1. ASL Literature in English
Characters in Stories
ASL Literature in English

2. Characters: Definitions
An imagined person who inhibits a story
An object with recognizable human personalities
Acting in a reasonably consistent manner
Provided with motivation: sufficient reason to behave as they should do

3. Characters: Definitions
Sudden and unexpected behaviours of a character: general trust that there is a reason behind
Example: Ebenezer Scrooge In “Christmas Carol ”(Charles Dickens)
Changes within one night - after the visits of four ghostly visitors

4. Stock characters Often known by some outstanding trait(s)
Little detailed portraiture
Examples:
the bragging soldiers in Greek and Roman comedy
Prince Charming in fairy tales

5. Characters: Flat or Round?
Flat characters:
characters with only one outstanding trait or feature, or at most a few distinguishing marks
Example: Mad scientist – lust for absolute power + crazily gleaming eyes
Stay the same throughout the story - Static

6. Characters: Round or Flat?
Round characters:
Presented with portraits in greater depth and more details
Personalities to be realized through his thoughts, feelings and perceptions
Often Change (become enlightened, grow or deteriorate) - dynamic

7. Characters: Names An indicator of character’s natures
Allusion: a reference to a famous person, place, or thing in history, in fiction, or in actuality
Example (Charles Dickens)
Mr. Jingle: something jingly, light, and superficially pleasant

8. Antiheros A common feature in recent novels
A protagonist conspicuously lacking in one or more of the usual attributes of a traditional hero (bravery, skill or idealism)
Usually ordinary and unglorious
Loners without perfections, just being able to survive

9. Antiheros
Lack characters – a person’s conduct / persistence and consistency in seeking to realize his long-term aims
Example:
Meursault (The Stranger by Albert Camus) – so alienated that he was unmoved at his mother’s death

10. Changing in Attitudes towards Characters
18th Century:
Nature of an individual is fixed and unalterable
Characters always behave in a predictable fashion
Their actions should be consistent with their personalities

11. Changing in Attitudes towards Characters
Nowadays:
People do not even have definite selves to alter
The impact of Sigmund Freud and other psychologists
A large part of human behaviour is shaped in the unconscious

12. Changing in Attitudes towards Characters
Personality: more vulnerable to change from age, disease, neurosis, psychic shock or brainwashing
Shifting bundles of impulses: Characters spurred to act by incomprehensible passions and urges
Gratuitous act: a deed without cause and motive

13. Thank you!