NEGATIVE TRAIT THESAURUS

POSSESSIVE



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HELPFUL TIP:

Characters with this flaw will be extra sensitive to certain emotions, so think about how events in your story might specifically trigger these feelings to generate compelling tension and conflict. Another idea is to give a supporting character a positive attribute that is an opposite of this flaw, which will get under the skin of both characters and cause friction in their relationship.
DEFINITION:
Needing to own (a thing) or dominate (a subject)

POSSIBLE CAUSES:
The need to control
Codependence
Jealousy
Paranoia
Low self-esteem
Fear of being alone

ASSOCIATED BEHAVIORS AND ATTITUDES:
Selfishness
Not respecting boundaries or privacy
Obsessive behavior regarding a person or thing
Having high expectations of others
Questioning the motives of others
Laying guilt trips on one's subject at the first sign of emotional independence
Becoming aggressive if one's control or ownership is threatened
An untrusting nature
Showing negativity towards those who wish to interact with one's possession
Running down others to the subject: "Your neighbor Larry needs to learn what deodorant is."
Calling, dropping by, or texting more than is reasonable
Objectifying people to use or manipulate them
Growing angry if the subject makes independent decisions
Studying the subject's interests and using them to integrate oneself into their life
Attempting to increase the subject's isolation
Spending vast amounts of time thinking about the object
Feeling resentful of responsibilities that take one away from one's possession
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ASSOCIATED THOUGHTS:
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ASSOCIATED EMOTIONS:
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POSITIVE ASPECTS:
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NEGATIVE ASPECTS:
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EXAMPLES FROM LITERATURE:
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OVERCOMING THIS TRAIT AS A MAJOR FLAW:
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TRAITS IN SUPPORTING CHARACTERS THAT MAY CAUSE CONFLICT:
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