An imagined person who inhabits a story.

 Stereotyped characters known for some outstanding trait or traits ( Prince Charming, the mad scientist or fearless detective). They require little detailed portraiture. “ In the finest literary creations, characters are drawn”…not as stereotypes, but as unique individuals”. They exhibit many facets to their personalities and have more than one dimension.

 Flat Characters- known for only one outstanding trait. They are rarely the central characters in a narrative and stay the same throughout the story.  Round Characters - are represented in depth in a narrative. Round characters are those who change significantly during the course of a narrative or whose full personalities are revealed gradually throughout the story.

 Dynamic characters – These characters change or evolve through the course of the story.  Static characters – remain fixed and do not experience significant change.

 A protagonist conspicuously lacking in one or more of the usual attributes of the traditional hero. They can be loners rather than leaders in their society. They are human rather than ideal.

 Sufficient reason for characters to behave as they do

 Speech- This includes dialect, tone, volume, style frequency of communication.  Actions- What a character does and does not do  A character’s surroundings and the atmosphere with which they are associated.  Physical Appearance

 Style of dress – attire  Position in society- economic status, profession, level of authority  What other characters think and say about a character- reputation  Relationships- the response of other characters  Enemies and Friends  What the author directly says about the character.

 Glau, Gregory R., Barry M. Maid, and Duane Roen., The McGraw-Hill Guide Writing for College, Writing for Life. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010.