Photo: The Boston Globe by J. Wilder Bill

Gestures for Impassioned Storytelling

Body Language when described well, can tell the entire story. Gestures reveal what the character is thinking, which oftentimes, you can add depth to his role by having them express the opposite of what he is saying. A way to develop trust with the reader is to allow him to know the secret thoughts of the hero. By giving the reader more information than the sub-characters, he gains the pleasure of solving portions of the story puzzles and anticipating what is about to be revealed. 

First, I will share the nuances of how our eyes respond to the feelings we are having, and which personality types of heroes react in each way.  

Eyes cannot lie, even when the hero’s lips deny.

The muscles around the eyes are difficult to control. The pupils respond with a mind of their own. When the hero feels a strong emotion, whether it is elation or danger, his pupils will grow larger, allowing more light to enter his eyes. Essentially, he is becoming alert and aware so that he can assess the situation. When the hero withdraws emotionally, he doesn’t want to share he feelings and his pupils decrease in size. This includes when the hero is telling a lie. 

An extended gaze can have several meanings. A confident hero might gaze at the heroine while smiling coyly with a goal to draw her attention toward him and let her know he is attracted to her. The hero and heroine could gaze longingly into each other’s eyes once they fall in love. Then again, if the aggressive hero is angry with the heroine, he might gaze with his jaw tensed and his lips pursed to express his distaste at the moment. 

Believe it or not, looking away from the heroine while she is speaking means the hero is processing what she is saying and doesn’t want distractions. He wouldn’t gaze over her shoulder unless he felt comfortable around her. When a person outright stares at someone speaking, it shows he is tense and feels threatened. As a primitive mannerism, he feels the need to watch her closely in case she is dangerous. 

Consider the eye contact of a dog. The dog looks away when an alpha dog gets in its face or authoritative owner reprimands it. A sensitive hero looks away and down when he is feeling tender and while talking to himself. Another reason he might avert his eyes is when the heroine is in an embarrassing situation. A manipulative hero, like a bully, will try to keep eye contact with the heroine as a method to intimidate her. She would then let her eyes wander out of social protocol or as a method to remain unbiased about what he is telling her. 

Also, if the heroine becomes angry, the hero might look down to show humility or submissiveness. Typically, people carry over their childhood teachings of showing respect to an authority figure when being scolded by keeping their eyes down. When the hero tells a lie, his eyes are likely to lock onto the heroine’s. He will be putting forth excessive effort to connect with her. It is more likely the hero is telling the truth where he averts his eyes or avoids full contact.

The hero’s glance gives away his unspoken desires. Glancing at an exit means an impatient hero is ready to escape. A respectful hero won’t be able to resist glancing at the heroine when building up the courage to speak to her. Oftentimes, the pursuer gazes for a few seconds, looks away, and then gives a wide-eyed glance. There might be a scenario where he’s forbidden to associate with her, yet when she enters the room, his eyes slip over to her. 

If his eyebrows are raised when he gives her a sideways glance, he is definitely interested, but if his eyebrows are lowered, he disapproves of her behavior. Alternatively, a sensitive or caring hero could glance at the heroine when he senses she is sad or her feelings are hurt.

Where the astute hero rolls his eyes or gives a sidewise glance with a tilted head, he is letting the heroine know he is onto her ruse. He is showing he doesn’t believe what she is saying.  

Domineering heroes and also the good-natured leaders, ignore protocol when it comes to gazing or looking away. They tend to plant their eyes wherever it suits them. Submissive or accommodating heroes bow their heads to show respect or when near an authoritarian heroine. From a distance, they might stay behind a display rack, with a stare, but out of sight.

If the domineering or authoritative hero doesn’t receive the full gaze of the heroine, he will take it as a threat or lose interest based on his sensing she feels superior and won’t respect him. The rich or famous hero doesn’t notice where he looks while those from a lower status follow the social customs of looking away to be submissive. Also, someone of a lower or subservient status will gaze at the authoritative heroine’s face while she’s speaking.

While the intentions of a hero are revealed by where his eyes focus, the way he flexes the muscles around his eyes reveal his deepest feelings. Please check out my other articles entitled Heroes with a Heart where I’ll give additional writer’s tips on showing the feelings and thoughts of your hero.