early character descriptions

I c+p this straight from Word, it is the very beginning sketches of my character, mostly relational things. It really has less to do with her and more to do with her family and backstory... I have the character planned out much more than this in my head, it is mostly a matter of typing it out and making sure it makes sense and is a solid and interesting person...
Anyway, read on if you're interested...


(First of all, she is capable of falling in love. More than capable of it, she is obsessed with it, that is the fundamental element on which this entire story is balanced...)

FAMILY

[[She is young, probably mid-twenties. She is a talented artist but has not painted for over three years (result of a tragic event- discuss later). She is currently working at a coffee shop for a boss that she hates (he is pompous and feels the need to micromanage every aspect of her job). She is frustrated by their dealings but continues to work there despite that (not because she enjoys the coffee shop, but because she lacks the drive and determination to find a new job). ]][<—move to professional life]
CHARACTER is incredibly intelligent. She spent several years at an art college but dropped out (result of tragic event- discuss later) her junior year. When she dropped out she was working toward an art therapy major- a combination of psychology and art, and interned part-time at a counseling center to gain some experience in her field of choice.
Her family is very worried about her and it shows from the beginning of the story. She loves her family very much (especially her twin brother-- the only one she communicates with regularly and honestly) but has distanced herself from them because of their concern, especially on the part of her mother. Relationships with her parents are incredibly complex. Her father worked throughout her childhood as an investment banker. He took an interest in his daughter and tried very hard to be a good father but CHARACTER put up walls as a result of his absence. (She sees their relationship how she wants to see it rather than how it is, which is a pretty safe generalization for most of her relationships. For example, she will claim her father does not care, does not know her, and never took interest in her. The truth is none of these are true, this is just how she chose to interpret his actions.) CHARACTER has closed herself off from her father so much that he can rarely understand her needs, although he has a pretty good idea of what her personality is like. He is concerned but does not necessarily know how to express his concern, so he leaves that aspect of parenting to the mother.
The mother was a stay-at-home mom during CHARACTER’s childhood and cares deeply about her. Through observation she has grown to understand her daughter very well. During adolescence and college, she was a great source of motivation to CHARACTER because of her constant involvement in her life. She is a fantastic mother but has the tendency to smother her children. As an adult, CHARACTER has made an attempt to physically distance herself from her family, primarily as a result of her mother’s nagging (which she does with the best intentions). The more distance put between the two, the more the mother compensates by repeated phone calls, lots of worrying etc.
The twin brother is married and lives on the East coast, so he communicates with his sister mostly by phone. He is also extremely intelligent and fairly well-educated. Two years ago he graduated with a degree in Elementary education, and he is now a second-grade teacher. He met his wife in college and they were married his senior year. They have two children (twin girls, age three). After he finished school they decided to settle on the East Coast. Because of the fact that they are so far away CHARACTER has never really taken the time to get to know her sister-in-law. To her she seems bland and uninteresting, a housewife, maybe a little too ditzy to be with her brother (whom CHARACTER values very highly). She resents her sister-in-law for taking her brother away, and although she keeps in contact with him, does not interact much with the wife or kids.
As children, they were incredibly close, especially in high school. Because of their shared interests they have learned to communicate incredibly well. Brother has seemingly unlimited patience and understanding for his sister, who is often dramatic and usually completely apathetic. His optimistic yet wise advice usually falls on deaf ears, but he is satisfied with cheering her up, and doesn’t feel the need to “fix” all of her problems. Brother is also very protective when it comes to dating. CHARACTER’s last boyfriend was a close friend of his and he is still distraught over his suicide (tragic event referred to earlier). He dealt with his grief after the fact with counseling, but is still visibly distressed by discussion of the event, and even more so by his sister’s varying depression and apathy (which he believes is a direct result of the suicide).
They also have a younger sister who is extremely self-centered. She is off in her first year of college and basically lives in her own world. She also does not keep in contact with her family members unless she wants something. ???She is pregnant (and single) although she does not know this (at least at the beginning of the story)???. She is less intelligent than her older siblings, and the sister-sister relationship is strained… younger sister resents the intelligence and talent of older sister, older sister is disgusted by younger sister’s arrogance and self-centered behavior. ironically, CHARACTER views herself as superior to her younger sister which is the primary reason they do not get along.


So... tell me... what do you think? Do you want to hear her story? Should I get rid of her and start over? I guess the family is a hard place to start because it requires explaining a lot of outside events. The family themselves are pretty stock but the important thing is how they illuminate the main character and her problem... I doubt any of them will play a large role except for the brother, and maybe the mother...
Okay... feedback, readers?