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As you study literature, one thing you’ll want to learn is how to analyze the characters in that story or novel. This article will help you learn about the different types of characters in literature.
First, let’s review some definitions.
Character: a person presented in a dramatic or narrative work.
Characterization: The process by which a writer makes the character seem real to the reader.
In a literary work, the main character of a narrative is the protagonist. This is the central character who captures the reader’s interest and empathy. For example, in the fairy tale Cinderella, the young and beautiful Cinderella is clearly the protagonist. Not only is her whole story about her, but she’s the character we learn the most from.
The antagonist in literary works, on the other hand, is the character, force, or set of forces that opposes the protagonist. The antagonist gives rise to the conflict of the story and is essential to creating conflict. In Cinderella, the antagonist is the wicked stepmother who prevents Cinderella from achieving her goals. Without this character, the story would not have as much suspense and interest.
However, there are other ways to discuss characterization besides just looking at the protagonist and antagonist. There are also static, dynamic, flat, round, and common characters.
A static character does not change throughout the story and the reader’s knowledge of this character does not change. In the example above, Cinderella’s stepsisters could be called static because they don’t change or develop from the beginning of the story to the end.
Dynamic characters are the opposite of static characters. They undergo some kind of change throughout the story, which is often related to the action of the plot. To determine if a character is dynamic, ask yourself if they have changed or developed in any way.
Flat characters are those individuals in a story who are not complex. They can be easily described by a few qualities. This could also describe those stepsisters in Cinderella. They are easily described and not filled with the emotional complexity that most real people have. The opposite of flat would be round characters that are really complex, like real people. These are usually the most developed characters in a literary work.
You know you’ve met a round character when you gain access to their emotions, history, background, and sensibilities. These are the qualities that make a human being unique and complex, right? It is our fears and struggles and the unique collection of personal experiences that sometimes even result in contradictions, a real marker for a round or complex character.
Lastly, you can find stock characters in literature or even in the movies and TV you watch. These are considered types of people or stereotypes rather than individuals. In a sitcom, for example, you can find the “funny” and the “smart.” Sometimes there is a “beautiful” or a “crazy”. These are standard characters and when we see these types of people, we have certain expectations about what they will be like.