I’ve been writing for this character in an upcoming novel. He is known as Mr. Pembrook. He is an older, mysterious omniscient introverted hermit of a man offering sage advice.
Here are just a few quirky proclivities he exhibits:
He walks through the woods to get back to his home, but a peculiar trait of his is that he never takes the same path twice.
He prefers to be in total darkness, also known as Nyctophilia.
He prefers to be alone, living out in the middle of nowhere but is friendly and loves to talk to people.
He has a book strap loaded with five books that he takes with him while he walks.
It takes tons of research to get into this unique character, but it is fun creating little nuggets such as quotes.
Here is a quote of his that I felt translates pretty well into our reality that he said to the protagonist of the story:
“A foolish man is often tempted by the spoils of his wants, while the wise man is content in receiving felicitous needs.”
This simple statement sticks with the protagonist throughout the story. Using it as a mantra to keep himself grounded.
Here is another quote of his when the protagonist was struggling with the ups and downs of his life:
“Life swings ironically like the pendulum of death. Every swing that doesn’t spell our doom, we rest easy for that moment only to brace once again for our inevitable fate.”
And lastly, one more nugget on the topic of books, which we all hold so dearly to us all. I pulled this part of the dialogue from the book so it’s a synopsis of the altercation.
He was verbally assaulted by a group of younger men as he walked by, chastising Mr. Pembrook over his collection of books:
“My books? They are no use to you. I am not bothering anybody. I am just an old man passing by, is all.”
After this response, one of the teens grabbed Mr. Pembrook’s book strap.
To which a feisty Mr. Pembrook replied:
“So selective in your victims if only you were so determined to collect a thought. So quick to find a reason to dislike, hate, and despise any person that is not yourself.”
One of the teens pressed Mr. Pembrook on his reasoning for carrying his books around, to which he replied:
“Books are collections of truths, logic, thoughts, ideas, and impossibilities made possible. They are a reminder to us all, present and future, that we need to continue to think, be creative, and process thoughts, sometimes, think critically as a species. The day we give up on our thoughts, we sacrifice our individuality. If we become mentally stagnant, all alike for the wrong reasons, if we are all mentally similar, we are all the same, essentially a sea of nobodies.”
One thing I wanted to do is present truths in his quotes that are relevant to real life. The above quote speaks a volume of truths on why books are so important.
Anyway, let me know what you think!
Thanks for reading!
Travis
Travis J. McRoy 2021 All Rights Reserved
Travis J. McRoy 
I think Mr Pembrook is a very wise man!
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He has been such a fun character to put together. His wisdom definitely came with his age and experiences. Although he doesn’t outright say his age, you learn very quickly that he’s lived quite the life.
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I would like to take a walk in the woods with Mr. Pembrook, preferably in daylight. He could teach me a few life lessons.
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Haha! Right, me too! He is fun and a good-hearted gentleman who tugs on his suspenders when he feels he makes a good point –just another quirk. 😁
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😁👍
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I think he’s a pool of wisdom. Anyone who carries five books around has to benefit from knowledge.
It wouldn’t be right any other way. Great character you’ve cooked up. 🙂
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Thank you so much for saying that! I couldn’t agree more! He has been so much fun putting together. It makes me wonder if I were to carry 5 books around, what books would they be? 🤔
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He surely sounds very wise! I like him. The conflict between wisdom and willful ignorance is absolutely alive today.
His willingness to speak is a beautiful dynamic from a man who prefers total darkness. I’d enjoy it if he had a few more oppositional traits. Does he?
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Oh, he most certainly does have plenty of oppositional traits. The story is set in the 19th century. On one of his walks, he encounters a little boy who lost a ball. He asks the little boy where his family is at to which he replies, “down at the gallows.” This doesn’t sit well with Mr. Pembrook, as he cherishes life. So he inspects.
The man set to hang is a poor man who stole food from a wealthy family. He proceeds to challenge the small group of bystanders.
He said:
“When a person grasps at the frayed ends of life wanting to exist, we turn those frayed ends of life into a rope to hang him? That is only adding insult, and there is no justification for his death or this behavior. If he hangs today, what does this do going forward? Who is satisfied, as a result, us? I certainly wouldn’t be satisfied knowing a fellow man was hanged for such petty reasons.”
He then questions the bystanders about what they would do if in the same situation. Would they just hang? Or try to live by doing whatever they can…
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I’m hooked. Please alert me to your finished work on this!
I pictured him a meticulously tidy man in his appearance reflecting the energy he put into thought but living in an untidy place surrounded by clutter. Not unlike the dynamic between his orderly thought process in the face of chaotic ignorance.
Just a thought. Good luck and well done!
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That’s awesome! You guessed it. That’s how he is! He is a well-kempt man, but lives in clutter and ruins with books stacked neatly on his floor. I will for sure let you know. Thank you so much for the interactions and the encouragement! 😁
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COOL. Your story has well woven threads.
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Thanks for saying that! 😁🙏
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“The day we give up on our thoughts, we sacrifice our individuality.”~I share some of Mr. Pembrook’s traits. What a life! You’re such a gifted weaver of words!
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Wow, thank you so much for that compliment! I know, I’ve been having so much fun putting together Mr. Pembrook. Same here! He’s got quite the insight when it comes to life experiences. Thank you so much for reading and the encouragement, I greatly appreciate it. 😁🙌
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You’re so welcome, Travis! I’m glad we connected! Keep up the awesome work! 😊🌟🙌🏻
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Me too! It is a pleasure to meet you, K.L. So happy I met a fellow history/documentary lover. You too, keep up the great posts! Your blog is filled with great content! 😁
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Thank you, Travis! That means so much to me! It’s so nice to meet someone with the same obsessions! Ha! Take care! 😊
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You’re welcome. I totally agree, I was thinking the same thing! Good to know I am not alone in the obsession. You too! 😁👍
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I like how his character speaks to cultural deficits we are currently experiencing, such as the American disdain for reading and research…and a proclivity to pass judgement in anything that isn’t like us
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Yes! Mr. Pembrook would not be happy right now, but for good reason. He’d understand that the conflicts are all part of the human condition, but would still speak his mind. Well said. 👏
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I believe he’s a pool of astuteness. Any individual who conveys five books around needs to profit with information.
It wouldn’t be correct some other way. Extraordinary person you’ve concocted. 🙂
I like how his person addresses social deficiencies we are as of now encountering, like the American hatred for perusing and research… and a proclivity to condemn in anything that isn’t care for us.
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Glad you enjoyed the post. I figured it was a good time to share that character/post. I worked on the blueprint of Mr. Pembrook for a while, and the thought of carrying the five books around everywhere he goes just worked so well. He’s the type to put his foot down and challenge flawed logic and the human condition. Thank you so much for reading, and the support it is greatly appreciated!
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