Character Biography: Creative Writing and Analysis of Character

This assignment presents a character biography written in the first person, taking on the persona of Norman Bulansky, a character from the play "The Boys Next Door". The author creatively expands on the character's life, feelings, and relationships beyond what is explicitly stated in the play. The biography describes Norman's daily life, including his job at a doughnut shop, his relationships with his roommates (Barry, Arnold, and Lucien), and his longing for his absent girlfriend, Sheila. The writing explores Norman's personality, his insecurities, his memories of Sheila, and his observations of the world around him. The biography also touches upon themes of loneliness, longing, and the search for connection. The author uses vivid descriptions, emotional reflections, and references to the play to create a compelling and insightful portrait of the character's inner world.

Running head: CHARACTER BIOGRAPHY
Character Biography
Name of student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

1CHARACTER BIOGRAPHY
Well, hi there! I am Norman Bulansky, and I work in a doughnut shop (Lewis, 2018). You can
already figure out from my bulky and plumpish pumpkin-like physique that I get to eat a lot of
doughnuts in my workplace. Though mostly I get the half-eaten foodstuffs from my colleagues
and coworkers, someday I might stop and start eating fresh doughnuts baked from the oven, and
not just the leftovers. Till then, I need to gather up my courage, and, do you think I need to give
away my keys to Sheila?
These days, I mostly spend my times in writing letters. Wait, I need to correct my statement a bit
– working and writing letters after I get back home. I will tell you about the letters but before that
let me tell you something more significant. Apart from Barry’s schizophrenic tendencies that
trouble him at times, he has developed a new hobby as suggested by his therapist. He has started
painting. Yes, and you know what, one day when I came home from the office, I found this
beautiful painting of two birds sitting on a branch in my bedroom. I was overwhelmed by his
sweet gesture, you know, and then I found more other paintings in every room of our residence.
A very interesting hobby it is, don’t you think?
Lucien has adopted a bunny. He spends most of the time with his newfangled affection towards
the pet apparently named Ghoghoul. Though I am not quite sure of the exact meaning, it paints a
picture of foxes screaming in a moonlit night whenever I hear him speaking to that four-legged
hopper. Though, I have no as such problem with his pet (as long it is not under my bed), Arnold
seems to have a great deal of trouble whenever he spots it hopping around. So, Lucien has kept it
in a carton box in his room.
Now comes Arnold (Griffin, 2019). Before I could even write what he is up to, he knocked on
my door and asked whether I could talk to him for a bit. Without waiting for a response, he
started describing how the shopkeeper fooled him again when he went to buy a pack of breakfast

2CHARACTER BIOGRAPHY
cereal. Nervously, he started chewing the end of his tie he was wearing pointing at the heaps of
cereal packed on the floor. He is doing perfectly in a good sense of humour apart from
threatening Jack to move to Russia soon, at times.
You must not have forgotten about the letters I spoke about in the very beginning of the writing,
is not it? Well, Sheila has been away for months to a place, Err! It could be either Yemen or
India. I must check with my postman for the address. I am often forgetful, you see. I am fat and
forgetful, and Sheila hates it both. I also love to have a mouthful of Donuts which makes be
obese and sad. What was I saying? Yes, yes. I have been writing letters to Sheila for the past few
months. I could not express how much I have missed her for the past few months. Sometimes, I
feel as if a piece of my heart is somewhere far away, and I feel the inevitable void in my heart. I
still remember the day she danced with me, and I felt like I was in the seventh heaven with
clouds all around me, no people around me passing their judgmental opinions, but only Sheila
and Me. Sheila and Me.
I write every single day, after I come back from work, just as they never forget to add extra
sweetness to the doughnut. I write her telling how I stumble into the staircase each time I leave
my home. I write how the little red bus down the street slowly turns bigger as it approaches me.
Oh, how could I miss writing about the little daffodils that grew in the sidewalks of Pavlack
Street? I pick them every day, in memory of my beloved and stick it to the back of letters. I often
wonder, did she get the smell that I so wanted her to feel?
I also write to her about the Greyfinn and Bojack, the two colleagues in my workplace. They
laugh at me every single day when I eat the doughnuts they give, and I fail to understand why
they do so (Griffin, 2019). Lucien says, they are vile and disgusting people, who judge and

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criticises others for no apparent reason. Moreover, he also said that we are the best. Do you think
we are the best?
Life is an empty dream full of hopes and expectations. Don’t you think so? I have written 83
letters as of now, and I asked the postman to deliver it to Sheila who lives either in Yemen or
India. But she has not even reverted me with one letter.
I have been hoping and hoping and hoping…
This Christmas I will buy her a blue sweater I have seen down the street. Once she said she likes
blue flowers, so… blue sweaters… Don’t you think she will like it? I also have an inclination
towards blue color, and I like violets, the ocean and the blue sky above me.
I write to her about the apathy I have towards this big city. Maybe I would have liked to stay
someplace quieter and nicer. These days, maybe I am growing old or how could I explain the
fact that I do not like to interact with people a lot (except my roommates). I have written to her
how I would like to take Sheila to a faraway place, someplace quieter and nicer. Nobody will be
there to laugh at us. We will spend the time as if we are dancing with closed eyes and in each
other’s arm.
Jack said that Sheila had changed her address probably. He also suggested that the place could be
heaven though I am not particularly sure about the address, I had a feeling that it must be a
beautiful place up in the clouds. The way we went over there when we danced for the first time,
with our impeccable steps and away from the madding crowd. I know, someday she will reply,
and she will ask about Barry, Arnold and Lucien. She could also ask about how she loved the
smell of daffodils that will make her eager to come back to me.
I will wait for her… and I will give away my keys to her…

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References
Lewis, S. (2018). The Boys Next Door: Progressing Disability Awareness And Representation
Through Inclusive Production Practices.
Griffin, T. (2019). The boys next door. Retrieved 8 October 2019, from
https://popehs.typepad.com/files/the-boys-next-door-_-full-text.pdf