characters are shown by their actions, words, and appearance.
A. Character is likely to be emphasized in good literature.
- The focus is on character not on the action.
- Character is complex, variable, and ambiguous.
B. In escape literature, the reader looks for characters who are always attractive.
1. They are decent or at least have some good qualities (e.g. dashing, daring, gallant).
2. The readers become the main character and want to be flattered by the image of themselves.
C. Good literature usually has a greater variety of characters with a wide variety of characteristics. As
readers, we get excellent opportunities to observe human nature.
1. We can see the characters in situations that are significant and which shows the
characters in ways that ordinary life rarely does.
2. The writer can show their inner thoughts and feelings.
D. Direct presentation of characters occurs when the author tells the reader straight out what the
character is like.
- This method is clear and economical, but should not be used alone.
e.g. John was a kind and gentle man. (This is the author’s voice not a character in the story.)
E. Indirect presentation occurs when the author shows us what the character is like. This is done by:
i) describing the character’s physical appearance.
ii) showing the character’s words and actions.
iii) revealing the character’s thoughts.
iv) showing how the character is treated by others.
F. Characterization should observe three principles:
i) The character must have consistent behaviour.
ii) If there is a behaviour change, the character must have a good reason.
iii) The character must be lifelike or believable.
G. Types of character: (These are not exclusive of each other. i.e. A minor character can be complex and
a major character can be simple.)
1. major - essential to the story; may be the focus of the story. Their absence would destroy the
narrative. May not necessarily be much of the story, but their presence is very important.
minor - necessary only to "fill in the blanks" in the narrative. May appear frequently in the story but
never really contribute much to the story. They are the background.
2. simple - sometimes called flat. Lack detail (Usually only one or two characteristics) and ambiguity.
They are what they are: What you see is what you get. They are predictable, consistent,
"programmed" by the writer to behave only in certain ways. Many minor characters in short
stories are flat.
- Stock Character: a special kind of flat character.
- the stereotyped character who we immediately know (e.g. the mad scientist, the strong
silent sheriff).
complex - sometimes called round characters. More difficult to figure out, more unpredictable - they
may not know themselves what they're going to do next. They tend to be more introspective
and analytical, more emotionally complicated - and more interesting.
3. static - do not undergo changes throughout the narrative; they are constant. They are sometimes used
to measure the development of the changing characters.
changing - sometimes called developing. Undergoes a long term change of character, personality, or
outlook. There are usually a limited number of developing characters in any one story,
particularly a short story. The change in character is often the clue to the story's meaning
(ie. the theme).
*Note: The change must be believable:
i) within the abilities of the character
ii) sufficiently motivated by the circumstances
iii) given enough time to occur
Questions about characters
I. The most important questions are, "What is the character like?" "What are the characters' traits?" To
answer these questions, we can ask:
a. Are the characters flat, round, dynamic, or static?
- Do they change?
- How and why do they change?
- What steps do they go through to change?
- Does what they learn help or hinder them?
b. What problems do they have?
- How do they attempt to solve them?
c. What types of characters do they represent?
- If they are complex, what makes them complex?
- Do they have traits that contradict one another and cause internal conflicts?
- Do they have conflicting attitudes about something?
- Do they understand themselves?
d. Do they experience epiphanies (ie. sudden insights)?
- When, why, and what do their epiphanies reveal to them and us?
e. How do the characters relate to each other?
- What pleasures and conflicts do their relationships with one another cause?
- Does the author want us to compare one character with another?
f. Do the characters have speech mannerisms, gestures, or modes of dress that reveal their inner
selves?
- Is the character happy, sad, or in-between?
- Is the character mentally disturbed?
