Living Dolls

My characters are Indonesian puppets that are used to tell stories. One day, they gain consciousness, break free from the rods that were once used to move their bodies, and go on to have many adventures. These events, however, are only in the puppets’ heads as they are being used to reenact the stories from a puppeteer. I imagine this premise as a TV show or film, and have the fact that the puppets aren’t conscious as a plot twist. In terms of realism, my characters don’t make complete sense anatomically because their wooden limbs can move like ours can, but this is important for showing emotion.

The characters that I have designed are:

The Fisherman – An older man in his 60s whose livelihood is fishing. He uses his spear or his fishing net to catch fish and uses a hand-carved box to keep sharpening tools, and a repair kit. The work is gruelling, but he does it to look after himself and his family.

Young Warrior – A child of around 10 who’s ambition is to become a warrior. He has a mischievous nature and is always trying to beat others in competitions. He enjoys running and wrestling. His prized possession is his mask, which his kakek (grandfather) made him to “scare away his enemies.”

The Bachelorette – A young adult who wants to find “the one.” She is very beautiful and skilled in dancing and singing, so among the young men in the village, she is considered a catch. She is flirtatious and confident, although around the man she truly loves, is very shy.

Village Healer – An elderly woman in her 70s who is the go-to for any ailment in the village. She carries around many different medicines in her basket (which used to be her hat), so that she always has what she needs. When she isn’t treating patients, she is outside collecting ingredients, or just any flower that is pretty.