Character Types Character = a person or animal who takes part on the action of the story

Types of Characters Major Minor

Major Character The major (main) character in a story is like the star of a movie and is central to the action that takes place.

Minor character… A minor character is one who takes part in the action but is not the focus of attention.

Types of Characters The protagonist (or main character) is the central figure in the work. The antagonist is the character or force pitted against the protagonist.

More types of characters… A static character does not change through the course of the action. A dynamic character is one who does change.

A round character is a complex, fully developed character.

Flat Character A flat character is a one-dimensional character, typically not central to the story

The protagonist is usually… The central character A character the reader can identify with Has a rounded personality (we hear what they say, what others say about them, we know what they think and how they feel) A character with a dynamic personality

Secondary characters are usually… Static Flat

Stock Character A stock character is one who is found over and over again in works of literature. This character is often a stereotype who instantly recognizable to us from other stories: the gruff grandpa, the snooty cheerleader, the bratty younger sibling. You can sum up their role in the story in a sentence or less and people will know exactly what you're talking about. Such characters are frequently one-dimensional in nature.

Character Motivation A motive is a reason that explains or partially explains a character’s thoughts, feelings, actions, or speech. If the motives of a main character are not clear, then the character will not be believable. Characters are often motivated by needs, such as food and shelter. They are also motivated by feelings, such as fear, love, and pride. Motives may be obvious or hidden.