Examples of character development in literature. Literary Character Development Lesson Plan 2022-10-08
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Character development is an essential element of literature, as it allows readers to connect with the characters on a deeper level and helps to bring the story to life. It involves the transformation of a character over the course of a story, and can be accomplished through a variety of means, such as personal growth, relationships with other characters, and experiences and events within the story. Here are a few examples of character development in literature:
Holden Caulfield in "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger - Throughout the novel, Holden undergoes significant character development as he struggles to find his place in the world and come to terms with the death of his younger brother. He begins the novel as a cynical and rebellious teenager, but as he encounters various challenges and experiences, he begins to mature and come to a better understanding of himself and the world around him.
Atticus Finch in "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee - Atticus is a compassionate and fair-minded lawyer who is dedicated to upholding justice in the face of racial prejudice. He serves as a role model for his children, and his actions and words throughout the novel help to shape their moral development.
Elizabeth Bennet in "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen - Elizabeth is a strong-willed and intelligent young woman who initially judges others based on their social status and appearance. However, as she gets to know Mr. Darcy and experiences various events throughout the novel, she learns to look beyond these superficial qualities and recognizes the true value of people.
Gatsby in "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald - Gatsby is a mysterious and enigmatic character who has made a fortune through questionable means. As the story unfolds, we learn about his past and the events that have shaped him into the person he is today. Through his interactions with other characters and his ultimate tragic end, Gatsby undergoes significant character development and serves as a commentary on the corrupting influence of wealth and power.
Holden in "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger - Holden is a complex and troubled teenager who is struggling to find his place in the world. As he encounters various challenges and experiences throughout the novel, he begins to mature and come to a better understanding of himself and the world around him.
In conclusion, character development is an integral part of literature, as it allows readers to connect with the characters on a deeper level and helps to bring the story to life. Through personal growth, relationships, and experiences, characters undergo transformation and help to shape the themes and messages of the story.
Literary Character: Definition & Examples
The plot develops as the characters face these conflicts and eventually resolve the conflict. In that same book series, Tris is opposed both by Eric, a sadistic trainer, and Jeanine Matthews, a cold-hearted, prejudiced scientist. And it actually comes prior to your character coming onto the scene. Will they be out of place, and will you use that irony to draw out their character traits? Jane Eyre in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte How She Starts: Jane Eyre is a coming-of-age story also called a bildungsroman that charts the life of its eponymous character from childhood to adulthood. Great character descriptions demonstrate how fiction has the power to make invented characters feel like old friends.
Character in Literature: Definition, Types & Development
To examine how dynamic character changes from the beginning to end, go through and identify moments that show them changing hint: usually this happens through a challenge or choice the character faces. Complement or contrast other characters to your 6. How To Identify Character Growth To identify character development in a novel, the reader must pay attention to the character's thoughts, words, and behavior. Students may use a graphic organizer similar to the one below to write down their initial impressions of the characters by recording the character traits revealed through both direct and indirect characterization. Think of Michael Carleone in THE GODFATHER series. The character arc in literature is the full extent of how the character's inner world - thoughts and emotions - transforms from beginning to the end.
Character Description Examples: Create People, not Caricatures
This means putting them in situations where they can display different sides of their personality or traits that you have written about them having. What are your hopes and dreams for the future? This forms the core of her character development. Salinger does this in a scene between college couple Lane and Franny in his novella, Franny and Zooey: He suddenly leaned forward, putting his arms on the table, as though to get this thing ironed out, by God, but Franny spoke up before he did. Other characters develop over the course of a story, starting out one way and ending up different, becoming changed by what happens to them. Arudhati Roy, The God of Small Things 1997 , pp. Therefore, character development is not always dramatic or extreme to meet the reader's need for both familiarity and interest. How do their personalities and motivations bounce off one another? She lives in Austin, TX, with her husband, Buford, and her two young daughters.
How do they interact? If you would like to look at the other characters as well, try to identify stock characters Jabba the Hutt along with other protagonists. Remember that stories are, above all else, about people. Protagonist and Antagonist: Beginning: Which character is the protagonist? What is your character doing to reach toward these hopes—or do they seem too far out of reach? Have they described their physical features? Sometimes, as with your heights marked on the doorpost, we find the information openly displayed to us through direct characterization, which is the portrayal of characteristics through straightforward statements from characters or the narrative voice. Those conflicts force the protagonist to grow and change in certain ways, adopting new outlooks on life or making difficult moral decisions. This element of repetition sticks in the memory.
Your character is a set of beliefs that define what sort of person you are. Students can then examine the quotes to see if they portray a nuanced and multifaceted character or if they reveal mostly the same character traits over and over again. Main Goals: Ethan wants to live a life of virtue and integrity, garnering respect from others simply by being a kind and honest person. Flat and Round Characters Another way to classify characters has to do with the depth of their characterization. During a Character analysis of Louise Mallard, a reader will understand that the delicate Mrs. Reilly in A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole Reckless Carelessly destructive; irresponsible.
Direct and Indirect Characterization Character development is a matter of show and tell. Perhaps music is his way of reducing stress from a very stressful job. Protagonist Protagonist: The main character of the story is the protagonist. Character Traits List Take note that many positive character traits can also be negative character traits, and vice versa. Ebenezer Scrooge from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is another famous character in literature. What are your greatest strengths? Samwise Gamgee from Lord of the Rings by J.
How Does the Character Develop Over the Course of the Story?
What are they doing? For example, Neville in the Harry Potter series is the clumsy counterpart to Harry. What, fundamentally, drives your character? Unevenly applied white face paint. With self-sufficiency comes the love and acceptance she desires, and the safe home she has always been without. So, what is character development? Through the course of the story, she recognizes that while she has been focused on Mr. For example, Grace Kelly's soft voice and delicate face make her Alfred Hitchcock's perfect woman on screen. Dependable Able to be relied upon, especially in times of crisis, but also in day-to-day matters. A protagonist is usually the main character who is experiencing the conflict caused by the antagonist, or opposing force in the story.
Patrick Bateman in American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis Coarse Crude and tasteless. But how do you get to that point? To find perspective on mortality? She used to live with a flock of birds on Lenox Avenue. At the end of Harry Potter, Neville begins to show signs of being a strong leader in his own right and ends up playing a crucial role in Harry defeating the evil Lord Voldemort. Indirect But how can we tell when these changes are happening? Salinger, Franny and Zooey 1961 , p. Ethan Allan Hawley in The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck How He Starts: Ethan Allan Hawley is a grocery store clerk in New Baytown, a fictional city on Long Island, NY. Grandpa Joe in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl Sincere Genuine; speaking and acting without trying to deceive, impress, or sway others. A bright green tinge to their combed back hair, which is greasy and untamed.
Finally, it's important to note that this is not a "human interest" story; rather, it's focused on Alfred Hitchcock's character. As the book progresses, however, the boys began to turn to more savage behaviors, and Ralph loses his authority among the group. Kristy is certified to teach middle school language arts and high school English and is passionate about helping students grow in their abilities to communicate effectively through writing. Authors explain character developments via dialogue, actions, conflicts, and many other things. What would fulfillment look like for your character? The best conflicts occur when a protagonist has to overcome their own negative character traits to achieve something.
Character development represents the collective observable changes in an individual's defining characteristics over the course of a narrative. With students, read the story looking for characterization and development. Yet, if the character's thoughts and actions are too predictable, this can create boredom for the reader. What is an example of character development? What are the elements of character development in Psycho? The world is a diverse place, so to show different people from different backgrounds is important and allows for a wide variety of audiences to see themselves represented. This can be a major world religion, but it can also be beliefs about the universe at large. Jane Eyre in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë Patient Showing an ability to wait without getting tired of waiting. Is that arc believable? Describe characters using action To avoid expository lumps in character description, Nobel laureate Toni Morrison does exactly this on the opening page of her novel, Jazz: I know that woman.
