SENTIMENTAL
DEFINITION:being strongly influenced by feelings or emotional sentiment

CATEGORIES:identity, interactive

SIMILAR ATTRIBUTES:emotional, romantic

POSSIBLE CAUSES:
Having an overly sentimental parent
Wanting the attention that comes when excess emotion is expressed
Being unable to move beyond highly emotional events in one’s past
Being deeply in tune with one’s emotions and wanting to experience them frequently

ASSOCIATED BEHAVIORS:
Being deeply touched by kindness; feeling one’s emotions keenly
Nostalgia
Having a clear view of one’s ideal spouse, job, etc., and refusing to compromise
Making decisions based on one’s feelings rather than on logic
Holding on to and cherishing keepsakes
Having clear memories of important days or occasions (a birth, a break-up, etc.)
Loyalty
Seeking out information on one’s ancestry and family
Valuing the stories behind certain keepsakes
Passing down heirlooms
Buying personalized gifts for people
Valuing time spent with loved ones
Crying over sad movies or books
Freely expressing one’s feelings, even in public
Becoming emotional when memories are stirred (when a song is played, etc.)
Being hurt when others don’t return one’s intensity of feeling
Offering the gift of one’s time
Wanting to make loved ones happy and fulfilled
Thoughtfulness (sending notes with a lunch, texting a lover for no reason, etc.)
Idealizing one’s memories; remembering the good parts and forgetting the bad
Feeling a sense of loss when one’s keepsakes are broken or lost
Being sensitive; having one’s feelings easily hurt
Discovering someone’s deepest desire and finding a way to fulfill it
Tying one’s happiness to other people
Giving sappy love gifts on special occasions (Valentine’s Day, etc.)
Becoming emotional over tokens from the past (a poem, a ticket stub, etc.)
Sending handwritten notes instead of emails
Knowing the preferences and passions of the people in one’s life
Smothering others with emotion and attention
Viewing a loved one as being especially talented or gifted
Speaking whatever emotion one is feeling at the time
Inviting people over and cooking for them instead of taking them out to dinner

ASSOCIATED THOUGHTS:
I’m going to write Laura a note so she knows how much her friendship means to me.
I should hold onto this and give it to my granddaughter one day.
I’ve never been so happy in my whole life!
Why would he say such a thing when I’ve been nothing but kind to him?

ASSOCIATED EMOTIONS:adoration, amazement, anticipation, desperation, elation, excitement, gratitude, happiness, love

POSITIVE ASPECTS:Sentimental characters are in touch with their feelings; they don’t see the need to hide their emotions and are usually transparent and honest in their expressions. Unselfish and other-focused, they can be highly loyal and their emotions are often wrapped up in the people who share their lives. Romanticism appeals to them, making them thoughtful and generous characters.

NEGATIVE ASPECTS:Because of their tendency toward emotionality, sentimental characters often clash with people who are more practical and are often viewed as being melodramatic, unrealistic, and unstable. Their demonstrative nature may make others uncomfortable or even drive them away. Sentimental characters can often get so caught up in their feelings for others that they forget who they are or how to be independent. Their sentimentality can taint their perceptions, leading them to see events how they want to see them instead of how they actually are.

EXAMPLE FROM LITERATURE:Marianne Dashwood (Sense and Sensibility) is the sentimental Dashwood daughter. Her emotions are easily stirred by poetry, nature, and romantic gestures. When John Willoughby comes to her aid, she falls deeply in love with him, refusing to hear any of the warnings from the practical people in her life.Other Examples from Film and Literature:Allie Hamilton (The Notebook), Anne Shirley (Anne of Green Gables)

TRAITS IN SUPPORTING CHARACTERS THAT MAY CAUSE CONFLICT:analytical, cruel, humorless, just, meticulous, proper, uncommunicative

CHALLENGING SCENARIOS FOR THE SENTIMENTAL CHARACTER:
PLOTLINE: Being forced into a practical or logical career field (accounting, computer technology, etc.)
PLOTLINE: Being surrounded by people who encourage high emotion that reinforces a lack of balance
PLOTLINE: Having to sell or get rid of one’s heirlooms in a non-romantic way
PLOTLINE: Being paired with a very practical, no-nonsense spouse who is not a romantic
PLOTLINE: Being sentimental but also craving logic and reason