Character

Character is key. Readers read to recognize themselves in stories. Plot grows from effective character design. What happens in a story is largely dependent on how well a writer knows his/her character.

What does this mean for you? Know thy character as thyself.

Here are some very important character tips and vocabulary that you should know by heart.

Character:

Hero/Heroine: The main character of a story

Villain: The character who opposes the main character

Antihero: A normal, ordinary character

Protagonist: The main character of a story

Antagonist: The opponent of the protagonist

Foil: Either one who is opposite to the main character or nearly the same as the main character. The purpose of the foil character is to emphasize the traits of the main character by contrast, and perhaps by setting up situations in which the protagonist can show his or her character traits. A foil is a secondary character who contrasts with a major character but, in so doing, highlights various facets of the main character's personality.

Characters can be either major or minor, round or flat.

Major characters are characters who are important to the conflict and plot of the story. They often have motivations linked with the main conflict

Minor characters are characters who are not necessarily important to the story. They often are used to develop the main characters or to provide rising action or complications to the plot.

Round characters have a distinct motivation and personality or “voice”; Often they are complex and dynamic (they change through the conflict of the story)

Flat characters are characters that do not change significantly through the conflict of the plot. Sometimes the reader knows or cares little about them because of lack of detail or purpose.

Stereotypes: Characters who are generally recognized as a “type”; These characters lack individuality and often can be boring because we already know how they will act and why.

Ways to develop character:

Characterization: Physical characteristics and personality characteristics which develop the individualization of a character.

Motivation: reasons for the character to act in the story

Dialogue: What characters say helps to develop them
What other characters say about a character also helps develop them

Action: Describing the actions of a character helps develop them (allows writer to show not tell)

Today in lab: After our discussion on Hemingway and character, please continue to write your 1st draft stories.

HOMEWORK: Please read: The Killers, A Way You'll Never Be, Fifty Grand, The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber. For each story, choose one character (not necessarily the protagonist) and identify what type of character Hemingway has created (see above) and give a few examples as to how he characterizes or develops the character in the story.