: Re: How can I portray a resentful character without making them overtly angry? I am writing a fiction story about a elite unit, SFD (Strike Force Delta), during the Third World War. The war is

@Speyer920

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The sergeant could be unfair towards the other character while being in denial about it or without even realizing it. One example that comes to mind about this kind of behavior is Birdbox.

MAJOR SPOILER BELOW

The movie is about mysterious creatures that make humans commit suicide by being looked at. If you see the creature you become insane and try to kill yourself.

In the first part of the movie, the character played by Sandra Bullock, Malorie, and the one played by Danielle McDonald, Olympia, are both pregnant. They live with a group of survivors in a house. Olympia makes Malorie swear she will take care of her soon to born baby if something were to happen to her. They both go into labour and shortly after, Olympia sees a creature and kills herself.

Note that the reason things turn bad for Olympia (and basically all the other characters in the house) is because she were to trusting and let someone in. Someone who wants everybody to witness the beauty of the creatures.

In the second part, Malorie has to raise both children in a post-apocalyptic world. They are now around 5 years old if I remember correctly. Unable to consider this living she doesn't name the children, she calls her son boy and the daughter of Olympia, girl. This part is dotted with little details to show that Malorie can't accept Girl as her daughter, probably because deep down she sees in Girl her mother Olympia who is responsible for the death of the group.

At some point, Malorie, Boy and Girl are in a small boat entering rapids. Keep in mind they can't use their eyes so they usually wear blindfolds. But to navigate the rapids, Malorie needs one of the two children to look and tell her where to row. Malorie first asks Girl to do it. The acting of Sandra Bullock makes it clear Malorie is torn by this decision because she knows deep inside she chose Girl because she's not her daughter and the resentment she has for Olympia.

In the end, Malorie, overcoming this dark part of herself, decides to try navigating the rapids without anyone looking.

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