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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
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.
woman in a white shirt with an excited expression on her face, mouth open, arms raised above her head, and her hands in fists
Readers often can connect with these characters because they are like real people.
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.
man in black yoga pants and a black tank top sitting in a yoga pose with his eyes closed, legs crossed, arms resting on his knees, palms open, and forefinger and thumb touching.
A writer can describe flat characters in a matter of words.
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.
A woman holding a tissue to her face, crying, and holding her cellphone. Another woman is comforting her.
Dynamic characters tend to go on emotional rollercoasters.
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.
a man in glasses, a button down shirt, tie, and a pullover sweater with his arms bent at the elbows as if to say, 'I don't know.' On one side of him is a laptop computer and one the other side is a typewriter.
They never change.
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.
Very tall, very thin man with glasses and a pained expression wearing a white tank top, small blue shorts, and sneakers and holding a set of very small, light hand weights.
A stereotypical, skinny nerd, he wants to change.

 

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Character Development

Fictional stories should develop characters thoroughly from the character's own words, thoughts, and actions; the words of other characters; or the writer's statements. Readers should be able to identify how a writer is developing character. Writers develop their characters through direct and indirect characterization.

Direct Characterization

In direct characterization, an author tells the reader about the character by using direct statements to reveal his or her character. Examples:

  • Zach is a clever boy.

  • She was a tattletale like me.

  • Lucy Wyatt is an overbearing old maid.

  • John, a disgruntled man, has a drinking problem.

The author is directly telling the audience the personality of each character in these examples.

Indirect Characterization

In indirect characterization, an author shows things that reveal the personality of the character. There are five methods of indirect characterization. Look at each example from Huck Finn.

  1. Through a character's speech.

    What does the character say? How does the character speak?

    Example: "Jim, we can have lots of fun in the woods. I love being out here!"

    This shows the reader that Huck is upbeat and happy about the situation

  2. Through the character's thought.

    What is revealed through the character's private thoughts and feelings?

    Example: "I wish I had someone here with me in the woods; I'm lonesome."

    This shows the reader that Huck is lonely and unhappy about being by himself.

  3. Through the effect on others toward the character.

    What is revealed through the character's effect on other people? How do other characters feel or behave in reaction to the character?

    Example: "I slipped the gun down to make sure it was loaded, and then I laid it across the turnip barrel, pointing towards pap, and set down behind it to wait for him to stir."

    This shows the reader that Huck is fearful of his Pap.

  4. Through the character's actions.

    What does the character do? How does the character behave?

    Example: "I set down again, a shaking all over, and got my pipe for a smoke; for the house was all as still as death, now, and so the widow wouldn't know."

    This shows the reader that Huck isn't concerned with rules or safety.

  5. Through the character's looks.

    What does the character look like? How does the character dress?

    Example: "His hair was long and tangled and greasy, and hung down, and you could see his eyes shining through like he was behind vines."

    This shows the reader that Huck's pap doesn't take care of himself.

Remember, the main difference between direct and indirect characterization is that direct TELLS and indirect SHOWS. Readers must use their inference skills along with the characterization to determine how the characters feel.

 

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