Characters: definitions and examples | LiteraryTerms.net (2023)

I. What is character?

A character is a person, animal, being, creature, or thing in a story. Writers use characters to achieve thatActionsand speak the dialogue by moving theStoryabout aplotLine. A story can have only one character (protagonist) and still be a complete story. This character's conflict could be internal (within himself) or a conflict with something natural, like climbing a mountain. In most stories, multiple characters interact, one of whom is the antagonist, causing conflict for the protagonist.

II. Examples of characters

A popular television series that has just ended is the show "Glee". Each season had popular characters that had to learn to work together to create a good music production. Several characters were changed and made her a dynamic character, such as B. Noah Puckerman. He seems to be performingStereotypeof an athlete (strong but not that smart), but his character changes when it turns out he can work hard and be smart.

One film that features mostly only one character is Cast Away, starring Tom Hanks. Your character is on board a plane when it crashes. He is the sole survivor, stranded on an island for four years. This film focuses on his mental (spiritual) and physical condition as he slowly adjusts to life in isolation, living alone on an island off the beaten track of all regular sea and air routes. It's a great example of how a single-character story can work despite having many supporting characters at the beginning and end.

III. character types

The. main characters

These are the main characters in the story. There are two types, of which there can be a pair for each.

• Held– This is the main character around whom the whole story revolves. Choices made by this character are influenced by internal or external conflict from another character, nature, technology, society, or fate/god.
• Opponent– This character or group of characters causes the conflict for the protagonist. However, theOpponentit could be the protagonist being torn apart by an inner problem. Most of the time, something external is causing the problem. A group of people causing conflict would be considered a society, perhaps the members of a team, community or institution. The antagonist can also be a part of nature, such as an animal, the weather, a mountain, or a lake. Another type of antagonist would be an item like a pen, car, phone, carpet, etc. They are all considered technology as they are instruments or tools to perform a task. Finally, when the conflict stems from something beyond the character's control, the antagonist is fate or God.

B. Secondary character

These are the other characters in a story. They are not as important as the main characters, but still play an important role in the story. Your actions help advance the story. You can influence the decisions that theHeldor antagonist do, help or interfere in the conflict.

Characters can have different traits. Main characters are usually more dynamic, changing and growing throughout the story, while supporting characters can be more static.

• thwart- A leaf is a character who has opposite character traits of another, with the aim of emphasizing or highlighting the positive or negative side of another person. Often the antagonist is the counterpoint of the protagonist.
• Static- Characters that are static do not change during the story. Their use can be as simple as creating or relieving tension, or they are not meant to change. A main character can remain static throughout the story.
• Dynamic- Dynamic characters change throughout the story. They might learn a lesson, become mean, or change in complex ways.
• Plano– A flat character has one or two main characteristics, usually only positive or negative. They are the opposite of a round character. Mistakes or strength have their use in the story.
• Give back– These are the opposite of the flat character. These characters have many different traits, both good and bad, which makes them more interesting.
• share– These are the stereotypical characters, like the brilliant boy, the ambitious professional, the faithful companion, the mad scientist, etc.

4. The importance of character

Characters make stories. Without character there is no story to tell, just lots of scenery. Many characters in literature, television series and films have a great impact on people. Some people like to live their lives through these characters who seem to have more exciting lives. Additionally, these characters can seem so real and inspirational that people forget they are fictional.

Characters are becoming so important to audiences that cities across the country are hosting conventions where people pay big bucks to dress up and act as their favorite characters from various types of shows, mostly in the comic book genre. ).

V. Examples of Characters in Pop Culture

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been keeping the city safe since the 1980s, but they're just as popular today. Each of them has their own special fighting method and personality. Originally simple, little turtles, they became superhuman, uh, turtles, after an accident in which the water tank they were in fell out of their owner's hands and fell into a sewer grate along with a canister of radioactive material. The rest is history. Nickelodeon brought the characters back to fame, as seen on the channel and at the Nickelodeon Hotel in Orlando, Florida. The hotel offers suites based on characters from Nickelodeon's children's shows, and kids can interact with their favorite characters, including the turtles, at breakfast and fun events. Characters are of course an important part of our culture.

The characters are named after famous painters and each turtle has its own personality that different children can relate to. For example, Leonardo is the wise leader, the one who manages to keep the group focused. Raphael is the hothead. His temperament wants to get the best out of him, just like most of us want to throw ourselves into things! Michelangelo is the comedian. Like our class clowns at school, he is the clown of the group. After all, no group is complete without the Nerd Nerd. Donatello always comes up with something to help our turtle heroes in their livesadventure.

SEEN. Examples of characters in literature

A book whose character was inspired by a real-life teenager is The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. The protagonist is 16-year-old Hazel, who meets Gus, a 16-year-old cancer patient, on a camping trip. your youngRomanticis doomed as they fight a hopeless battle against cancer. Her strong spirit overcomes her parents' fears when a determined Hazel feels her desire to go abroad to meet an author she has long admired. The book has both characters in the process of change, very dynamic as they struggle to adjust to their fate. The supporting characters are influenced by the choices Hazel and Gus make, adding depth to the storyline. This book is an example of how the authors take real situations to create believable and interesting characters. Green's inspiration for the story, Esther Earl, was a young fan with cancer who wanted to meet him. He became her and her family's friend. She was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 12 and died at 16.

VII. Related terms

Archetype:A standard or standard type of character appearing in fiction, such as B. the villain, the hero, the damsel in distress or the sidekick. EveryArchetypeIt also has more categories inside. For example thevillaincan be a tyrant, demon, schemer, etc. The hero can be the warrior, the proto-woman, the scapegoat, etc. These are mainly found in fairy tales and folk tales.

VIII. Completion

Characters are the whole reason for every story. They can be used to teach, entertain, educate, and even persuade, depending on the author's goal for the plot. Characters can be based on real people and events, or they can be completely unreal, like aliens from outer space. People feel connected to the characters as if they were real, they can develop favorites and identify with those who have been through similar situations.