Application for realityshifted
Player Name: Mel
Player LJ: melissa_228
Email and/or AIM: melinelly228
Timezone: EST
Other Characters: handysparehand, shewalks_away, measureslunacy, hostclubdaddy
Character: Charles Ryder
Series/Fandom: Brideshead Revisited
Deviance: 1
Age: 18
Gender: male
Species: Uptight English Elitist Snob (a subset of humanity that peaked around the start of the early 20th century on Earth, although there are still some scattered around here and there)
Canon Used: book and mini-series
Appearance: He looks like a lion. Oh wait, no, he just sounds like one. He looks like this
Psychology: Charles is in search of love and low doors in walls in these days. He's in search of a second childhood and epicene beauty and things and Sebastian Flyte and his bear Aloysius are just the things he needs.
Charles began his career at Oxford as someone who felt he had missed out on the childhood and family others around him seemed to have. He was serious and old before his time in a lot of ways, at least as far as outward appearances were concerned. Inside he was still just a derp teenage boy, waiting for someone in the shape of Sebastian Flyte to let him capture that second childhood and whimsy.
He loves beautiful things, whether they are flowers or buildings or epicene boys with teddy bears. He is arrogant and smug at times, he is definitely an elitist, and he tries to hide his silliness and whimsy. Luckily with the help of Sebastian Flyte and booze he allows these qualities to come out. Although usually they come out thanks to Sebastian, and around others he does try to seem somewhat serious still.
Beauty is an important part of Charles' character. He is an art snob, and his love of beauty and his aesthetic values grow and are influenced as much by the opinions of those around him as by his own sensibilities. He seeks out beauty and appreciates it, he is the type to enjoy a room not for it's location but for the simple fact there are flowers on the window sill and the scent in the morning is intoxicating. Drinking wine becomes a game that is about story telling and flowery language and giving names to things because it's pretty and fun and unique. His sense of beauty and importance may change and things he once found lovely he will now find tacky and lacking in class, and he will mock and think poorly of someone for appreciating those very things he at one point found beautiful as well.
He judges things harshly whether they are objects or people, and this might factor into his own worry over how he is perceived. He'll try to cover up his excitement or joy at things at times, worried more about how others perceive him than how he really might be.
He does have a sense of humour and will at times lack sympathy for the butt of the joke, especially if they don't realize the joke. It factors in a bit with his superiority and elitism. If you can't figure out why you're being made fun of, well you probably deserve it.
He is skeptical and pragmatic as far as things like religion are concerned. He is agnostic, but he shows a mild curiosity about religion. It seems bizarre and almost silly to him, and the fact that other people so readily subscribe to these practices baffles him.
Despite the elitism and mockery though, he is always polite, and wouldn't think to outright mock someone as to embarrass them too horribly. His mockery is usually the kind that finds itself in whispers with friends or jokes that go over the target's head. His politeness also stems from a lack of direction and a passivity in himself. He doesn't know what he wants and doesn't want to offend and wants to fit in with others, and so he must practice politeness and restraint and all those other very English things. He is drifting along right now, a history major who probably is only a history major because he likes to learn about pretty buildings. He's an aestheste disguised as a scholar because that seems the respectable thing to be and he is just learning there are things more important than the expected and respectable.
Other Skills/Abilities: He's an ~artist~ so he has an aesthetic eye for things. He drinks like a champ and he can pontificate along with the best of them. Aside from that nothing very remarkable.
Other Weaknesses: Just as he can drink like a champ, he can also drink too much at times, but all in the name of boyish fun and things like that. He can also be a bit of a blowhard and a snob. (so basically any strength is also a weakness). Apart from that, the usual human weaknesses.
History: Like any good story we'll start from the beginning (or we could start with a flashback during WW2....okay, let's do a narrative flashback style history for laughs and things!)
Charles sat in his room overlooking the quad. He could smell the flowers on his windowsill, aided by the cool winter breeze drifting into his room. The semester was quickly drawing to an end however, and soon he would have to return to his father's home. He had not seen his father for quite some time, enjoying his new career at Oxford too much for that. He imagined himself walking around his home, re-acquainting himself with the bookshelves and the servants and the detachment of it all. He could barely recall the day his mother left to be a nurse on the war front. Despite the fact his memory failed him rather cruelly in this department, the impact of this event was written into his entire being.
While his mother was serving in the war Charles was away at school. He had all ready developed an interest in art, even at such a young age. He also had the desire in those days to perhaps become an Anglican priest. Years later he may have dismissed this as childish whimsy, but in those days he was far younger than he would become. Of course the fancy free whimsy of school days can be interrupted in the most unfortunate and unexpected ways. While he was away at school he learned of the death of his mother.
Mr. Ryder became withdrawn and his eccentricities grew. An aunt of Charles' came to assist in Charles' upbringing and the care of their home, but Mr. Ryder drove her away fairly quickly. Mr. Ryder raised Charles alone, if you could call those early formative years rearing or an upbringing. Like most boys of his age and social standing, Charles was away at school most of these years, which was most likely a blessing.
Still, Charles had a feeling for as long as he could remember that he had missed out on a childhood or the family experience so many other boys his age seemed to share. He continued his academic career, a love of art continuing, the desire to enter a life in the priesthood diminishing, until he had finished that part of his education and was ready to enter the next stage at Oxford.
When Charles entered Oxford his father had allowed him a generous allowance for the term, far more than his Cousin Jasper had suggested. Cousin Jasper was the sort who had made himself known around Oxford and was considered to have some importance. He had taken Charles around that first day, warning him of what clothes to wear and which lectures to attend. He told him to avoid Catholics at all costs, their accents were terrible and they were all drunken sodomites. He also warned Charles that he would have to change rooms immediately. Charles' room sat right on the quad, and Cousin Jasper informed him of the dangers of such a location. Charles' room was bound to become a glorified closet and pub in one, with students making themselves at home between classes. Charles took in everything Cousin Jasper told him, but there were lovely flowers on the window sill which filled the room with such a pleasant scent. How could Charles switch rooms.
Charles quickly found himself surrounded by a group of academics and intellectuals. Collins was the leader of this group and would go on at length about artists and periods and had grown to develop a fondness for Freud and psychological jargon and writings. He had a childish sense of humor yet took himself far too seriously. Still, these were the early friends that Charles had made in those first few terms at school. They would spends Saturday nights smoking pipes and perhaps dabbling politely in a glass of wine while they debated science and history and psychology.
During these early days, Charles had also taken notice of a strange presence at school. It was almost impossible not to notice Sebastian Flyte. Even without the eccentricity he seemed to have (he enjoyed carrying around a large teddy bear he called Aloysius), Sebastian Flyte's epicene beauty and presence were impossible to ignore. Charles noted the boy, but never crossed paths with him. Their groups of friends in those days were far too different.
That all changed during those last days of the Hilary term. He was hosting his group of friends in his room one night, the same debates seeming to fill the air. The voices were soon drowned out by noise outside. A group of rowdy boys were littering the quad. Their laughter and singing disrupting the quiet intellectual evening Charles was hosting. Charles hesitated to shut the windows, the smell of the flowers still so pleasant. He could see the discomfort of the others growing however, and stood up to shut the windows. However, he closed one but was too late for the other. That same Sebastian Flyte he had seen so often stood at his window, and before Charles knew it, Sebastian was leaning in, getting sick all over Charles's room. (Charles couldn't help but think he was glad that Sebastian avoided the flowers at the very least). Charles couldn't bring himself to be cross though, the apologetic smile all ready having made Charles forgive whatever mess Sebastian made.
Charles expected to never hear anything of the encounter again, save for having an amusing story to share with friends and his father when he returned home for break. Instead Charles arrived back to his rooms, finding them filled with flowers, a large note apologizing and begging for forgiveness (so Aloysius would once again speak to Sebastian) and an invitation to lunch. Charles accepted and so began his real education and his true measure of his days at Oxford.
Charles met Sebastian and was instantly drawn into Sebastian's crowd and to Sebastian himself. Despite the fact that Sebastian and his friends were the Catholics that Cousin Jasper had warned him about, Charles could not help but feel enraptured by them all. They ate lunch, everyone too polite to hint at not knowing who Charles was or why he was there. Charles also met Anthony Blanche, an interesting character who at once made Charles uncomfortable and perhaps just a bit secretly envious. While Anthony was amusing and a bit embarrassing to be seen out with outside of their group, he was also so wholly sure of himself and seemed so far above all of them. He was genuinely happy without any pretense. It was something Charles had not encountered many times in his life.
Still, Anthony more than anything was existent in his life as a link to Sebastian. Their common bond was Sebastian, and Sebastian was what brought them together. Charles was immediately enthralled with Sebastian, following him around botanical gardens and spending many evenings (and mornings and afternoons and tea times) in an wine infused euphoria as he and Sebastian shared in the joy and freedom of being young and together.
Charles grew as he knew Sebastian, a new education in beauty and life and experience falling down around him. He absorbed it all, his tastes growing, his friends changing, his life expanding as he experience all those things he felt were so far beyond him.
One day Sebastian on a whim (so many of Sebastian's actions were governed by whims) took Charles out on a journey to visit Sebastian's family's home. That was the day Charles met his one true love, the Brideshead estate. The estate was large and beautiful and felt like heaven on Earth. Charles also met Nanny Hawkins that day and was given a brief fleeting glimpse of Julia Flyte, Sebastian's sister.
The trip was short and over sometime before tea, but it was a journey Charles felt in some way would prove important to him for a very long time. As the estate drifted behind them into a speck in the horizon, Charles looked forward to returning to school and to their life there.
He sat in his room now, thinking about it all. The idea of returning back to his father still seemed so odd and surreal. A knock came from his door. In a matter of days his time here would be filled with all night study sessions and impending exams. He would have no time to worry about the return to his father. For now he would answer the door and enjoy an evening with Sebastian and a bottle of wine and perhaps some fresh strawberries as well.
Canon Point: Somewhere in the middle of the first chapter of Et In Arcadia Ego. We're at the beginning of June 1923 at the end of the Trinity term at Oxford. He's met Sebastian and his one true love the Brideshead estate, but he hasn't met the in-laws Flyte's yet. It is now just before finals and before Charles must become a slave to all night studying.
Reality Description: We find ourselves in 1920's England. While for some this is a time of great disillusionment and angst and all that other Lost Generation stuff, we're really not concerned with that at all. We're in the world of silly young rich boys attending Oxford. They like wine and flowers and being silly derps. They also like paintings and gardens and other fun carefree things.
Charles is currently attending Oxford University in England. It is an institution of great academic thinking and minds and all that (and there are lots of pretty buildings with ivy and things growing on them and it's really very pretty, but shhhhh...it's all about the education, honestly.)
Charles is a member of Hertford College. He has a very lovely room that sits on old quad right on the quad. There is a beautiful lawn outside his window and lovely flowers growing on the window sill. The windows are large enough for climbing in and out of or for getting sick in, as Sebastian is quite aware of. Charles decorates his room with paintings and flowers and pieces of art he finds tasteful and appropriate. He once had a Van Gogh print among other things, but quickly outgrew such unsophisticated types of art thanks to Sebastian's influence.
There are lecture halls and libraries as well, which Charles frequents, because he UNLIKE SOME PEOPLE actually attends classes and things like that. The Oxford Botanical Gardens are also nearby, where he and Sebastian stroll when the fancy strikes them (and them usually means Sebastian, although Charles is more than happy to go along. FLOWERS ARE PRETTY!)
Charles' father's house is in the Bayswater section of London. It is a Middle Upper Class, lower Upper Class house. It is large and pretty and has servants and things. There are shelves of books and his father's study, and there's even a room for hosting musical performances. It is the kind of house that's built for entertaining company, but Mr. Ryder couldn't be bothered with any of that really, at least when Charles is around (unless he's looking to drive Charles out of the house.)
There is also Brideshead Castle, which Charles at this point has only seen once. Brideshead Castle is Charles' one true love. His entire story is BRIDESHEAD Revisted after all. The architecture is gorgeous. The house is enormous. The gardens are spectacular. There is a chapel on the estate as well where a service is conducted every Sunday. There's the fountain which is ENORMOUS. There are columns and pillars and domes and gorgeous mouldings and lovely furniture, and areas that are begging for Charles to paint them. CHARLES IS IN LOVE WITH THIS HOUSE, OKAY? CHARLES WANTS TO GO BACK TO THIS HOUSE. THIS HOUSE IS LOVE ♥!
(And the Flytes and Sebastian in particular are pretty lovely as well. BUT HOUSE!!!!)
First Person Speaking Sample:
[Charles appears on the Plane, an armful of books he collected from the Library to begin his preparation for exams]
This is all very unexpected. It's as if I wandered through the looking glass instead of through those shop doors. Of course that's impossible. I must be in my rooms right now, catatonia caused by too much wine and spirits.
[he takes it all in slightly dazed. A smile creeps up, an inside joke which he finds very amusing]
If this is all a dream, please don't wake me.
[the smile falls away though, as he realizes the person who would understand that joke isn't here]
How absolutely intoxicating and beautiful. It's all very dizzying, I can't tell where the sky ends and the floor begins. Rather appropriate I expect, if this is all the effects of a drunken haze.
If only I had a canvas I might try to capture this effect. It's quite exquisite. The only problem is the absence of scent and life. It would be perfection if there were some flowers to be found. Perhaps a bottle of wine and a good friend as well. Sebastian would be so taken with the peculiarities of this setting. I will have to fill him in as soon as I am conscious once again.
Third Person Writing Sample:
Charles enjoyed the cool spring breeze as he made his way back to his rooms from the Library. He had gone for the purpose of studying, although he found himself absorbed in a book of architecture for the longest time. He had decided after a few short hours to check the book out and leave it as a reward for himself once he had completed the studying that had brought him to the library in the first place. He had started going there for short study bursts because he knew not to expect Sebastian in such places. It felt cruel at times, but he needed to pay at least some attention to his academic progress. He was still not sure how he would get through the end of the term when it was time for finals. The library was only open for so many hours. He would eventually have to forbid Sebastian from his rooms for that period. He did not look forward to that task, but it had to be done.
As he rounded the corner, out of the corner of his eye he spotted Cousin Jasper surrounded by a group of upper classmen. Charles quickly pulled himself against the wall and back around the corner from where he emerged, hoping that Cousin Jasper did not spot him. He felt silly instantaneously as the rough wall rubbed against his school robes. He studied the wall for the briefest of seconds, forgetting Cousin Jasper and the need to not be seen. It was difficult at times not to become absorbed in the beauty of the Oxford Campus, no matter how many semesters he had spent here thus far.
Quickly he remembered what he was doing, as he covertly peeked around the corner. Cousin Jasper and his crowd seemed to be disappearing around a corner of their own. Charles let out a sigh of relief, hugging the architecture book he had checked out of the library close to his chest. He was in the clear and had avoided a lecture that he was sure Cousin Jasper felt was necessary.
Just as soon as the feeling of reprieve and absolution washed over him however, Cousin Jasper briefly looked behind him towards Charles, the expression in his eyes telling Charles all he needed to know. Cousin Jasper had indeed seen him there and Charles braced himself for the visit Cousin Jasper was sure to pay him now. He tried to push away the dread of anticipation for now at least. His studying was through for the day and now he could at least return to his rooms and his book of architecture, and await Sebastian's arrival to collect Charles for the evening.
Did you read the rules? The rules are too art nouveau for my tastes personally.