Question

I need help with writing my character. More specifically, I need help making his addiction seem real. What can I add to make it seem like he's genuinely struggling with his morals and that he doesn't know whether he deserves to live a good life?

(For context, this character is created in the setting of Beastars, where certain carnivores can have a "meat addiction" after devouring a herbivore. He does show regret for his actions.)

So I just need to know if there is anything I can add to him or a way to improve his character.

Thank you. If additional context is needed, I will add on in the replies.

Answer 1

depends on what he does when a herivore, when he regrets eating one and see another does, like start getting savoury where he wants to kill them but he cant

Answer 2

I would imagine he starts remembering his first "victim" and is haunted by the devouring, which is what really holds him back. Thank you for the response!

Answer 3

Your welcome ^w^

Answer 4

To make a Beastars meat addiction feel real and psychologically heavy, you need to focus on the visceral, shameful, and involuntary nature of the addiction, rather than just the physical craving. The core of this struggle is the conflict between his biological instincts and his conscious morality.
Here are specific ways to improve your character and show his struggle with guilt and unworthiness:
1. Visceral Physicality and Sensory Details
Instead of just saying he craves meat, show how the addiction hijacks his body.
Sensory Triggers: Herbivores shouldn't just look like "food"; they should trigger specific sensations. Perhaps the scent of a soft-furred herbivore reminds him of the texture of his sin, or the sound of a herbivore’s fast heartbeat makes his own blood rush, causing him to instantly hate himself.
Physical Withdrawal: Make the hunger painful, making him shaky, sweaty, or causing "brain fog," where he cannot concentrate on anything else.
Unconscious Action: He might wake up in front of a meat-related location (like the Back-Alley Market) with no memory of traveling there, highlighting that the addiction controls him, not the other way around.
2. Moral Struggle and "Active Regret"
Regret is passive, but struggle is active. Show him trying to repair the damage.
Self-Imposed Punishment: Because he feels he doesn't deserve a good life, he should actively make his life harder. He might skip meals, live in squalor, or avoid comfortable situations because he believes he is "dirty".
The "Reparation" Loop: He tries to do good to balance his sin, but feels it is never enough. For every moment he acts kindly towards a herbivore, he feels like a monster for hiding his true nature, leading to extreme imposter syndrome.
Distrust of His Own Desires: When he experiences a small pleasure (a good meal, a kind conversation), his immediate thought should be, "I don't deserve this. I should be punished".
3. Social and Psychological Isolation
Addiction causes isolation to hide the shame.
Avoidance of Physical Touch: He might avoid shaking hands, hugging, or being in close proximity to herbivores, fearing that his "inner predator" will take over or that they will smell his "taint".
Hidden "Trophies" or Rituals: He might keep something from his past act—a piece of clothing, a bone, a scent—that he hates but cannot bring himself to destroy, representing his inability to let go of the guilt.
Aggressive Deflection: When people are kind to him, he acts cold or mean to push them away, rationalizing that if they knew what he did, they would hate him anyway.
4. Beastars-Specific Elements
The Black Market Connection: He might go to the Back-Alley Market, but instead of enjoying it, he feels disgusted, viewing himself as a monster among monsters. He might see other carnivores enjoying it and feel both jealousy and extreme self-loathing.
Regretful Consumption: When he does succumb, it shouldn't be enjoyable. It should be a desperate, tear-filled, frantic act, followed by intense vomiting or physical sickness, showing that his mind rejects what his body forced him to do.
Paranoia of Others: He believes other carnivores can see his shame, or that herbivore eyes are judging him, leading to hypervigilance.
Character Summary:
Make him a character who acts kindly but believes he is a villain. The tension comes from the reader knowing he is trying to be better, while the character himself believes that his next mistake is inevitable.
If you have specific scenes in mind, I can help refine those.

Answer 5

Bruh the use of Ai on questions needs to stop. That was clearly Ai generated than just copy and pasted.