Introduction to Character Development
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The document discusses the importance of character development in literature, focusing on how realistic and relatable characters can enhance a story's plot. It emphasizes various techniques writers use to build characters, such as names, physical appearance, actions under pressure, thoughts, and external perceptions. Additionally, the document encourages critical analysis of characters through specific prompts and examples from well-known literary works.
Introduction to Character Development
- 1. What happened to you Mr. White? If the main character and their motives are believable, we follow the plot. For Years.
- 2. This Lecture and the React & Reflect Essay As you probably know by now, the first essay is about any reading/viewing assigned in weeks 1-4, your reactions to it, and one literary element related to those reactions. Maybe character will be your element. Which characters seem most real and interesting to you, likable or not? How did the author bring them to life? This lecture gives you concepts and terms to think more deeply about those questions. This first part of the course emphasizes fiction, but the poems in Week 1 have characters (or critters) in them. Might work! Think about it as you go. Note that character and plot go together, like a gasoline engine and a drive train. Why not use both and go for the extended essay option (extra 25)? Learn more, earn more. 2
- 3. The Challenge Writers have a real challenge. With words alone they must create characters we can tell apart and believe in. But those characters have to be interesting too, which means they have to change. And so we need to know their motives and to see deep enough into their hearts and minds to believe they can change. Good writers are psychologists, philosophers, sociologists, anthropologists and historians all rolled into one. Critics, readers and movie-goers are still enjoying Jane Austin’s 19th century characters. Introduction to Character. ENGL 151L 3
- 5. The Inciting Incident opens the door to character change As the Intro to Plot lecture mentioned, Stephen King said he starts his books by simply putting a character in a situation – a crisis, a problem to solve, an inciting incident. That’s usually the start of the story and the plot. Breaking Bad opens with a high school teacher receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis. This inciting incident starts the ball rolling on massive changes in his life. For the older brother in “Sonny’s Blues,” learning his brother has been arrested starts him on a journey of personal change and growth. Learning her husband was killed in a train crash rocks the world of the main character in “The Story of an Hour” and sets her on a brief, intense internal journey. (Turns out he wasn’t on the train that crashed but the news -- both wrong and right -- sure shakes her world). In short, stuff happens to people and they change. That’s what literary writers are interested in. If you can think of a film or novel where nothing happens and the main character doesn’t change, I’d love to chat about it with you. What interested you anyway? Introduction to Character. ENGL 151L 5 Though very short on the page and in the time it takes, “The Story of an Hour” has two whole emotional climaxes.
- 6. Motive, Free Will & Character Fans of Breaking Bad enjoyed debating Mr. White’s true motives. He turned to dealing drugs because he wanted to leave something for his family. But does he continue in the criminal life for that reason? Or does he enjoy the excitement and power? Did the diagnosis bring out a hidden part of him? That’s part of what makes him interesting. We wonder who he is at his core – a caring father and husband or a bold battler who loves living on the edge? Or somehow both. What makes a person change, or resist change? How do different people deal with crisis, threat, opportunity and gifts? Do we discover ourselves or make ourselves as we deal with life’s hills and valleys? Introduction to Character. ENGL 151L 6
- 7. Introduction to Character. ENGL 151L 7 1. Names & nicknames Names suggest character. T'Challa. Darth Vader. Albus Dumbledore. Mary Poppins. June-May. Lane A Dean Jr. Performers change names to fit their public persona. John Legend was born John Stephens. Helen Mirren’s birth name was Ilyena Vasilievna Mironov. 2. Physical appearance, esp the face Physical descriptions reveal inner qualities as well as emotional states: a smile, a laugh, a blush, a nervous tic, posture, body language, even clothes and accessories. 3. How they act under pressure The way a character deals with obstacles & conflicts reveals much, maybe even to the character themselves, as is true with life. 4. Their Thoughts In fiction, some types of narration let us hear characters’ thoughts. In plays, monologues may do the same. We learn of fears, doubts, hopes, dreams, biases, delusions, realizations, etc. 5. What others say about them The narrator may tell us what to think of a character. (This is more common in 19th Century Lit, when values were clear and agreed upon.) Other characters opinions and reactions tell us a lot too. 6. What Influenced them In their memories or flashbacks we may find out about people, experiences, books, music, jobs, places etc. shaped a character. Some of the Ways Writers Bring Characters to Life (see p. 95 for even more)
- 8. Use the previous slide to analyze how a piece creates its characters The previous slide provides a tool to analyze (take apart) characterization in anything with characters. Even a commercial. Or your first essay. Use each of the 6 criteria as a paragraph/section. See page 95 for a few more criteria that might apply to your piece. What if the author doesn’t use a criteria at all? Fine, skip that one, or discuss the absence if you feel it’s a weakness or it related in some wat to your reactions. For example, I enjoy good descriptions of characters’ facial expressions. If a writer leaves that out, I notice. I can’t SEE the person. Or maybe we don’t find out much about what others think about a character (#5) because the story is told by that character (known as first-person narration). How did that work for you? Main Bonus Points Analysis: 1) Consider a character in the film/series/book you chose. Using the previous slide, list the 4 main ways the character is brought to life. Give examples or quotes. Introduction to Character. ENGL 151L 8
- 9. Anger, happiness, grief, resolve Descriptions and close-ups of facial expressions reveal so much about what a character is feeling and how they’re changing. Here is Viola Davis showing how it’s done, from the film version of August Wilson’s play Fences. Introduction to Character. ENGL 151L 9
- 10. Find a Face Main Bonus Points Analysis: 2) Describe or paste in a picture of a character in your piece whose face really fits their personality. Here is Charles Dickens’ (pretty judgmental!) description of the infamous Ebenezer Scrooge: Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grind-stone, Scrooge! . . . The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shriveled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice. A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. He carried his own low temperature always about with him; he iced his office in the dogdays; and didn't thaw it one degree at Christmas. Introduction to Character. ENGL 151L 10
- 11. Types of Characters Covered in more detail on pp 95-97 Protagonist (hero) Leading character. Might be the “good guy,” larger than life, but in most modern literature is ordinary. Usually dynamic/round. Antagonist (villain) Opponent of the main character. Blocks them in some way. Could be dynamic/round but also Static/flat or even a stock character. Dynamic/ Round Changes because of the action of the plot. Interesting. Raises questions we want answered. May surprise us. Most protagonists and many antagonists are round. Static/Flat Does not change. Could still be interesting. May have one or two qualities easily summarized. May change somewhat but no big surprises. Stock and Archetypes Stereotypes, usually in “formula” fiction (detective, romance, sci-fi). The tough newspaper editor, mean boss, goofy grandparent, loyal servant, sadistic drill sergeant, snarky android. With a good writer / actor stock characters can come alive. Introduction to Character. ENGL 151L 11 Main Bonus Points Analysis: 3) Put the main characters in the film/series/book you’re analyzing into this chart. Include at least 2 recurring minor characters.
- 12. Conflict, problems, obstacles all create plot and keep us wondering what will happen. And just as in life, they reveal and change people. In “See You Yesterday” a science whiz-kids’ time travel experiment turns into a high- stakes mission when a brother is killed. In “Recitatif” childhood friends wrestle with conflicts past and present as we wonder who they really are. And in “Good People” an unexpected pregnancy sends a young couple on a journey into their hearts, minds and perhaps even souls. Conflict, problems and obstacles – where would we be without them? Main Bonus Points Analysis: 4 & last: Describe one crisis or conflict that really shows who one of your main characters is. This question can also be done by itself (5-10 pts depending on level of detail). Introduction to Character. ENGL 151L 12
- 13. Character Questions to help start a React & Reflect Essay How much did your reaction have to do with the main character(s)? What 3 words/phrases describe your response? Can you pinpoint 3 quotes to fit each word? For example, if a character seemed “confident” find something they say or think that shows that. What ways from slide 7 does this author used most? Which ways do they use least or not all? Is that a problem? That is, would you like the story more if there was more characterization? Did you expect to be interested in the main character or not? Did you get what you expected? Did a choice a character made surprise you? Looking back, do we see their motive for that choice? What scene reveals the main character’s central conflict? Who changes the most? Why? Who fails to change? What plot events reveal who the main character is, down deep? Also see “Questions about Character” on p. 101. And questions found after the stories. You could structure your essay on those questions. Introduction to Character. ENGL 151L 13