Character Types
A character who stays the same though the story
static character
This is the most exciting/intense part of the story. It is in this part of the story where the turning point occurs.
Climax
excessively proud of oneself; vain.
conceited / optimistic / lazy
conceited
The conflict between the character and themselves
What type?
External or Internal?
Man Vs Self
Internal
The story of Rosa Parks is a well-known one, but few people are familiar with Ms. Parksʼs full history. She was not a woman who simply “didnʼt want to move” as we were often told in elementary school. In fact, she had a long history of activism with the NAACP and the Votersʼ League in the long fight for civil rights. Parks spent many years working with a network of African Americans, staging peaceful protests around Birmingham, Alabama. Regardless, her act of refusing to give up her seat on the bus on December 1, 1955, marked a powerful moment when a single woman refused to bow to the racism that surrounded her.
Man vs Soctiety
A character who undergoes a change during the story
Dynamic Character
The setting and characters are introduced.
Exposition
tending to see the worst aspect of things or believe that the worst will happen.
pessimistic / generous / humorous
pessimistic
A conflict between the character and another character
What type?
External or Internal?
Man vs Man
External
Mike hit the snooze button for the fifth time. He had to get up now, or else heʼd be late again. After the usual cereal and coffee, stepped into the bathroom to shave and brush his teeth. Every morning, he had the same conversation with his reflection in the mirror. “Todayʼs the day,” he thought, “Today I am going to quit. Iʼm going to walk right into Mr. Maloneyʼs office and tell him what I think about this stupid job, and then I’ll quit. Iʼll leave today.” Even as he rehearsed his final speech, he knew that it would never happen. The thought of being unemployed terrified him, and he was too much of a coward to speak his mind to his boss. Instead, he would work another day at a job he hated. The next morning, he began again. “Todayʼs the day. Today I am going to quit.
Man vs Self
A character with limited qualities or traits
Flat Character
This part of the story explains how the conflict was solved and includes the events that happened after the climax.
Falling Action
(of a person, action, or motive) lacking consideration for others; concerned chiefly with one's own personal profit or pleasure.
optimistic / selfish / timid
selfish
A character struggles with an animal or weather condicitons
What type?
External or Internal?
Man vs Nature
External
It's her 8th grade year and Carly wants to graduate more than anything else. Unfortunately for her, she's been playing around quite a bit in her reading class and now she's backed into a corner. She has to get a perfect score on the final exam or she won't graduate. With the help of a foreign exchange student that she calls Beans, Carly studies harder than ever before. Will it be enough?
Man vs Self
A Character with multiple traits and all the complexities of a real person
Round Character
The end outcome is mentioned, along with the theme of the story.
Resolution
of a person, animal, or their behavior) causing or showing a fondness for causing trouble in a playful way.
humorous / determined / mischievous
mischievous
A character struggles with the laws, government, etc.
What type?
External or Internal?
Man vs Society
External
Johnʼs hands trembled in the cold as he fished through his coat pockets for a match. He had already gathered scraps of wood and piled them up to make a fire. Now, he had to figure out how to kindle it. The sun had already set and all light was quickly fading from the sky; John could feel the temperature dropping just as rapidly. Without a match, there was no way to get this fire going, and without a fire, he wasn’t sure how he would survive the night. Nobody knew he was stuck out there, alone, without food or shelter and a massive blizzard approaching. His best hope was to try to avoid freezing, then head out at dawn to find help.
Man vs Nature
The character that goes against the main character in a work of fiction
Antagonist
The event that occurs that allows the rest of the story to be possible.
Inciting Incident
showing a lack of courage or confidence; easily frightened
generous / timid / determined
timid
Man vs Man
Man vs Self
Man vs Nature
External Conflicts
“The Three Laws:
1: A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2: A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
The Zeroth Law: A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm.”
― Isaac Asimov, I, Robot
Man vs. Technology