Being shy is one thing, but being taught not to speak is another. Imagine the differences between characters who feel a need to communicate something, but have either timidity or cultural mores stopping them. How might each of them respond differently? What must happen for each to overcome his or her past? Which would be harder to overcome?
Learning to Speak Up When You’re from a Culture of Deference – Andy Molinsky – Harvard Business Review
http://blogs.hbr.org/2014/07/learning-to-speak-up-when-youre-from-a-culture-of-deference/
sharon p. lynn 