PROTECTIVE DEFINITION:inclined to safeguard, shield, or carefully supervise the persons or items in one’s charge CATEGORIES:achievement, identity, interactive, moral POSSIBLE CAUSES: Serving in a caregiver role Love and respect Being responsible for others (one’s younger siblings, etc.) at an early age Exposure to “lean” times (where water, food, or shelter is scarce) Having struggled in the past to provide for one’s family Proximity to danger or corruption where one must defend one’s resources Abuse The belief that one cannot be too careful Being the caregiver of a family member with a mental or physical handicap A past failure (real or imagined) to protect a person, one’s assets, or one’s resources ASSOCIATED BEHAVIORS: Being aware of danger and risk, and avoiding them as much as possible Carefully watching situations that could grow volatile Asking questions; needing to know details Researching and fact gathering Being in close proximity to the one needing protection Being an active listener; offering support and counsel Wanting someone to succeed and working to help them achieve their goals Balancing concern for safety with respecting another’s independence and freedom Lightly touching others to let them know one is there Being proactive; thinking ahead to what might be needed Distrust of strangers Encouraging sound choices and decision making Offering strength when it is needed Understanding the risks before acting Being vigilant when it comes to friends or influencers Acting in someone’s best interest without being overbearing, bossy, or controlling Protecting someone for their sake, not for one’s own best interests Following rules and behavior patterns that have proven safe in the past Needing to know where someone is, who they are with, and what they are doing Being hyper sensitive to time; using time limits as a method of monitoring Seeing to the needs of those in one’s care Being an advocate for someone else Worrying, especially when one has little or no control over events Calling, texting, and visiting as a way of checking in Difficulty trusting others and letting go of control Taking on more responsibility to help someone or increase one’s influence with them Seeing a possible threat in every situation Being wary of new experiences or places Being there when help is needed Looking out for those who are ill-equipped to do so themselves Providing information or advice to help someone be prepared ASSOCIATED THOUGHTS: She has no idea that Neal’s a player. I better let her know. I’ll go to Rick’s party so I can make sure he doesn’t get out of hand like last time. I can’t let Peter wear that to school; the kids will rip him apart. Bob’s home situation is so awful. I’ll cover this shift to get the boss off his back. ASSOCIATED EMOTIONS:conflicted, determination, gratitude, irritation, regret, skepticism, suspicion, wariness, worry, unease POSITIVE ASPECTS:Protective characters care deeply and have the best interest of their charges at heart. They are willing to set aside their own wants and needs to make sure the needs of their loves ones are taken care of. As their loved ones explore the world and their place within it, protectors act with vigilance to ensure that no harm comes to them. These characters are excellent at assessing possible risks and minimizing them, protecting their assets and resources from those who might take advantage, while offering help and counsel to loved ones who need it. NEGATIVE ASPECTS:While protectors safeguard the people and things they care about, conflict arises when opinions differ as to the best course of action. Despite good intentions, power struggles can create a tug-of-war between the protector’s need to keep a charge safe and the charge’s desire for autonomy. When rules and precautions chafe, a charge may rebel, damaging the relationship or worse—intentionally putting himself in danger in order to prove that he can take care of himself. EXAMPLE FROM TV:Dean Winchester from the seriesSupernaturalis extremely protective of not only his brother Sam, but anyone he considers family, including his fellow hunters. He will go to any lengths to protect them from the evil they fight day-to-day, going up against demons, Leviathans, the Four Horsemen, and Death himself. Risking his life for others is in a hunter’s job description, but Dean takes it a step further, selling his soul to the devil in order to save Sam’s life.Other Examples from Film and Literature:Leigh Anne Tuohy (The Blind Side), Korben Dallas (The Fifth Element), the unnamed father inThe Road TRAITS IN SUPPORTING CHARACTERS THAT MAY CAUSE CONFLICT:cruel, ethical, greedy, just, manipulative, self-destructive, selfish, sleazy, unethical, vindictive, violent CHALLENGING SCENARIOS FOR THE PROTECTIVE CHARACTER: PLOTLINE: Trying to protect those who undermine the protector’s efforts out of a sense of unworthiness PLOTLINE: Encountering a powerful force (the police, the government) that tries to take one’s resources PLOTLINE: Needing to protect someone despite not having the knowledge or resources to do so