Character Development

1. Character Development AP English Lit. & Comp.

2. Characters • Characters encompass the theme, action, and attitude of a dramatic literary piece. • Characters come alive through what they say and do. • To understand a play’s message, we must pay attention to what the characters say and how they act.

3. Protagonist • The main character, around whom action is usually centered.

4. Antagonist • The person who’s in opposition to the protagonist, whether that opposition is real or imagined. • This doesn’t necessarily mean they are the “bad” character in the play.

5. Characterization • Direct – the author blatantly tells us what the character is like. • Indirect – reader/audience must determine the nature of the character on their own: • What the character says • What the character does • How the character affects other characters • What the character thinks or what other think about the character • How others behave toward the character and what they say about him

6. Depth of Character • According to E.M. Forester, characters are either “round” or “flat” • Round – characters are fully developed and resemble real people, with quirks and idiosyncrasies just as real people. Tend to be main characters. • Flat – Lack complexity. They have only a single trait. Minor characters tend to be flat.

7. Depth of Character • Whether or not a character changes determines if they are “static” or “dynamic” • Static – characters don’t change considerably • Dynamic – characters undergo transformation as a result of the conflicts they encounter

8. Foil • A “Foil” is a character whose purpose is to reveal other characters.

9. Questions to Analyze Characters: • Does a character serve as a narrator? • What information can this character provide that others cannot? • Are the major characters fully developed? Could you describe them or pick them out of a lineup? • Is the character’s language formal or informal? • What functions do the characters serve in the play? • How do the characters change over the course of the play? • What is revealed about the characters through their choice of words and their actions? • Do other characters like or dislike a character? • Can you tell how the characters feel about eachother?