"Characterization or characterisation is the representation of characters (persons, creatures, or other beings) in narrative and dramatic works."
The process by which the character of a fictional person is revealed.
Character traits: Understanding and identifying the characteristics that define a character's personality, beliefs, and behavior.
Character development: Exploring how characters change and grow over the course of the story.
Direct characterization: Learning about a character through direct statements provided by the author.
Indirect characterization: Identifying and interpreting the implicit cues given by the author that reveal a character's personality or motivations.
Protagonist and Antagonist: Understanding the roles of the protagonist and antagonist in a story, and how their aspirations and motivations drive the plot.
Round and Flat characters: Understanding the difference between a round character that has a complex personality and is fully-formed and a flat character that has few defined characteristics.
Minor characters: Analyzing how minor characters contribute to the overall story and add depth to the primary characters.
Characterization through dialogue: Identifying how dialogue reveals character traits, emotions, relationships, and themes.
Characterization through action: Understanding how a character's behavior and actions show their personality and other character traits.
Character motivations: Understanding what drives characters to act the way they do and how this affects the story.
Empathy: Exploring how empathy builds a deeper understanding of a character and what that character is experiencing.
Stereotyping: Understanding how stereotypes can limit the depth and complexity of a character.
Internal conflict: Identifying internal conflicts within characters and how they influence character development.
External conflict: Analyzing how external conflicts impact character development and overall plot.
Character arc: Understanding the structure of character arcs and how they can transform over the course of the story.
Character consistency: Identifying how consistency in character traits, behavior, and motivations strengthen the overall story.
Archetypes: Understanding how certain character archetypes can influence characterization and add to the depth of a story.
Foils: Analyzing how foil characters are used to contrast with the protagonist and draw attention to their strengths and weaknesses.
Unreliable narrators: Understanding how an unreliable narrator can shape and limit the reader's understanding of character traits and motivations.
Motif: Identifying repeated patterns or symbols that underscore a character's traits or motives.
Direct Characterization: This is when an author explicitly reveals a character's personality, traits, and attributes to the reader.
Indirect Characterization: This is when an author shows a character through their actions, behaviors, thoughts, and words. This allows readers to make their own inferences about the character.
Protagonist: A protagonist is the main character in a story who is central to the plot.
Antagonist: An antagonist is a character who is in conflict with the protagonist, and creates a tension throughout the story.
Round Character: A round character is a complex character who undergoes significant developments and changes over the course of the story.
Flat Character: A flat character is a character that is two-dimensional and lacks depth.
Dynamic Character: A dynamic character is one who changes, grows or learns throughout the course of the story.
Static Character: A static character stays the same and does not change throughout the story.
Stock Character: A stock character is a stereotypical character that is easily recognizable, such as a villain or a hero.
Foil Character: A foil character is a character who is used to highlight the traits and qualities of another character, typically the protagonist.
Minor Character: A minor character is a character who plays a small role in the story, and typically does not undergo any significant development.
Developing Character: A developing character is a character who undergoes some change or growth over the course of the story, but not to the same extent as a dynamic character.
Unreliable Narrator: An unreliable narrator is a character who tells the story in a biased or unreliable manner, often distorting the truth or withholding information.
Central Character: A central character is a character around whom the story revolves, and who plays a significant role in shaping the plot.
Sympathetic Character: A sympathetic character is one for whom the reader feels empathy or compassion, often because the character has undergone significant hardships or injustices.
"The term character development is sometimes used as a synonym."
"This representation may include direct methods like the attribution of qualities in description or commentary."
"Indirect (or 'dramatic') methods inviting readers to infer qualities from characters' actions, dialogue, or appearance."
"Such a personage is called a character."
"Character is a literary element."
"[...] the representation of characters (persons, creatures, or other beings) in narrative and dramatic works."
"Indirect (or 'dramatic') methods inviting readers to infer qualities from characters' actions, dialogue, or appearance."
"The attribution of qualities in description or commentary."
"Persons, creatures, or other beings."
"Direct methods" and "indirect (or 'dramatic') methods."
"Narrative and dramatic works."
"Indirect (or 'dramatic') methods inviting readers to infer qualities from characters' actions, dialogue, or appearance."
"The term character development is sometimes used as a synonym."
"Character is a literary element."
"Direct methods like the attribution of qualities in description or commentary."
"Persons, creatures, or other beings."
"Readers [are invited] to infer qualities from characters' actions, dialogue, or appearance."
"Indirect (or 'dramatic') methods."
"Narrative and dramatic works."