Elements of Fiction Flashcards
What are characters in a novel?
Characters are the participants in the novel.
Example: The protagonist and antagonist in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ are characters.
What is characterization?
Characterization is the method a writer uses to communicate information about characters to readers.
Example: The author used indirect characterization to reveal the protagonist’s personality.
What are the types of characters?
Static characters remain the same throughout the story. Dynamic characters change because of the events of the story, typically as the result of an epiphany. Flat characters are one or two dimensional. Round characters are three-dimensional and possess various traits.
Example: In ‘Pride and Prejudice,’ Mr. Darcy is a dynamic character who changes his views on social class.
What is a character foil?
A character foil is a supporting character who has a contrasting personality and set of values to another character. Putting the foil and main character in close proximity helps draw readers’ attention to the main character’s attributes.
Example: In ‘Harry Potter,’ Draco Malfoy serves as a character foil to Harry.
What is a character mirror?
A character mirror is a set of characters that share several characteristics, and sometimes similar obstacles and/or journeys.
Example: In ‘The Lord of the Rings,’ Frodo and Gollum serve as character mirrors.
Who is the protagonist?
The protagonist is the main character in a story. The story is usually told from this person’s point of view.
Example: In ‘The Great Gatsby,’ Jay Gatsby is the protagonist.
Who is the antagonist?
The antagonist is the person or thing in a story fighting against the protagonist.
Example: The antagonist in ‘Dracula’ is Count Dracula.
