Hello and welcome to Beauty – the no-frills, no-nonsense podcast about all things beauty. True Beauty. God’s Beauty. I am your host, Deanna, and today we are continuing our conversation about character development using the story of Ruth and Naomi. Now, this is not a bible study, but I do encourage you to study this book. It is only four chapters, but it is filled with some good stuff. And, as a little teaser for my paid subscribers, if you are craving a little study, you might like next month’s resource.
Okay, Ruth and Naomi. Why are they good examples for character development? I love the way we are introduced to these ladies. Right off the bat, we are told there was a famine and Naomi moved to a new land with her husband and two sons. The husband ends up dying and the sons marry. But then, ten years later, they also die. We aren’t told anything about the way these people look, what they do for a living, how they died – nothing. I am a curious person, so I have questions – but the writer of the book of Ruth gave us the information we need for the overall story – which, if you read the book, is a beautiful story of trust and faith; hope and redemption.
We are told that Naomi decided to go back home because she learned the famine had ended. She told the girls to head home to their parents, but they refused. There is an exchange, and one ends up heading back to her parents, while the other, Ruth, stays with Naomi and they head to Bethlehem. Still no descriptions of either woman, but we can infer a couple of things. First, we can infer Ruth is committed and loyal for staying with her mother-in-law. We can also infer the deep grief Naomi was experiencing because of a conversation she had with the town ladies when she arrived. I love that this is all the information we need to captivate our attention. It would just be a distraction to read about their physical appearance. Sometimes, too many words and descriptions are just not necessary when telling a story.
Chapter two unveils a plan to get Ruth a husband. Naomi sends her out to glean the field. We get some information about Boaz, learning he was worthy, so you can infer some things about what “worthy” might mean, and that he was a close relative in the family. We see Ruth’s willingness and obedience. She is described as a young woman and she caught the eye of Boaz. The next two chapters don’t reveal much more description and that is what I want you to notice. The absence of physical appearance is replaced with details of actions and customs. We don’t need to know what they looked like or how they carried themselves to connect with them. We connect with Naomi because of the tragedy she experienced. We connect with Ruth because of her obedience. And we connect with Boaz because he comes in and saves both women in a noble act of genuine love.
Both the story of David from last week and the story of Ruth and Naomi include a lot of details about things other than physical appearance. We read about their surroundings, their relationships, their actions and reactions, their body language, their words, and yes, their physical characteristics. For David, it was important to share – and in most stories you write, the physical characteristics will also be important. But what I want you to see in the story of Ruth and Naomi is that physical characteristics can be used sparingly and still make a great story. A great story is certainly a beautiful thing.
Just like the bible characters of David, Ruth, and Naomi, we are told what we need to know, when we need to know it. Look at your own story and consider which details are the most important to share – and when to share them. Remember, you want to share slowly over the course of your story.
If you need help or feedback, as always, feel free to reach out. I am happy to read or talk through your thoughts and help you on your writing journey.
D 😊
