TYPES OF CHARACTERS

PROTAGONIST

The story is shaped around the protagonist. He is the one trying to achieve a goal in the story.

The Protagonist is central to the action of a story and moves against the antagonist.

PROTAGONIST The protagonist doesn't

have to be a hero.

The character might not be likeable but he is still the protagonist because the story is mainly about him.

EXAMPLE: Protagonists don’t have to be likeable

The Grinch does a lot of terrible things—sneaks into homes, steals presents, tries to ruin Christmas.

He is not likeable for much of the story yet he is the protagonist because the story is about him.

ROUND CHARACTERS

A round character is one that is multi-dimensional just like real people are.

These characters are complex and we get to see a glimpse of their complexity in the novel.

Usually your protagonist, and often your antagonist, are round characters.

•Round characters have various characteristics or traits.

•A round character can change or grow. This makes them a dynamic character also.

•Readers see more than one side of a round character.

EXAMPLE OF A ROUND CHARACTER Gru is a round character because we see

many sides of him and he reveals a range of emotions.

Is an over-protective father Has ambitions to steal the moon Falls in love Gets crabby and irritable at people Inspires loyalty from his minions Smart enough to come up with evil plans Is jealous of younger super-villains Tries to leave behind his life of crime

DYNAMIC CHARACTERS A dynamic character is one that changes

over the course of the story.

It may be a simple shift in attitude or a complete turn-around.

The character might be wiser or might change his path in life altogether.

The change might not be for the better.

Characters who develop and change are not only round characters, but often dynamic.

Scrooge changes from a tight-fisted, greedy unhappy man to one who was generous and loved life.

Gru changes from a villain set on destroying the world to a loving father.

EXAMPLES OF DYNAMIC CHARACTERS

Anakin Skywalker is lured to the dark side and becomes Darth Vader.

Shrek learns to love and let others into his life. He is no longer a loner.

ANTAGONIST

The character who acts against the protagonist is called the antagonist.

The antagonist opposes the protagonist and causes problems for him.

ANTAGONIST

Remember the antagonist doesn't have to be a bad guy.

Sometimes the antagonist can be a group of people combined or an institution.

The antagonist is a villain or a force which opposes the protagonist and causes the main conflicts in the story during the rising actions. .

SECONDARY CHARACTERS In a novel, you are also introduced to many secondary or minor

characters.

These characters still play a role in the development of the story and have a purpose, but their role is smaller than the major characters. Some examples of a secondary character’s purpose:

Give background information Showcase the main character’s personality through their interactions Help the character solve the conflict

FLAT CHARACTER A flat character is one that often

fits into a stereotype.

The character is not very developed.

We only see one side of the flat character. Few traits shown.

Usually, the flat characters are the secondary characters.

EXAMPLE OF FLAT CHARACTER

Suppose there is a grandma in the story.

The grandma is: Kind Loves her grandchildren Comforts and takes care of others

If this is all we see of the grandma character, then she’s a flat character.

STATIC CHARACTERS

A static character doesn't change.

Character is exactly the same at end of the novel as he was at the beginning of the novel.

This may be because he is a flat character or he just doesn't learn from his experiences.

Example: Stepmom mean at the beginning and the end of the story.

•Static characters are one dimensional—readers see only one side.

•Static characters stay the same and do not develop.

•Readers learn little about this character.

•Static characters are flat characters.

STEREO-TYPED-usually play flat and static characters

-a general perception of a person based on the society's beliefs

-usually wrong and it is meant to be humorous or offending

i.e all Italians are in the mob

i.e all blondes are dumb

i.e all Hindus own doughnut stores

PARALLEL VS. FOIL Parallel

Two or more characters who are the same

They act the same

Their personalities are the same

Foil Two or more characters who

are different/ opposites They act completely different

Always the protagonist and the antagonist

FOIBLE A character’s flaw

i.e Homer’s flaw is that he is dumb

i.e Sponge Bob Square Pants’ flaw is that he is naïve/clueless

SUMMARY OF CHARACTERS Protagonist—the story revolves around the character. Round Character—one who is multi-dimensional and complex. Dynamic Character—one who changes over the course of the story. Antagonist—the character who acts against the protagonist. Flat Character—one who is not very developed. Static Character—one who stays the same throughout the story. Stereo-typed Character- one who is used to make fun of a specific

group of people based on assumptions Parallel Characters-Two characters who share similar traits Foil Characters-Two characters who have opposite traits which causes

conflicts between the characters