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Types of Characters
A character is a person or animal in a literary work. In order to develop your narrative, you must understand your characters and how they relate to the story. There are five basic types of characters in literature: round, flat, dynamic, static, and stock.
The Five Types of Characters | ||
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CHARACTER TYPE | CHARACTERISTICS | IMAGE |
Round | Have multiple characteristics or traits. They are complex and more fully developed. These characters can change or grow, and readers can see more than one side to them. Readers often can connect with round characters because they are like real people. |
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Flat | Are one-sided. They are usually minor and only reveal one or two traits. They are not complex, and they are sometimes known as the stereotypical character. A writer can describe this person in a matter of words. |
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Dynamic | Develop and change because of some kind of action in the plot. These characters are round, and they often learn something that helps the reader see the meaning of the story. |
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Static | Are one-dimensional. They stay the same and do not develop. Sometimes major characters are static; Beowulf is a hero at the beginning and throughout the end of the epic. | ![]() |
Stock | Better known as stereotypical, stock characters have common and generalized traits. These people are known better by what they do and how they act. The author doesn't have to say much about these characters. Think about the dumb jock, village idiot, town drunk, or damsel in distress. |
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