How To Write A Character’s Moment Of Truth
Discover why every story needs a moment of truth, when a character faces their greatest challenge and reveals what they are made of.
The Spanish call it el momento de la verdad. Hemingway made it famous. It is called the moment of truth: the point in a bullfight at which the matador makes the final kill.
It is a breathlessly decisive moment, and it is not easy to watch. It is the critical moment when the crowd — and the matador himself — find out if he really has what it takes to make the kill. It is the culmination of a deadly dance between the matador and the fighting bull.
In a story, the moment of truth is just as critical. It is the moment when you pit your protagonist against their final and greatest challenge. It is the moment when your hero’s courage and skill are put to the ultimate test. Will they achieve their story goal? Do they have what it takes to make the kill, either literally or metaphorically?
The Moment Of Truth For A Character
We need these moments in every genre. Here are some examples of a moment of truth for a character:
- Brutal Choice. A young princess must choose between the dashing but unpredictable man she loves and her role as monarch. To be queen, she must let her lover go and sever all ties with him and his family. This is a heartbreaking moment of truth in a historical romance.
- Family Blood. A grieving father realises that he loved the beautiful daughter who committed suicide more than his plain but resilient daughter, his only surviving child. When the father finds the honesty to share this with his daughter, it is cruel, yes, but it ends their internecine war. This is a bleak moment of truth in a drama.
- To Kill Or Not To Kill? A detective hell-bent on revenge tracks down the serial killer who has murdered several women, including the detective’s female partner, to a deserted warehouse. He has the killer at his mercy, with a shard of glass at the killer’s throat. Will his rage consume him, or will he let justice take its course? This is a moment of truth in a thriller, one you could use to show the truth about your character’s morality and strength.
Choose Your Moment Of Truth As A Writer
It doesn’t matter how you approach this moment in your story, screenplay, or novel. Keep in mind that the moment of truth must be extreme. It must be a critical test. Just like the cruel dance with a bull, it must be intimate, brutal, and deadly. It cuts to the heart. And it must reveal the truth, no matter how bloody or cruel.
Examples Of The Moment Of Truth From Fiction
| Title | Author | Why The Moment Of Truth Works |
|---|---|---|
| A Tale of Two Cities | Charles Dickens | Sydney Carton sacrifices his life to save Charles Darnay. His final choice reveals the courage, love, and purpose hidden beneath his cynical exterior. |
| The Lord of the Rings | J. R. R. Tolkien | At Mount Doom, Frodo fails to destroy the One Ring. His failure reveals the Ring’s power and Frodo’s limits. |
To Kill A Mockingbird |
Harper Lee | Atticus Finch defends Tom Robinson despite the prejudice he faces. His commitment to justice reveals his moral courage, even when the verdict goes against him. |
The Last Word
A character’s moment of truth is where the stakes are highest and there is nowhere left to hide. It forces your protagonist to face a difficult choice and reveals who they really are. Make this moment count.
Photo by Sophia Kunkel on Unsplash
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