Complex Characters in Literature
Read each character description and scenario and, on the line provided, label each as one of the following:
Dynamic
Static
Round
Flat
Ebenezer Scrooge, in A Christmas Carol by Dickens, was very stingy with his money. He worked his employees very hard for little pay. After his experience with the ghosts that visited him, he changed his ways, paying his employees a more than fair wage, providing days off work and actually giving gifts.
How would you describe this character? ______
What evidence from the description led you to this conclusion? ______
______
A character in a story named Elaine never cuts anybody a break. She tells her friends and coworkers that charity and compassion have no place in society. On the other hand, Elaine can never pass up feeding a stray kitten or puppy, and always tries to find a good home for lost or abandoned pets.
How would you describe this character? ______
What evidence from the description led you to this conclusion? ______
______
Bert, a bumbling salesman, never takes the time to organize his files, properly record his sales, or follow up with customers. Finally, his boss gets fed up and fires him. Bert struggles for two months to find a new sales position. During that time, his car is repossessed for nonpayment and he maxes out his credit cards. Bert finally finds a new sales position but, before a week passes, he is called into a conference with his new boss. Bert is informed he must get organized or he’ll be fired. A week later the new boss fires Bert after he fails to follow up with an important customer.
How would you describe this character? ______
What evidence from the description led you to this conclusion? ______
______
In a story about a friendly teacher named Sandra Smith, Louis Drud is a janitor in her building. Louis is always tired and grumpy whenever Sandra runs across him and says hello.
How would you describe this character? ______
What evidence from the description led you to this conclusion? ______
______
Characters and Characterization:
EVIDENCE CHART
Characters and characterization are an important part of any story. Characterization includes direct characterization as well as indirect characterization and authors can choose to make characters round or flat and dynamic or static. All of these choices impact the plot and theme of the story.
One particular reason why characters and characterization are important is that both are used as a way to advance the plot or move the story along towards an inevitable conclusion. While understanding and analyzing for type of characterization and character (direct, indirect, round, flat, dynamic, static) are important, deeper thinking involves a consideration of why the author made the particular choices about character that he/she made. In other words, how do these choices impact the plot and theme of the story?
In the chart below, choose a story we have studied in this class and analyze two of the characters in the story.
What is the story that you chose? ______
Character / Basics – description and relationship to other characters / What’s he/she like – and how can you tell? (Provide specific examples to support your statements about the characters’ personalities). / How does the character interact with other characters? Be specific and comment on how each action/interaction creates an impact. / How does this character’s actions and interactions advance the plot (create conflict, suspense, etc., that moves it forward)? / How does this character’s actions and interactions advance the theme, or meaning, of the story?