1, 5, 7, 9
Character solidifying!
1. How does your character think of their father? What do they hate and love about him? What influence - literal or imagined - did the father have?
Aileen respects and loves her father, no doubt. Though there are moments when they would have a falling out, with her father being quite strict and always expecting the best out of her, which frustrates her in turn. She loves how he cares as a father and how he simply means well, albeit she hates how he expresses it, and how he never seems to fully praise her efforts in her studies, always ending his "praises" with the phrase, "You could have done better."
Of course, this constant statement had caused her to become extremely grade-conscious, and to always annnounce every high mark she gets to the family in hopes of appeasing them. But she gets the same response every time, much to her annoyance. This is slowly dying down however, when she entered college, due to it being truly challenging, and with her father empathizing with that fact, they start to have the same argument less and less.
However, the response she used to always get still has its effect on her, as she still aggressively makes sure her grades stays good or high, at least in the subjects she can deal with.
5. Were they overprotected as a child? Sheltered?
Quite so. She was quite accident-prone when she was a child, when she was still social and outgoing, but even just a few scrapes were enough to send her parents into an extreme state of worry, that they tell her to never go outside.
It was partly the reason why Aileen never goes out anymore today. Even though her parents now give her more freedom since she should learn independence, Aileen is still hesitant on doing many things that other people her age would normally do, due to fear of getting her parents' disapproval, whether she'd tell them or not. Though well-meaning, her parents fret so much over everything, be it little or not, especially her mother, therefore she would just refrain and stay on the safe side.
Either way, she prefers it that way. At least her parents cared to do that, and she would have lower chances of exposing herself to potential dangers outside safe grounds.
7. What was the economic status of their family?
Her family isn't rich, per se, though they are financially balanced enough to pay for their bills with no problems, and to afford necessities and a few luxuries once in a while. They are living in a home that is neither so big nor so small, and has enough space for the five of them, with all the things they need. More or less, their economic status is moderately well.
9. What about political beliefs?
More than anything, Aileen is an egalitarian. She believes in equal rights for everything, be it about race, sexuality, gender identity, culture, and the like. She rarely vocalizes her beliefs though, as she is taught by her family that even well-intentioned statements, once spoken out, might cause a commotion that would lead to irreversible damage.
More than anything, Aileen is an egalitarian. She believes in equal rights for everything, be it about race, sexuality, gender identity, culture, and the like. She rarely vocalizes her beliefs though, as she is taught by her family that even well-intentioned statements, once spoken out, might cause a commotion that would lead to irreversible damage.
