The Elements of Plot.docx

8/12/2019 The Elements of Plot.docx

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Types of Characters in Fiction

"What does characterization do for a story? In a nutshell, it allows us to empathize with the protagonistand secondary characters, and thus feel that what is happening to these people in the story is vicariouslyhappening to us; and it also gives us a sense of verisimilitude, or the semblance of living reality. Animportant part of characterization is dialogue, for it is both spoken and inward dialogue that afford us the

opportunity to see into the characters' hearts and examine their motivations. In the best of stories, it isactually characterization that moves the story along, because a compelling character in a difficult situationcreates his or her own plot."

Karen Bernardo, Characterization in Literature

In fictional literature, authors use many different types of characters to tell their stories. Different types ofcharacters fulfill different roles in the narrative process, and with a little bit of analysis, you can usuallydetect some or all of the types below.

Major or centralcharacters are vital to the development and resolution of the conflict. In otherwords, the plot and resolution of conflict revolves around these characters.

Minor charactersserve to complement the major characters and help move the plot eventsforward.

Dynamic- A dynamic character is a person who changes over time, usually as a result ofresolving a central conflict or facing a major crisis. Most dynamic characters tend to be centralrather than peripheral characters, because resolving the conflict is the major role of centralcharacters.

Static- A static character is someone who does not change over time; his or her personalitydoes not transform or evolve.

Round- A rounded character is anyone who has a complex personality; he or she is oftenportrayed as a conflicted and contradictory person.

Flat- A flat character is the opposite of a round character. This literary personality is notablefor one kind of personality trait or characteristic .

Stock- Stock characters are those types of characters who have become conventional or

stereotypicalthrough repeated use in particular types of stories. Stock characters are instantlyrecognizable to readers or audience members (e.g. the femme fatale, the cynical but moralprivate eye, the mad scientist, the geeky boy with glasses, and the faithful sidekick). Stockcharacters are normally one-dimensional flat characters, but sometimes stock personalities aredeeply conflicted, rounded characters (e.g. the "Hamlet" type).

Protagonist- The protagonist is the central person in a story, and is often referred to as thestory's main character. He or she (or they) is faced with a conflict that must be resolved. Theprotagonist may not always be admirable (e.g. an anti-hero); nevertheless s/he must commandinvolvement on the part of the reader, or better yet, empathy.

Antagonist- The antagonist is the character(s) (or situation) that represents the oppositionagainst which the protagonist must contend. In other words, the antagonist is an obstacle that theprotagonist must overcome.

Anti-Hero- A major character, usually the protagonist, who lacks conventional nobility of mind,

and who struggles for values not deemed universally admirable. Duddy, inMordecai Richler's The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, is a classic anti-hero. He's vulgar,manipulative and self-centered. Nevertheless, Duddy is the center of the story, and we are drawnto the challenges he must overcome and the goals he seeks to achieve.

Foil- A foil is any character (usually the antagonist or an important supporting character) whosepersonal qualities contrast with another character (usually the protagonist). By providing thiscontrast, we get to know more about the other character.

Symbolic- A symbolic character is any major or minor character whose very existence representssome major idea or aspect of society. For example, in Lord of the Flies, Piggy is a symbol of boththe rationality and physical weakness of modern civilization; Jack, on the other hand, symbolizes


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the violent tendencies (the Id) that William Golding believes is within human nature.

Direct presentation (or characterization)- This refers to what the speaker ornarratordirectlysays or thinksabout a character. In other words, in a direct characterization, the readeris to ld what the character is like. When Dickens describes Scrooge like this: "I present him to

you: Ebenezer Scrooge....the most tightfisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! A squeezing,wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner!" - this is very directcharacterization!

Indirect presentation (or characterization)- This refers to what the charactersays or does. Thereader theninferswhat the character is all about. This mimics how we understand people in thereal world, since we can't "get inside their heads". In other words, in an indirect characterization,it's the readerwho is obliged to figure out what the character is like. And sometimes the readerwill get it wrong.

Ten (Direct or Indirect) Ways in which a Character Can Be Revealed

a. By psychological description.b. By physical description.c. By probing what s/he thinks.d. By what s/he says.e. By how s/he says it.f. By what s/he does.g. By what others say about him or her.h. By his or her environment.i. By her reaction to others.j. By his reaction to himself.

Things to Remember:

1. Literary characters may embody more than one of these character types at the same time. Adynamic character may also be the antagonist, and a protagonist can also be, say, a flat andstock character (i.e. the one-dimensional hero).

2. Here's a very common mistake: while characters are often round and dynamic, that does notmean these two terms mean the same thing. The former refers to a character's complexity, whilethe latter refers to a character's developmentover time. Students also make this mistake withflat and static characters.

Setting

In a movie, the setting carries a real impact and establishes a certainatmosphere or mood. Consider what Titanic would be like without thepressure put on the characters by the inevitably-rising waters, or SavingPrivate Ryan if the setting had not emphasized destruction, chaos, andpain. Setting is equally important in a work of fiction.

Setting fixes the time and place of a story, and can play a major role indeveloping the story's character and conflict. Sometimes it supports ordefines the values and concerns of the characters. Two stories aboutmoral conflict could differ noticeably if one were set in Victorian times
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and the other one were set in today's time. It is important to considerthe setting in developing a true sense of the character and conflict.

Setting can affect a story's atmosphere and our reaction to it. Adesolate, dark setting leads to a sense of oppression and a feeling thatevents will likely turn out badly. A story set on a bright spring morning,however, leads us to feel optimistic about the results of the conflict.Setting, in fact, is the most common and effective device used increating the atmosphere of a story. An outstanding example of this isStephen King's novel The Shining, set in an empty resort hotel in winter.The story's eerie atmosphere could not be achieved if it were set in, forinstance, a motel in a seacoast resort at the height of the tourist season.

CharacterThere are a number of dimensions to character.Dramatized or Described CharactersCharacters can be dramatized, or they can be described. Children'sstories, and stories written for less-experienced readers typicallydescribe characters, so the reader knows immediately what to think ofthem and how to react to them.

Here is an example of character description, as one might find in a storywritten for a relatively inexperienced reader.

Trevor pulled into the curb still going too fast, and stopped with anoisy squeal of brakes. He stepped out of his sports coupe, andwalked over to Trudi. He was short and wiry, and looked like a weasel. His hair was smeared with a nasty-looking gel that reflected the sununpleasantly as he moved. As he came nearer, he smiled furtively, and menacingly slid his hand into his jacket pocket. He was a nastycustomer.

Thoroughly dislikable, eh? A truly "bad guy." Here, by contrast, is anexample of character dramatization.

A black Porsche rounded the corner off the main road, and dartedinto the alleyway with a shriek of tires. It rocked to a halt at the curb, and the door opened. However, the driver stayed inside for at least a minute; Trudi noticed that he was combing and smoothing his hair.Finally, he stepped out of the car, wiped his hands on a tissue which he tossed back into the car, gently closed and locked the door, andturned towards Trudi, his face expressionless. Keys hanging from hishand, he approached her. Only then, did his mouth crinkle into aone-sided smile, which his eyes did not share. He slipped his handwith the keys into his jacket pocket, and left it there; she wonderedif he had something he wanted to hand her.

Notice here that nowhere does this paragraph say that the driver was adislikable person; instead, it relies on details of what he does in orderto lead you to a certain conclusion.

Rounded or Flat CharactersAnother dimension of character is depth of characterization: is aparticular character rounded or flat? A rounded character is a complexperson whom one might meet in everyday life, possessed of virtues andvices, and is both likable and dislikable. A flat character is like a full-size cardboard cutout of a person one might see standing in a store


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display smiling fixedly at passersby, but with no life in them. Flatcharacters are usually completely sympathetic (good) or completelyunsympathetic (bad).

If you have read George Orwell'sAnimal Farm, reflect now on thecharacters. You may discover that all of them are flat. This is one of thecharacteristics of fables, and Animal Farm is an allegorical fable.If you have read Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, the protagonist Montagis a rounded character. We may grow impatient at his indecision andhis edginess, but we identify with his concerns over the value systemof his society, and his increasing resolve to turn his back on everythingand follow his own personal code, even if he becomes an outcast in sodoing.

Static or Dynamic CharactersA third dimension to consider is whether characters are static ordynamic. Static characters don't change as the story unfolds; they arealways the same. The characters in most juvenile fiction are static,because very young and inexperienced readers find that keeping trackof the growth of a character's perceptions and awareness is so much

work that it hampers their enjoyment of the story. If you are familiarwith the Harry Potter stories, you will remember that, barring HarryPotter himself, no one seems to change very much.

A dynamic character, on the other hand, changes during the course ofthe story, either positively or negatively. Juliet in Shakespeare's Romeoand Julietis a good example of a dynamic character. At the start of thestory, she is a naive and obedient little girl of thirteen who finds herselfpropelled abruptly into the adult world of arranged marriages. By theend of the story, she is resourceful, in command of her own actions even to the extent of lying about her plansand courageous.Admittedly, she makes some recklessly inappropriate decisions, but shehas the fortitude to make them and stick by them, something that the

Juliet of Act I would not have been able to do.

You may be more familiar with the character of Rose in the movieTitanic. Like Juliet, she moves from unquestioning obedience toforceful management of her own destiny. This maturing process is anindicator that she is a dynamic character.

Point of ViewIn interpreting fiction, point of view can be thought of as "where are the camera(s) andthe microphone(s)?"The major points of view used in fiction are:

Omniscient (3rd Person)

Limited omniscient (3rd Person)

Objective (3rd Person) First person

3rd

Person OmniscientIn omniscient point of view (which means "all-knowing"), there isnothing the narrator cannot show the reader. The narrator's awarenesscan range anywhere for information that adds to the story. Thefollowing sample is written in the omniscient point of view.

Example


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Will jumped down from his pony. A sharp stab jolted hisankle as he landed. Damn, he thought, all I need is to have my leg give up and 111 be out here in that woods with thatthing, unable to fight it or get away.The scent of horror bloomed in the consciousness of the pony behind him. A white flash of panic exploded throughit, and Will ducked aside as it reared, cutting at the air withits hooves before subsiding, shuddering, to all fours.Not three metres south of them, a slug-like mass, biggerthan an elephant, heaved turgidly among the shadowytrees. "Food! Food! Food!" ran through its awareness, as thescent of warm blood bathed its sensors, and it began to ooze like a flowing shadow towards Will and the pony.

In (the third person) omniscient view, the author knows all the characters, can besympathetic to them, and can portray their personalities directly.Because of this, it's possible to have the highest possible degree ofcontrol over the effect of the story on the reader; there is nouncertainty in the example above as to why the pony rears, and it'sobvious that something nasty is about to happen.

The reader has access to much information (the camera and mike canbe anywhere and everywhere. This makes it easy to orchestrate acomplex work such as a novel, and makes foreshadowing simple.However, in short fiction, the omniscient point of view is cumbersome.It can overload you with information, and make the story creaky andslow rather than focused upon a single unified effect.

3rd

Person Limited OmniscientLimited omniscient point of view is limited to one major figure,typically the protagonist.

ExampleWill jumped down from his pony. A sharp stab jolted hisankle as he landed. Damn, he thought, all I need is to have my leg give up and I'll be out here in that woods with thatthing, unable to fight it or get away.Suddenly, with a scuffle and a quavering scream the ponyreared, its nostrils flaring. Will ducked aside as it cut at theair with its hooves before subsiding, shuddering, to all fours.As the pony quieted, he heard an eerie sound from the thickbush to the south. At first it sounded like someone dragginga dead horse through the undergrowth, but the sound was accompanied by a faint liquid pulsation as if someone was blowing slime bubbles and popping them.

Limited omniscient has the same strengths as omniscient, but doesn'tgenerate the same mass of detail. Generally, limited omniscient pointof view takes you into the thoughts and experiences of only theprotagonist.

3rd

Person ObjectiveThe third person objective point of view is related as it might have been picked up by avideo camera focused on the events described.


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ExampleWill jumped down from his pony, stumbling almost to theground as his left leg gave way. Muttering to himself, heregained his balance, steadying himself with one hand on the saddle.

With a sudden quavering scream the pony reared, its nostrils flaring. He ducked aside as it cut at the air with itshooves before subsiding, shuddering, to all fours.Abruptly, Will cocked his head to his left, looking southwardtowards the bushes. He stood in a strained position, as iflistening for something or someone.

The o bjective point of view is the most like a screenplay, or a stage drama.Characters' thoughts and motivations remain a mystery unless they arespoken aloud or acted out.

First PersonWith first person point of view, the narrator tells the story as

something personally experienced, "I" speak of "my" adventures andthoughts.

ExampleI jumped down from the pony. A sharp stab jolted my ankle as I landed. Damn, I thought, all I need is to have my leggive up and I'll be out here in that woods with that thing, unable to fight it or get away.

With a sudden quavering scream the pony reared, its _nostrils flaring. I barely had time to duck aside as it cut at the air with its hooves before subsiding, shuddering, to all fours.Suddenly I heard an eerie sound from the thick bush south

of me. At first it sounded like someone dragging a deadhorse through the undergrowth, but the sound was accompanied by a faint liquid pulsation as if someone was blowing slime bubbles and popping them.

First person makes for very effective fiction, but the use of "I" haslimitations, because the character who is telling the story can't revealany more information than he himself knows. No character in a storycan see inside any other character.

The Theme StatementAthemestatement aims at giving the reader a better understanding of

some large aspect of life. It is not, however, a moral or a lesson. Goodfiction avoids preachiness, and obvious statements such as "Out ofsight, out of mind."

A theme statement can be a sentence or a short paragraph. Somethinglike "Searching for truth," or "Death," is not a theme statement,though these expressions can be the lens through which the theme canbe recognized and put into a statement.

To understand the theme of a work of literature, ask, "What does this


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work reveal or imply?" rather than "What does this work teach?" Thetheme of "The Carnival Dog, the Buyer of Diamonds," for example,would not be, "Young people should always obey their parents," or"Honour your father and mother." It might read something like this:

Young people and their parents often have different attitudes towardlife. This difference can lead to conflict. Ultimately, each person mustchoose how they will achieve contentment, because death is just as certain as life.

Universality of ThemeA theme statement must be a broad enough idea that it can be appliedto life in a general sense, not only to the people in the work, but to thereader, to the student, and to all humankind.

ConflictThe easiest method to arrive at a theme statement for a work ofliterature is to look at the conflict in it.

Conflict is fairly straightforward in a short story, but complex in a

novel. Basically, it deals with a central figure or protagonist who isattempting to reach a goal. This central figure meets opposition fromthe antagonist, which may be a person, a group of people, the forces ofnature, or even him or herself.

The three main types of conflict are: Character versus nature Character versus character(s) Character versus self

Because a novel is much longer and more complex than a short story,it contains more characters and deals with a relatively great number ofevents or situations. Thus, there are likely to be several conflicts in a

novel.

Each time a conflict occurs, that incident is called a crisis; the plot is asequence of crises, leading to a major crisis when the protagonist eitherovercomes the antagonist, or is defeated. The series of intensifyingcrises is called the rising action; the final crisis is called the climax.Usually the climax comes near the end of the story, although it may beearlier and be followed by a sequence of diminishing crises called thefalling action. The conflict between the protagonist and the antagonistleads the reader to the theme. This is especially true as the storyapproaches and reaches the climax. To generate valid themestatements, trace the rising action as the conflict intensifies and fromthe events at the climax decide how the story connects to the theme

key words supplied earlier.

StyleTo describe style, it is necessary to explain the techniques the writer hasused, and describe how he or she has created a particular voice andgiven the work a particular tone. For example, a person might explainthe style of the nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty as follows:

The writer's use of rhythmic language and end rhyme gives the piece a cheerful, playful tone. The simple words and short line lengths


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create a childlike voice that is interestingly at odds with the literalevents - the main character's tragic death by falling off the wall.

Style, then, is the result of the author's choice of diction, figurative language, and sentence structure. In other words, style can be any distinctive way an author uses words. Look for things like diction(sound/formal vs. informal vs. slang language), sentence structure(short vs. long sentences vs. intentional fragments), regular vs. irregularrhythm, and figures of speech (i.e. figurative language like metaphors andsimiles.)One of the hallmarks of a mature writer is control of style. The mostproficient writers can write in a variety of styles, just as a skilled pianoplayer can play a Mozart piano concerto in the manner of the late eighteenthcentury, then play a Fats Waller jazz piece, and do both effectively. Style fora pianist involves a great deal more than simply hitting the right notes; likewise,style for a writer is more than simply arranging words into statements.Style should be consistent throughout a piece; inconsistencies indicatelack of control or at least lack of awareness of style.

Diction and Style

Diction deals with the literalmeaning of words (their denotation),their emotional loading and figurativemeaning (or connotation), and the sound of the words(rough or smooth). Most immature writers settle for getting the literalmeaning right and don't worry about the rest. However, it's interestingto look at two passages that mean approximately the same thing.

I hate it when I have to walk through a crowd of teen punks at a bus stop. They look me up and down. Their eyes are empty. Their faces are blank. They don't move out of the way for me. I feel that theywant to hurt me.

I strongly dislike the necessity of walking through gatherings ofalienated youth at bus shelters. They slide their expressionless eyes over me without reaction, keeping their faces neutral as though I wasnonexistent. They decline to recognize my need to walk on the sidewalk. It appears certain that they desire to cause me bodily harm.

Which of these passages has more impact?

If you identified the first passage, you are correct. It contains many one-syllable words which have negative connotations and hard consonantsounds (e.g., hate, punks, empty, blank, hurt). In addition, all thesentences are short and almost curt. By contrast, the second passage uses manymulti-syllable words. This makes it flow smoothly, and so it seems mellower

in its impact than the first passage. None of the words in the second passagehave strong negative connotations. Further, its sentences are relatively long. Thegeneral effect is one of smoothness and neutrality; it is hard to believethat the second speaker is as distressed as the first.

Figurative Language and StyleCommon figures of speech can be used in prose writing and poetry.These words add impact and make the piece seem vivid, because they


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appeal to the reader's imagination. Here is a passage without figurativelanguage, adapted from "The Painted Door" by Sinclair Ross:

She moved briskly, performing each little task with careful andexaggerated absorption, thinking carefully about it, using it to keepfrom thinking about the surrounding snow and silence. Above the quiet, steady sound of her paintbrush against the bedroom door, the clock sound became noticeable. Suddenly her movements became precise and deliberate ... and she felt that she was not alone and thatsomeone was watching her. It was the silence again, which seemedto be threatening, and always there.

Here is the same passage, with figurative language added in italics:

She moved briskly, performing each little task with careful andexaggerated absorption, binding her thoughts to it, making a screenbetween herself and the surrounding snow and silence. Above the quiet, steady swishing of her brush against the bedroom door, the clockbegan to tick. Suddenly her movements became precise, deliberate ...as if someone had entered the room and were watching her. It was the

silence again, aggressive, hovering.

Look closely at the figurative language that was used to heighten theimpact of the story.1. binding her thoughts to itis a metaphor showing how she usedwork to keep her mind occupied, to keep out unwelcomethoughts.2. making a screen between herself and the surrounding snow andsilenceis another metaphor, showing how the character useswork to create a wall between her and both the silence insideand the dangerous weather outside.3. swishingis onomatopoeia, it imitates the sound of a loadedpaint brush spreading colour onto wood.

4. as if someone had entered the room and were watching heris asimile that makes the reader more vividly conscious of howuneasy the character feels.5.... the silence again, aggressive, hoveringis an example ofpersonification in which the reader easily shares theprotagonist's fear of the invisible silence that is always withher.

Sentence Structure and StyleSentence structure, like diction, has an impact on the reader'sexperience of a piece of writing, and consequently is an important partof style. Long, flowing sentences, containing many phrases andsubordinate clauses, produce a mellow, flowing mood. If these are used

in a description of fast, urgent action, such as an account of witnessinga plane crash, the reader is distanced from the action. By contrast, shortsentences produce a feeling of urgency, immediacy, and increasedtension.

Reading ActivityReread the last two full paragraphs of "The Story of an Hour (TheDream of an Hour)" in Horizons: Exploring Poetry, Prose, and Non-fiction- page 10. The author uses six sentences in twelve lines to show youMrs. Mallard's inner reverie about her husband's death. The passage is


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optimistic, almost upbeat, and the reader experiences Mrs. Mallard'sincreasing relaxation from the pressures of her marriage. The sentencestructure complements and enhances the content.

Now reread the rest of the story. The mood changes almostimmediately. The author uses twenty-six sentences in twenty-six linesto lead up to Brently Mallard's return and Mrs. Mallard's climacticdiscovery that she was not widowed. The reader is taken throughMrs. Mallard's increasing excitement at her new-found freedom,through her dashed hopes at the return of her husband, to her suddendeath when she realizes what she has lost. The many starts and stopsresembles the tension car passengers feel in stop-and-go trafficwith a driver who is continually braking and accelerating.

Tone, Mood, and VoiceToneis the emotional colouring of a piece of writing. It reflects theauthor's attitude, and the feelings that he or she puts into the writing.It can, for instance, be angry, demanding, or humorous. The authorcontrols the tone by choosing diction, sentence structure, andfigurative language that will heighten the desired effect on the reader.

Mood, by contrast, is the emotional feeling that the reader gets fromthe writing. Usually the mood is clearly related to the tone, for the toneof the author creates the mood of the reader. Mood, is also affected byfigurative language, sentence structure, and diction.

Voiceis the role that the writer takes on while writing. A personalvoice is an expression of a writer's own thoughts and personality. Forexample, a personal narrative about an event from the author'schildhood might be written as though the author were telling the storyin person. A persona is a voice created by the writer to help the readeraccept the ideas in the writing. For instance, a murder mystery mightbe told from the point of view of a detective. The reader knows the

writer is not actually a detective, but the use of words and images fromthe world of criminal investigation helps make the story come alive.Or, an essay can be written in the voice of an expert, using impersonallanguage and a tone of authority. In poetry, the voice may sound verypersonal, but can actually be a persona the writer has created. There isoften no way for the reader to tell.

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The Elements of Plot.docx