Literary Terms #7

Character TermsAP English Literature & CompositionMrs. DemangosHilltop High School

CharacterAny representation of an individual

being presented in a dramatic or narrative work through extended dramatic or verbal representation. The reader can interpret characters as endowed with moral and dispositional qualities expressed in what they say (dialogue) and what they do (action).

ProtagonistCharacter around which the action

is centered

Antagonist Person or force working against the

protagonist

Round CharacterComplex, multi-faceted, not

predictablecomplex in temperament and

motivation; drawn with subtlety; capable of growth and change during the course of the narrative

A round character is depicted with such psychological depth and detail that he or she seems like a "real" person.

Flat CharacterRecognizable type; lacks complexitybuilt around a single idea or quality and

unchanging over the course of the narrative

Also called a static character, a flat character is a simplified character who does not change or alter his or her personality over the course of a narrative, or one without extensive personality and characterization. The term is used in contrast with a round character

ConfidantThe protagonist’s intimate

FoilCharacter’s illuminator through

contrastA character that serves by contrast to

highlight or emphasize opposing traits in another character. For instance, in Shakespeare's Hamlet, Laertes the unthinking man of action is a foil to the intelligent but reluctant Hamlet.

OmniscienceTeller knows all about everyone

Limited OmniscienceTeller knows all about one

character

Dramatic PerspectiveTeller presents just the facts

DoppelgangerMysterious double