his older, and more successful
brother, James Franco. Dave used to suffer from situational depression, just like Matt. Both of
them feared the idea of living a life with a lack of attention and affection. However, similarly, the
two of them still work hard to create a better life than the one that was dealt to them.

A Dog, because dogs crave attention and affection and if left unloved, they start to develop trust
issues. They are very caring and fear loneliness.

Brian Ralph Johnson, from ‘The Breakfast Club’, Kevin Gnapoor, from ‘Mean Girls’, Harold Lee,
from ‘Harold and Kumar go to White Castle’.