Writing the Moral Dilemma: How to Build Tension Between What a Character Can Do and What They Should Do

By J.E. Nickerson | Wise Thinkers Help Desk

Some of the most unforgettable characters in fiction are the ones who pause — just for a breath — before crossing the line.

This article builds on a related idea from “Just Because They Can Doesn’t Mean They Should: Writing Morality That Makes Audiences Think”, which explored the tension between power, morality, and choice. Here, we focus on how to create that tension through character hesitation — the pause before action — where the real drama often lives.

In the film Run All Night, Liam Neeson plays a former hitman whose son is thrust into a violent world he didn’t choose. In several scenes, the son has every reason — and every opportunity — to kill. But his father steps in, urging restraint. These are powerful scenes because they don’t just show physical conflict. They show moral conflict. The character can kill… but the question is: should he?

This is where great writing lives — in the tension between what a character can do and what they choose to do.

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🧭 Section 1: Define the Dilemma

A true moral dilemma involves two options — both with consequences.

• Killing the villain might save a life — but it could cost the character their soul.

• Staying silent may protect someone — but allow injustice to continue.

• Choosing to help may cost safety and freedom — but walking away could mean letting someone suffer or die.

In the thriller Cellular, a young man named Ryan is unexpectedly pulled into a life-or-death situation when he receives a call from a kidnapped woman. He doesn’t know her. He has no obligation. He could hang up and go meet his friends. Instead, he makes the choice to get involved — and that decision changes the course of his life.

Cellular isn’t about superheroes or secret agents. It’s about an average guy suddenly holding someone else’s survival in his hands. And it asks the question:

“Would you stop your life to save someone else’s?”

Ask yourself:

• What’s tempting your character to walk away?

• What do they risk by stepping in — and what do they risk by ignoring the call?

• What internal beliefs or personal history influence that choice?

📝 Developing a character profile can help you understand what kind of person your character is. If you’re struggling to build deeper characters, download the resource: Character Profile Creation Checklist.

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💥 Section 2: Raise the Emotional Stakes

Use relationships and legacy.

In Run All Night, the son’s hesitation is shaped by his father’s past. Liam Neeson’s character doesn’t just say “don’t kill” — he embodies the cost of violence. He’s trying to stop his son from becoming what he used to be.

Another powerful example is Cape Fear, a classic psychological thriller starring Robert De Niro and Nick Nolte. The film centers around Sam Bowden, a lawyer whose past legal choices come back to haunt him when ex-con Max Cady seeks revenge. As Cady terrorizes his family, Bowden is forced to decide how far he’s willing to go to protect them.

He has legal power — the ability to pursue protection through the courts — but he’s also terrified, and increasingly tempted to take matters into his own hands. He hires men to violently attack Max Cady, crossing a line from protector to perpetrator. While he can act on his fear, the choice only pulls him deeper into a cycle of violence, mistrust, and moral confusion — and ultimately makes him question whether he’s becoming more like the man he fears.

Ask yourself:

• Who does your character become if they act on their power?

• What guilt or trauma is influencing their judgment?

• Are they trying to prevent harm — or undo the damage of past mistakes?

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🪞 Section 3: Make the Reader Feel the Weight

A moral choice isn’t powerful just because of the action — it’s powerful because of the pause. That space between impulse and decision is where character is revealed.

Ask yourself:

• What’s going through your character’s mind in that moment? Show their inner monologue so the audience “hears” their thoughts.

• What values are being tested?

• What voices from their past echo in their ears?

Sometimes a memory can tip the balance. A flashback or remembered line from a loved one can break through the noise and reshape the decision.

In the movie A River Runs Through It, Norman Maclean delivers a closing monologue that shows how much the voices of the past and the legacy of family have changed his perspective:

“Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world’s great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs.

I am haunted by waters.”

Let the reader feel the weight of the character’s conflict and realization. Let the silence ring. Let the character speak through thought and feeling. That’s where emotional tension builds — and where readers become truly invested.

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✍️ Section 4: Use Restraint as Strength

So often in fiction, strength is shown through action — pulling the trigger, making the call, storming the gates. But sometimes, the greatest power lies in not doing.

The son in Run All Night shows strength by listening to his father and walking away from vengeance. Sam Bowden in Cape Fear is at war with himself — resisting the temptation to become as brutal as the man who’s hunting him. Ryan in Cellular doesn’t have to help. He has every reason to turn away. But he doesn’t. That quiet “yes” is a more heroic moment than any gunfight.

Your character’s decision to hold back, to reflect, or to choose mercy can be more impactful than any act of aggression.

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💡 Final Thought

The moment a character asks, “What will this make me?” — that’s when your story becomes more than entertainment. It becomes real.

As writers, we’re not just building action. We’re building tension — tension between desire and principle, between fear and compassion, between what can be done and what should be done.

That’s the tension that makes your characters unforgettable.

That’s the tension that makes your story matter.

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✍️ Wise Thinker’s Writing Prompt:

Think of a scene where your character has the upper hand. Ask yourself:

• What if they don’t act?

• What if they pause long enough to consider what kind of person they’re becoming?

• What if mercy, restraint, or walking away is the bravest thing they do?

The real story begins between can and should.

Looking for more guidance on creating memorable characters with a moral compass? Read the following articles to create characters who will connect with your audience and drive your story forward.

—When Good Characters Cross the Line: The Moral Cost of Doing What Feels Necessary

—Writing Characters with Quiet Strength

—Why Did You Do That? Discovering Your Character’s Motivation

Enjoying this? Find the answers to your biggest self-publishing questions.

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📚 And if you’re new here, I’m J.E. Nickerson — faith based author and inspirational storyteller. You can check out my books here or follow me on YouTube for more inspiration and encouragement on this writing life.