Types of characters in literature examples

Scott fitzgeralds the great gatsby for examples of character types. Their actions deliberately hinder the protagonist from achieving her goal. Plus, well include plenty of iconic character archetype examples from your favorite movies and tv shows. Identify the types of static characters using literary examples examine characterization in the harry potter series, gone with the wind, and the television series, king of queens practice exams. Types of characters in literature and examples slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. It can be one person, a group of people, or even some type of internal conflict that your protagonist must face. Above all else, however, works of literature have strong, memorable characters.

As i mentioned in that post, these nine fears create the nine character types, which are symbolized by the enneagram. Harry potter, frodo baggins, katniss everdeen, john mcclane, dorothy gale, hercule poirot, indiana jones, walter white. Grouped in this way by character development, character types include the dynamic character, the round character, the static character, the stock character, and the symbolic character. This theme can be explored in different ways and on different scales, but perhaps the most common are traditional hero stories about characters who are essentially destined for greatness, and, on the flipside, stories about unlikely heroes who achieve greatness despite the odds. The skill of being able to recognize and determine the various types of character in stories is an important one because it requires the reader to look at the many details present, small and grand alike. The types of characters in literature pen and the pad. The confidante can be another character or it can be the inside pages of the main characters diary. The following list labels some of these stereotypes and provides examples. Protagonist antagonist characterization round flat dynamic static 2. Oral literature, epic and mock epic, proverbs, oral poetry, and folklore.

There are three ways to categorize character types. Begin the analysis by determining which type of character the author developed in the literary work. A foil, for example, could also be a round, flat, or even a stock character. A cast of supporting characters can be of various types even flat or uncomplicated ones, who nonetheless help move the story along. Think about whether they would be considered positive or negative. The patient boy and quiet girl were both well mannered and did not disobey their. Did you know there are different types of characters. Elizabeth develops into a new woman, with different choices and behaviors that have an impact on the people. Different types of characterization in literature flashcards.

Rowling, which shows the heroic characteristics of a boy who faces the evils and threats against. Once youre aware of the different character types, youll find yourself noticing them more and more. For example, stories must have a plot, or events that take place. His secretary is a blonde named gidget, who is cute but forgetful and never gets a. There are many different types of characters in fiction, from the protagonist, to the antagonist, to the anitihero, and more. Lets take a look at the types of characters in fiction. Round characters these are characters that encounter conflict in a story, and are changed throughout the story as a result. Characterization is revealed through direct characterization and indirect characterization. Outer dialogue outer dialogue is a simple conversation between two characters, used in almost all types of fictional works. One way to classify characters is by examining how they change or dont change over the course of a story. For example, in the great gatsby, gatsby is the protagonist, but nick is the narrator. Character examples and definition of character literary devices. Video is for a middle school to high school level lesson. Character types and characerization created using powtoon free sign up at create animated videos and animated present.

It is the character that the reader or audience empathizes with. A stock character is a dramatic or literary character representing a generic type in a conventional, simplified manner and recurring in many fictional works. All the different types of characters in literature 2020. All the different types of characters in literature. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of.

An archetype is an ideal example or model after which other things are patterned. A lot of oral literature too has been made available in the form of books. All about the genre of character writing thoughtco. Oct 15, 2019 writers play characters off of one another to build drama and create conflict in a story. The different types of literature that have stood the test of. To use inner dialogue, writers employ literary techniques like stream of consciousness or dramatic monologue. Although the character types are listed separately, characters may be and often are a combination. For example, in lord of the flies, piggy is a symbol of both the rationality and.

Existential conflicts are internal struggles that a character might have about the meaning of life or the meaning in their life. Harry potter, ronald weasley, hermione granger, ginny weasley and severus snape are among some of the round characters in this series. Equally important are supporting characters, from sidekicks to love interests to parental figures to villains and antiheroes. A story, novel or play may achieve the status of literature for various reasons. Direct characterization tells the audience what the personality of the character is. In my last post, i discussed the 9 fundamental fears that motivate your characters. Examples and definition of round character literary devices.

A confidante is someone or something the main character confides in. Dec 17, 2015 different types of characters in literature duration. Flat characters do not change through the course of a story and typically have one or two traits that are not particularly distinctive. Consider how the doorman used as an example of a static character could instead be a dynamic character if fleshed. Female character archetypes jennifer ellis writing. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Most of the time theyll also be your narrator, but not always. The narrator is the character whose point of view frames the entire story.

When jane austen tells us on the last page of pride and prejudice that elizabeth bennet and mr darcy live happily ever after, we believe her because the depth of both characters enables us to imagine it for ourselves. Different types of characters fulfill different roles in the narrative process, and with a little bit of analysis, you can usually detect some or all of the types below. Foils and antagonists are two types of characters that serve very different functions. Protagonist main character this is the person your story revolves around.

Examples of dialogue in literature let us see how famous writers have used dialogues for resonance and meaning in their works. If you are completely new to the enneagram system, it will help to read my previous article. Just a few examples include all quiet on the western front, the boy in the striped pajamas, and for whom the bell tolls. For example, an environmentalist might work to save the planet while secretly believing it. Some examples of heroes in literature are beowulf, harry potter, katniss from the hunger games series, and dartagnan of the three musketeers. A character also may be a protagonist or antagonist. Characters eventually became more individualized and were integrated with the essay and the novel. As a writer or reader of fiction, youll encounter many types of characters.

In the harry potter series, there are numerous characters who play confidant to harry potter that show us his diverse personality. It is what is considered a typical example of a thing or person. When it comes to symbolic supporting characters, boo radley in to kill a mockingbird is an example. This lesson focuses on what a character is by using specific examples to illustrate various types of characters. Every piece of writing in literature is replete with an array of characters who have distinct roles and personalities.

Though great characters feel completely original, studying their function. Eighth grade lesson character types in literature beginning. A perspective is a literary tool, which serves a lens through which readers observe other characters, events and happenings. Some examples are remus lupin, albus dumbledore, ronald weasley, hermione granger, hagrid, and sirius black.

You may recall from your literature classes that characters can be flat or round, and likewise, minor or major. Micawber in charles dickens s david copperfield 184950, of a round character becky sharp in william thackeray s vanity fair 184748. This list covers nine of the most common types of fantasy characters. Readers can learn a lot about the main characters personality and thoughts through this. Dec 06, 2018 12 types of characters featured in almost all stories they say it takes all kinds to make the world go round and the same is true of stories. Types of characterization by caitlyn hynish on prezi. Conflict is part of the narrative arc and does much to connect readers to a story or a storys characters. I hope that these materials will help students master these concepts. How to build a fictional world kate messner duration. Todays post will focus on character types and what they mean to a story.

Sep 20, 2017 the enneagram is a personality typing system that has its origins in antiquitywith the sufis and desert fathers. Do you know how many characters types are there in literature. This relationship helps build conflict and propels a story forward. The different types of literature that have stood the test. A good example of this type of character is harry potter by j. Note that the characters in the novel are more complex than what i. Educated stupidity a character will have intuition and knowledge. The next time you pick up a novel, see how many you can spot. Some characters that were first introduced as fully fleshedout. But in the everintricate realm of stories, there are many more nuanced types to consider. We must begin our study with the protagonist, or main character. In fictional literature, authors use many different types of characters to tell their stories.

Types of figures of speech with examples from literature and. Most writers have an inherent understanding of how to categorize their characters based on classic, comic bookstyle labels. In looking for these aspects, the students are required to look at the characters. General character types include flat, round, stock and stereotype. Decoding the six conflicts in literature with examples. Some character archetypes, the more universal foundations of fictional characters, are also listed. Types of narration and pov play a crucial role in your storys overall dramatic effect.

Nov 20, 2019 just as round characters are the opposite of flat characters, dynamic characters are the opposite of static characters. The types of characters encountered in fiction writing. Students see the ugly truth of what a protagonist and antagonist really are over two days. Types of characters in literature by jill spaulding on prezi. This genre includes all plays or anything meant to be performed. A character is a person, animal, being, creature, or thing in a story. If you continue browsing the site, you agree to the use of cookies on this website.

The mother figure in literature, the mother figure is the character who provides either mental or physical protection or nurturing for other characters. Spanking children is a great example of this type of internal conflict. Character writing became a popular literary form in england following the publication in 1592 of a latin translation of theophrastus, an ancient greek writer of similar sketches. People have likened it to myersbriggs theory, and while there is a large overlap of people who are interested in myersbriggs and the enneagram, the two systems are very different. Female character archetypes after some research, i decided that there are basically nine archetypal female characters, with several sub types or variations and i am happy to debate some of my groupings of the general types as there is certainly crossover and no hard and fast rules. Elizabeth bennet, pride and prejudice by jane austen elizabeth bennet is another good example of a round character. Before we explore these types, however, you should know that there are two main ways to classify. Whether youre writing fantasy, romance, or actionadventure, youre going to need certain types of characters to keep the plot moving and your readers intrigued. Understanding the roles characters play in literature.

Jan 05, 2015 our next series of posts hopes to address this question by looking into several factors, including, the types of characters that are commonly used in literature, character development planning, the character arc, character motivation, and dialogue. In this post, well identify the various character archetypes that you can use to enhance your own characters. The protagonist is the main character in a story, novel, drama, or other literary work. A description of the types of characters used in literary texts. Character opposing the main character antagonist static or flat character. In literature, there are situation archetypes, setting archetypes, symbolic archetypes and character archetypes. This is their obstacle, their adversary, their white whale. If you love to read literature, especially fiction stories and novels of if you are an aspiring fiction writer, you would be knowing about some basic character types, i. Written genres more commonly known as literary genres are those works of prose, poetry, drama, hybrid forms, or other literature that are distinguished by shared literary conventions, similarities in topic, theme, style, tropes, or common settings, character types, or formulaic patterns of character interactions and events, and an overall predictable form.

This lesson focuses on what a character is by using specific examples to illustrate various types of. There is no fantasy story without a hero and a quest that needs undertaking. Character relationships the relationships that people and characters form with others impact who they are. In this way, one can argue that all scripted television. This is a supporting character and usually made to shine the protagonist. A main character should be three dimensional and compelling. Characters become so important to the audience, that cities across the country hold conventions in which people pay a lot of money to dress and act as their favorite characters from multiple types of shows, particularly of the comic magazine genre type of literature. Flat, round, static and dynamic characters are taught using film clips from avengers, iron man, shrek, transformers, etc. I mean, in addition to the typical protagonist and antagonist.

Types of characters in literature linkedin slideshare. Our post on the elements of the unreliable narrator detailed one type, but there are numerous narrator types such as the first person narrator who uses i. In looking for these aspects, the students are required to look at the characters in terms of realism and depth. The main character in a story, bernard, is hired by a computer company. This article was most recently revised and updated by adam. Character traits are the individual characteristics and qualities that make characters from books, stories, movies, plays, and other art forms come to life for readers use the following list of character traits as a guideline when writing book reports and essays about the different characters youve read about. At the core of all great storytelling lies a compelling array of character types. Conflicts of love is when you hurt something you love. Start studying different types of characterization in literature. Aug 02, 2017 as its name suggests, these types of figures of speech involves repeating words or grammatical structures in sentences or at the beginning of a verse, as you can see in the following examples from charles dickenss novel a tale of two cities. How to analyze literary characters education seattle pi. Here, we make an attempt to classify these characters into specific roles and personality traits. Since all readers are familiar with conflict in their own lives, it helps to deepen engagement with a story or character and provide.

Lastly, well define which character archetypes can be paired to maximize either harmonyor conflict. Round characters flat characters stock characters protagonists antagonists 3. A wellwritten, threedimensional character will make readers think that their life stretches beyond the pages in the book. A character in literature, theater, or film of a type quickly recognized and accepted by the reader or viewer and requiring no development by the writer.

Dynamic characters also are round characters who will undergo some kind of change in the course of the story. She is the main character of jane austens pride and prejudice, who does not remain the same innocent girl whom readers meet in the first part of the story. All characters have their place, yet you may want to avoid or handle some of these character types delicately. In this video youll learn about flat vs round characters, and. Oral and written literature are the two major forms of literature. In fictional literature, authors use many different types of characters to tell their. Who is the most famous truly minor character from literary fiction. A cast of supporting characters can be of various typeseven flat or uncomplicated ones, who nonetheless help move the story along. Definition a character is an individual usually a person in a narrative in a work of fiction or creative nonfiction. The main character protagonist every story has this type of character and evolves around it. Defining characterization characterization is the process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character. There are four types of characters in fiction as the question states.

Love the universal truth of love is a very common theme in literature and you will find countless examples of it. Definition of character in literature all stories must have certain characteristics. Dec 01, 2014 different types of characters the different types of characters in a story are. Perspective examples and definition of perspective. Definition, usage and a list of perspective examples in literature. Character types worksheets and lessons ereading worksheets. Plan your 60minute lesson in english language arts or vocabulary and literary terms with helpful tips from taylor tasha devries.

Your antagonist is the character that stands in opposition to you protagonist. Inner dialogue in inner dialogue, the characters speak to themselves and reveal their personalities. A character can also often fit into more than one category. Here are some character type worksheets and powerpoint lessons. Jun 24, 2019 in this post, well identify the various character archetypes that you can use to enhance your own characters. There are different types of characters, and each serves its unique function in a story or a piece of literature. The personality of such a character is not consistent, which makes the character more realistic than others in the piece of writing. An antagonist is a character who is in direct opposition to the protagonist. It involves problems or obstacles that arise within a storyboth internal or in a character s mind and external caused by other characters or forces. The different types of characters include protagonists, antagonists, dynamic, static, round, flat, and stock. Different types of characters in literature youtube. The enneagram types of 99 fictional characters book riot.