"Characterization or characterisation is the representation of characters (persons, creatures, or other beings) in narrative and dramatic works."
Understanding how authors create characters and convey their personalities, traits, and motivations.
Protagonist: The main character in a story, who is often facing conflicts or challenges throughout the plot.
Antagonist: The character who opposes the protagonist and creates tension or conflict in the story.
Supporting characters: Characters who interact with the protagonist and help to advance the plot.
Flat characters: Characters who lack depth and development, and are typically used to serve a specific purpose in the story.
Round characters: Characters who are complex and multifaceted, with a range of emotions and motivations that contribute to their actions and decisions.
Dynamic characters: Characters who undergo significant changes or transformations over the course of the story.
Static characters: Characters who remain consistent and unchanged throughout the story.
Stereotypes: Characters who embody certain traits or characteristics commonly associated with a particular group or culture, often used for comedic effect.
Foils: Characters who are fundamentally different from the protagonist, and serve to highlight or contrast the protagonist's strengths and weaknesses.
Motivations: The driving forces behind a character's actions and decisions, often related to their desires, fears, or beliefs.
Backstory: The history or background of a character, often used to explain their motivations and personality traits.
Internal conflict: The emotional or psychological struggles that a character faces within themselves.
External conflict: The conflicts or challenges that a character encounters through interaction with the other characters or the outside world.
Dialogue: The words spoken by characters in a story, often used to reveal their personality traits, motivations, and conflicts.
Actions: The behaviors and actions of characters in a story, which can also reveal their personality traits, motivations, and conflicts.
Point of view: The perspective from which a story is told, which can greatly influence how characters are portrayed and characterized.
Theme: The underlying message or idea that a story conveys, which can influence the way characters are portrayed and the conflicts they face.
Direct Characterization: The author tells the reader directly what a character is like through description or commentary.
Indirect Characterization: The author reveals a character's traits through their actions, thoughts, feelings, and interactions with other characters.
Static Characterization: A character who remains the same throughout the story and does not undergo any significant change or growth.
Dynamic Characterization: A character who changes and grows throughout the story as a result of their experiences.
Flat Characterization: A character who is one-dimensional and lacks complexity or depth.
Round Characterization: A character who is multi-dimensional, complex, and fully developed with a range of emotions, thoughts, and actions.
Stock Characterization: A character who is stereotypical and predictable, often used to fill a specific role or function in the story.
Foil Characterization: A character who is used to contrast or highlight the qualities of another character.
Protagonist Characterization: The main character of the story who drives the plot and is usually the focus of the reader's attention.
Antagonist Characterization: The character who opposes or conflicts with the protagonist, often serving as a source of tension or conflict in the story.
"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."