--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Look for the contradictions in every…" description: "\"Look for the contradictions in every character, especially in your heroes and villains. No one should be what they first seem to be. Surprise the audie..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57a/elia-kazan-6753_audience_look-for-the-contradictions-in-every-cha_341087.jpg" --- # Look for the contradictions in every character, especially… ![“Look for the contradictions in every character, especially in your heroes and villains. No one should be what they first seem to be. Surprise the audience.” quote by Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57a/elia-kazan-6753_audience_look-for-the-contradictions-in-every-cha_341087.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57a/elia-kazan-6753_audience_look-for-the-contradictions-in-every-cha_341087.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57a/elia-kazan-6753_audience_look-for-the-contradictions-in-every-cha_341087.jpg) > “Look for the contradictions in every character, especially in your heroes and villains. No one should be what they first seem to be. Surprise the audience.” [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Characters, even heroes, contain contradictions; revealing them creates depth and surprise for the audience. **In simple terms:** Everyone has hidden contradictions; exposing them enriches stories. Key Takeaway Explore and reveal character complexities. Themes literature film character development storytelling contradiction Mood thoughtful creative Type dramatic inspirational When to use this quote - novels - screenplays - theatre productions - character workshops Key Concepts psychology human nature narrative tension Questions to Reflect On - Which contradictions make a character relatable? - How do contradictions drive plot? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on contradictions can confuse audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Contradiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradiction/) [Contradictions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradictions/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Heroes and villains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroes-and-villains/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) [Villain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/villain/) ## Related quotes > [You see, among men who are honored with the common appellation ogentleman, many contradictions to that character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-steele/you-see-among-men-who-are-honored-with-the-common-appellation/) [Richard Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-steele/) > [We are the only Heroes and Villains standing in our plans in life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlixcollins/we-are-the-only-heroes-and-villains-standing-in-our-plans-in-life/) [CarlixCollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlixcollins/) > [“Collective achievement, of course, is less appealing both to the participants and to those later reading about it as the human impulse is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-restall/collective-achievement-of-course-is-less-appealing-both-to-the/) Matthew Restall > [Cinema is much more than heroes and villains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-kashyap/cinema-is-much-more-than-heroes-and-villains/) [Anurag Kashyap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-kashyap/) > [“I hated this business of being grown-up. I hated having to make decisions where I didn't know what was behind the door. I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-keyes/i-hated-this-business-of-being-grown-up-i-hated-having-to-make/) [Marian Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-keyes/) > [“The problem with heroes and villains is that it’s not always easy to tell which is which. Particularly when you are one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-meats/the-problem-with-heroes-and-villains-is-that-it-s-not-always-easy-to/) Jessica Meats > [History is moving pretty quickly these days, and the heroes and villains keep on changing parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/history-is-moving-pretty-quickly-these-days-and-the-heroes-and/) [Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/) > [It was so much more comfortable to be able to divide people into heroes and villains and expect them to play their allotted part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/it-was-so-much-more-comfortable-to-be-able-to-divide-people-into/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [Not everything that is good make everyone happy. A heroic act may be considered as an act of a villain by others. That's why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-matobo/not-everything-that-is-good-make-everyone-happy-a-heroic-act-may-be/) [Frank Matobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-matobo/) > [I was very interested in what happens to the husband when his wife goes missing, and how quickly they can be turned into heroes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/i-was-very-interested-in-what-happens-to-the-husband-when-his-wife/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [I try to give both my heroes and villains an emotional dimensionality which provides the motivation for their actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-sheldon/i-try-to-give-both-my-heroes-and-villains-an-emotional-dimensionality/) [Sidney Sheldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-sheldon/) > [We love a tale of heroes and villains and conflicts requiring a neat resolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/we-love-a-tale-of-heroes-and-villains-and-conflicts-requiring-a-neat/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [As human beings, of course, we're all compromised and complex and contradictory and if a screenplay can express those contradictions within a character and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-weaving/as-human-beings-of-course-we-re-all-compromised-and-complex-and/) [Hugo Weaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-weaving/) > [It is much more fun to write about villains then heroes. The villains are the ones that think out the scheme, and the heroes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-j-machale-2/it-is-much-more-fun-to-write-about-villains-then-heroes-the-villains/) [D. J. MacHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-j-machale-2/) > [“What separates the heroes from the villains? One speech in the night?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/what-separates-the-heroes-from-the-villains-one-speech-in-the-night/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) ## More by Elia Kazan > [The essence of the stage is concentration and penetration. Of the screen action, movement, sweep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/the-essence-of-the-stage-is-concentration-and-penetration-of-the/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [I didn't have the problem of finding myself at 45 on the wrong course - I always wanted to be a film director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/i-didn-t-have-the-problem-of-finding-myself-at-45-on-the-wrong-course/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [Never underestimate the narcissism of a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/never-underestimate-the-narcissism-of-a-writer/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [What's called a difficult decision is a difficult decision because either way you go there are penalties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/what-s-called-a-difficult-decision-is-a-difficult-decision-because/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [You can't just sit there and do the lines. You have to do something revealing or unusual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/you-can-t-just-sit-there-and-do-the-lines-you-have-to-do-something/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [I'm small, but I'm neither compliant nor agreeable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/i-m-small-but-i-m-neither-compliant-nor-agreeable/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [If you're going to play a cowboy, show up with the horse at the audition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/if-you-re-going-to-play-a-cowboy-show-up-with-the-horse-at-the/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [I value peace, too, when it is not bought at the price of fundamental decencies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/i-value-peace-too-when-it-is-not-bought-at-the-price-of-fundamental/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [You have no idea how fragile an actor's self-worth is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/you-have-no-idea-how-fragile-an-actor-s-self-worth-is/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [There was no doubt that there was a vast organization which was making fools of all the liberals in Hollywood and taking their money,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/there-was-no-doubt-that-there-was-a-vast-organization-which-was/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [The makers of entertainment must try, in our field, to be honest and grown-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/the-makers-of-entertainment-must-try-in-our-field-to-be-honest-and/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [I'm very pro-America, but I feel it necessary to keep in touch with Europe to maintain a perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/i-m-very-pro-america-but-i-feel-it-necessary-to-keep-in-touch-with/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [It's difficult, if not impossible, to get away with anything false before the camera. That instrument penetrates the husk of the actor; it reveals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/it-s-difficult-if-not-impossible-to-get-away-with-anything-false/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [For years after I resigned, I was still faithful to their way of thinking. But not in the American Communists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/for-years-after-i-resigned-i-was-still-faithful-to-their-way-of/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [You've got to keep fighting; you've got to risk your life every six months to stay alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/you-ve-got-to-keep-fighting-you-ve-got-to-risk-your-life-every-six/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) [Explore all 97 Elia Kazan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Look for the contradictions in every character, especially in your heroes and villains. No one should be what they first seem to be. 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