3.  Identity Conflicts and Divided Loyalties Characters who have complex or conflicting identities can experience tension when it comes to fulfilling collective responsibilities. For example, a character with roots in two different cultures or groups might struggle to reconcile their responsibilities to both. This internal conflict can create divided loyalties, complicating their ability to contribute to the collective good of either group. Frodo Baggins, from The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, is a hobbit, a race known for their peaceful, simple lives in the Shire. However, he is thrust into a world of war, darkness, and power when he becomes the Ring-bearer. His identity as a hobbit contrasts with the immense responsibility of carrying the One Ring and the burden it places on him. He struggles with the conflicting desires of returning to the Shire and fulfilling his duty to destroy the Ring. The Ring’s corrupting influence further complicates his identity, pulling him toward darkness even as he tries to remain true to his mission. His journey is marked by the tension between his personal identity and the immense collective responsibility he carries.
4. Preservation of Roots and Heritage Characters feel a strong connection to their roots and often take on the responsibility of preserving their heritage, whether that means protecting sacred sites, maintaining cultural practices, or passing down knowledge to future generations. This responsibility is not only about the present but also about ensuring the survival and continuity of their identity over time. This example is a favorite character. Lessa, from Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey, is the last of the Ruathan bloodline, a noble family from the planet Pern. Her heritage is tied to both her noble lineage and the ancient traditions of the Dragonriders, who protect Pern from the deadly Threadfall. Lessa is determined to preserve these traditions and the Weyr’s ancient ways. As a Weyrwoman, Lessa takes on the responsibility of protecting and revitalizing the dragon riders’ way of life, which is essential to Pern’s survival. She works tirelessly to ensure that the dragons, their riders, and their sacred traditions endure through future generations, even in the face of skepticism and a waning belief in the old ways. Her efforts to preserve Pern’s heritage are central to the survival of the entire planet.
5. Not all characters feel fully rooted or accepted within their communities, and this can affect their sense of collective responsibility through exclusion and identity struggles. Characters who feel like outsiders or are marginalized because of their identity may either distance themselves from collective responsibilities or fight to prove their worth and secure a place within the group. This dynamic creates tension around who is considered responsible and who gets to share in the benefits of collective effort. A well-known character, Elphaba from Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, is also known as the Wicked Witch of the West, is an outcast due to her green skin and unconventional personality. From her childhood in Munchkinland to her time at Shiz University, she struggles with societal rejection and prejudice, never fully finding acceptance within the communities around her. Elphaba’s outsider status deeply influences her sense of collective responsibility. She feels alienated from the mainstream society of Oz, which leads her to question its moral and political structures. Her actions, often misunderstood as villainous, are driven by a desire to challenge the corrupt system of Oz rather than serve it, highlighting the conflict between her sense of duty and her rejection by society. Additional characters might be FitzChivalry Farseer from The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb or Jon Snow from A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin.In my upcoming novel Trena, the Memory Reader, my protagonist Trena is struggling with her identity and wishes to escape her low-caste roots, which has lowered her self-worth for her identity in her community. The variety of impressions of her village people regarding her is as skewed as her own.  See how she feels her purpose as she is called forth to hear a vision quest.

“Trena, daughter of Edis, stand for a hearing!” a middle-aged shamt called out from the canopy-shaded dais, centralized where the residents gather for the monthly announcements. His tone, though, held no more of an answer to his request than if he held the roster of the latest chosen younglings to begin their age quest testing or if he were about to confer the planting seasons weathering report. 

All eyes shifted to look at her. These days she could no more hide within the tribe than a dragon could hide amongst the horses in the pens. Her long dark hair hung, stray little wisps flowing in the crisp morning air; to frame the one-piece shaded visor she now wore across her eyes, a brooding contrast to the tanned features beneath. Yet, the strange eye covering was not the only noticeable evidence. In truth, she could never hide. A clansman of the Ipeyo people, be she a woman, man, or child, is one of us and we recognize our own. But many people did perceive her differently. 

Unlike the boisterous young women raised in the isolated village, there was a stillness within her seventeen years. A lasting calm that bound the regular girlish energy with silent apathy. And when she spoke, her tone held a carefulness. And like the mountain she lived upon was built to withstand the winds and cold, she too was taller than average, strong of muscle, some say strong of mind. Although she held these traits, she was bred from the cautious shepherd folk, a reserved and lower sub-caste of the tribe.

Some noted the youthful woman, who carried her parents’ burden of low caste, living on the mountaintop as silent walkers among the slopes, herding the sheep and goats, alone on the upper reaches. An easy task meant for those with simple minds, she was ignored and regarded as weak and destitute.  The familial generations of her line were oft spurned as such and moved to outlying clusters further away from the village proper. Still, several rumored their ilk were kin to the mountain itself as if they were to shift from human to not. Or they were but seeds of the stargazers, those who read the gods and goddesses’ footprints among the dark blanket of night. If they followed ancient star paths to weigh and measure life, perhaps they held deeper thoughts. But most of her kind were withdrawn and taciturn, empty of any god’s faith.