: Re: How to make a mimicking character believable In my novel, there is a antagonistic character named Numbers who reacts in a similar manner to those he is talking to, even freakishly so. Because

@Debbie451

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Whatever you decide the reason is for Numbers to take on others' personalities, you have to explain it to the reader in a way which makes sense.

Your character could have Giovannini Mirror Syndrome, exaggerated for
the House, MD episode "Mirror
Mirror." If your story is set in modern times, someone would have
to diagnose the character (or take a stab at it) to let the audience
know that the character is doing this for a narrative reason and it's
not bad writing.
Numbers could be a sociopath who sort of wants to get along with
people, but he never really learned how, so all he does is mimic
whoever is in front of him because "well, that person is doing it, so
it must be 'correct.' "
If you're writing a fantasy, he could be possessed by
spirits/demons/etc.

Regardless of the tack you choose, you must show the reader why Numbers behaves the way he does. The characters around him should notice that he seems to have no core personality, and should point out that it's not normal. They should wonder to each other why he's like this. If any of your story is from his point of view, revealing his thoughts and perceptions might also help the reader understand why he's acting this way.

The other characters might try to fix him, depending on the setting and their proclivities. In a fantasy, that might mean "lifting a curse" or "performing an exorcism." In a modern setting, it would be a hospital conversation. This also opens a window into his behavior, allowing you to justify it for the reader.

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