And the occasional flat character can even benefit your narrative! Charles Dickens, for instance, was a genius at writing casts that were packed with memorable caricatures. Are flat characters bad?Īgain, having two-dimensional characters never spells automatic death for your book. To learn more about the flip side of the equation, we wrote extensively about what makes a dynamic character here. That means that, generally speaking, all two-dimensional characters are static, but not all static characters are two-dimensional. “Flat” is a referendum on the character's complexity. “Static” (or its inverse, “dynamic”) strictly describes the amount of change that a character undergoes throughout the story. Experience mental and emotional changesįlat characters are also sometimes referred to as “one-dimensional” or “two-dimensional." Both of these monikers point to the same thing: a character who has very minimal complexity, and often renders the story less believable as a result.Ĭlick to tweet! Not all static characters are flatĭon't make the mistake of conflating a flat character with a static character.Undergo significant character development.Whereas a three-dimensional or round character will typically: In other words, they're the opposite of a " round character," who has a fully fleshed out profile and changes throughout the story. They also don't undergo any kind of change to make them more well-rounded. What is a flat character?Ī flat character is a character with little to no complex emotions, motivations, or personality. First off, let's talk about what this term means. Which is why we want to illustrate exactly what is a flat character: with a clear definition, examples, and instructions on how to fix any flat characters you may come across in your writing. especially if you're not exactly sure what constitutes one. Sometimes the hardest part is simply identifying when you do have a flat character on your hands. But having a flat character or two isn't the end of the world - or even the end of your story! And if you can learn how to turn a two-dimensional character into a three-dimensional one, you'll have a real leg up on all future character creation. An accusation that your characters read like a cardboard cut-outs is like a knife in the heart of any fledgling writer. For instance, in The Lord of the Rings trilogy there are many characters that have great significance to the story, but Frodo Baggins is the one who stands out, because everyone else’s destiny rests in his hands.“Riddled with flat characters” is perhaps the most damning thing you can hear from an editor or reviewer. Some stories weave many characters into an ensemble story, but even in such stories there is often one character that is more important to the story than the rest. However, the same kind of event in the movie While You Were Sleeping would be unfortunate because in that case the protagonist Lucy was marrying the wrong person. A wedding is an important and positive event in The Sound of Music because it is a positive event for the protagonist, Maria. The audience decides whether or not a particular event is favorable in a story. The events occurring in a story are always viewed from the perspective of the protagonist. It helps them relate to the joys, fears, and hopes of the character in the story. A well-constructed protagonist attracts the audience emotionally. Since, the story revolves around the protagonist, he is the one who has to work as an emotional heart of the story, helping the audience connect with it on a basic level. Further in the plot the protagonist may undergo some change, which will probably be the climax of the story.īeing the central element puts grave responsibilities on the shoulders of a protagonist. More often than not the protagonist is fair and virtuous, and is always supporting the moral good. Regardless of what title you give a protagonist, he or she remains the key ingredient in the development of the story, which is why the story revolves around him or her. There are different terms for a protagonist, such as hero, focal character, central character, and main character. A protagonist is a very important tool to develop a story.
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