Results Are In

Now let's look at last week's blog entry.

The first set of images, most people associated the Banana/Orange together as fruits. True. Some associated Monkey/Banana together. Also true. Adults, with a wider knowledge base will see 'fruit' as the binding factor while children, who haven't been taught the concept of 'fruit' saw something totally different, usually the monkey and banana. Kids go to zoos! For those that chose monkey/banana, this doesn't mean you haven't matured, it just indicates you have a child-like prespective. In other words, being able to see different corners.

Moving to the second set of images. Again, most people chose Seahorse/Shark with the ocean association. A couple picked Horse/Seahorse using the equine theory of 'horsies' -- both choices are fine. But, what about Horse/Rose? The association there? Kentucky Derby. Rose/Shark? Or Rose/Seahorse? Alphabetical. Horse/Shark? Both can bite.

There is no wrong answer but the answer reveals your mindset. Seahorse/Shark is very adult and educated. Horse/Seahorse is childlike and has the allure of riding a horse/horsie. Horse/Rose is a gambler who sees 'tips' to winning everywhere. Even more abstract is the person who views things alphabetical (an organizer) or even the person combining the bite aspect (a fear/phobia.)

So, now you are in the box and you've been looking at the corners. Most people just know the corner they are sitting in (Banana/Orange or Seahorse/Shark) yet for a writer, to be inside the mind of your character, you have to know what they are thinking... not what YOU are thinking.

As explained above, a child sees differently than an adult partially due to education and experience. A gambler thinks differently than a person with a phobia. Or perhaps your character sees the world in an orderly fashion.

One needn't go outside the box to find the answer -- everything is right there, neatly fitted into the four corners. Just peek around.

Want to try one more? Okay, here are four choices.
a) Horse
b) 3-Leaf Clover
c) Horse Shoe
d) Garden

Okay, tell me which two are grouped together and why. Use your character's mindset. Using last week's examples as a guide: Louie, a loser of a gambler, gazed at the horse and rose, he knew then that the Kentucky Derby winner's circle was calling to him -- he had to bet.

Now you use the new set (horse, clover, shoe, garden) and let us know.