essay fictional character

Writing a Character Analysis Essay | Step-by-Step Guide

I’m also going to give you a ton of examples.

This post is split into four parts for easy navigation:

• What is a Character Analysis Essay?
• What is the best Format to Use?
• 11 Character Analysis Example Ideas
• Template, Checklist and Outline for Your own Piece

In this post, I’m going to explain to you clearly and in a step-by-step way how to conduct a character analysis.

1. What is a Character Analysis Essay?

Let’s get you started with some really simple details about what a character analysis is:

• A Quick Definition: A character analysis essay zooms-in on a character in a book, movie or even real life. It provides what we sometimes call a ‘sketch’ of a character.
• The Purpose of a Character Analysis: The purpose of a character analysis is to reveal interesting details about the character that might contain a broader moral message about the human condition. For example, Atticus Finch is not just a lawyer in To Kill a Mockingbird. Rather, he provides us with a moral message about the importance of doing what you believe is right even though you know you will likely fail.

2. What is the best Character Analysis Essay Format?

Character analysis essays do not have just one format.

However, let me offer some advice that might act as a character analysis essay outline or ‘checklist’ of possible things you could discuss:

1. Start with the Simple Details.

You can start a character analysis by providing a simple, clear description of who your character is. Look at some basic identity traits such as:

• Race (if relevant)
• Social class (if relevant)
• Protagonist or Antagonist? A protagonist is the character who is our central character in the plot; the antagonist is often the protagonist’s opponent or challenger.
• Major or minor character?

2. What are the character’s distinctive personality features?

Your character might have some really clearly identifiable character traits. It’s best to highlight in your character analysis the exact traits that this character possesses. Some common character traits include:

I recommend you take a moment to write down what you think the top 3 to 5 words are that you’d use to explain your character’s personality traits. These will be important to discuss throughout your character analysis.

Sometimes a character may start out with some personality traits, but change over the course of the text. This is quite common; and one clear example of this is Lady Macbeth she deteriorates from a cutthroat power player to a guilt ridden shell of a person roaming the halls of the castle. This dramatic character change is something that makes her very interesting, and is worthy of discussion!

3. What are the character’s key relationships?

Does your character have a close relationship with a certain person in the storyline?

You might want to discuss the character’s relationships as a part of your character analysis. These relationships may reveal some key personality traits of your character.

For example, in Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, Horatio is the loyal offsider to Hamlet. Through his actions in staying by Hamlet through thick and thin, we learn that he is a deeply loyal character.

Examining the character’s relationships with their friends and foes therefore is very useful for digging deeper into who this character actually is, and what personality traits they have when they are put to the test within the narrative.

4. What are the character’s motivations?

Another thing you might want to examine are the character’s motivations . What do they desire most in the world? Some common motivations for characters in stories are:

• A simple life
• To serve others

This list really could be endless, but I hope the above examples give you a bit of an idea of the sorts of traits to look out for. By mentioning and examining the motivations of the character, we will come closer and closer to learning exactly what moral message this character might be able to tell us.

5. What are the character’s key conflicts?

Stories tend to have a beginning, a complication, and a resolution.

The complication involves conflicts and challenges that need to be overcome. For Edmund in Narnia, it’s cowardice. For Romeo and Juliet, it’s the conflict between love and family loyalty. Here’s some other common conflicts for characters:

• Whether to stay loyal to a friend;
• To overcome obstacles to love;
• To seek a way out of a challenging situation;
• To escape war or poverty;
• To persevere through imprisonment;
• To overcome personal fear

Again, this list is endless.

Knowing the character’s core conflict gets us even closer to knowing the moral that the character is trying to teach us.

For example, in Romeo and Juliet, the challenge of Romeo and Juliet being together despite their families’ objections teaches us something. Personally, I believe it teaches us the importance of letting go of old grudges in order to let love bloom.

This moral lesson was taught to us through conflict: namely, the conflict that Romeo and Juliet were right in the center of.

6. What are the character’s epiphanies?

Sometimes a character has an epiphany. This often happens towards the end of the story and helps the character overcome the challenge or conflict that we discussed in the point above.

Here’s an example of an epiphany:

• In the Lion King, Simba runs away from his tribe to live in exile. After a chance encounter with his childhood friend Nala, he has an epiphany that he has a duty to his tribe. This leads him back home to fight Scar and return freedom to Pride Rock.

Not all characters have an epiphany. But, if they do, I strongly encourage you to write about it in your character analysis.

7. Examine the moral message the character teaches us.

Finally, conclude by examining the moral message behind the character. Nearly every character has something to teach the reader. Authors put a lot of thought into creating complex characters with whom we can relate. We relate to the character and say “wow, they taught me a lesson about something!”

The lesson might be something like:

• Money doesn’t buy happiness;
• Loyalty to family comes above all else;
• Love gives life meaning;
• Honesty is always the best policy

This is the core of your character analysis essay. If you can pick out exactly what moral message the character teaches you, you’ll be well on your way to writing a strong character analysis.

Below I’m going to give you some examples to help you out. I know it can be hard to really get your head around a character, so sometimes the best thing is to look at some samples!

3. Here’s 13 Example Character Analysis Essay Ideas.

Most times when we create a character analysis, we’re exploring the deeper moral stories / aspects of humanity. Here’s some example ideas. I’ve tried to outline in less than a paragraph exactly what your key point will be about each character:

• Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird: A character who teaches us a lesson about standing up for what’s right, even if you know you’re likely to lose.
• Huckleberry Finn from Huckleberry Finn: A character who reveals our inner desire for freedom from the elements of society that constrain us.
• Dudley from Harry Potter: A character whose personality tells us a cautionary tale of the perils of middle-class narcissism, parents’ desire to wrap their children in cotton wool, and the lack of discipline we perceive in contemporary childhoods.
• Jack from Lord of the Flies: A character who represents the innate desire for power that seems to lurk not too far from the surface of the human condition. When social structures are stripped away, he quickly reverts to violence and superstition to assert control over his peers.
• Lady Macbeth from Macbeth: Lady Macbeth teaches us a valuable lesson about the perils of contravening our own morality. She starts out a cutthroat killer but is increasingly consumed by the guilt of her own actions. While we may be able to escape full punishment from outside forces, it is the inner guilt that might eat us away to our last.
• The Boy who Cried Wolf: The boy who cried wolf is a character whose fatal flaw is his desire for attention and adulation. His repeated attempts at gaining the attention of others leads the townspeople to no longer take him seriously, which causes him harm when he actually needs the villagers to take him seriously to save his life. He teaches us the virtue of honest and humility.
• Nick Carraway from the Great Gatsby: Nick shows us all the inner conflict between the trappings of wealth, glamor and spectacle; and the desire for simplicity, honesty and community. He is drawn by the dazzling world of East Egg, New York, but by the end of the novel sees live in East Egg as shallow and lacking the moral depth of his former life in small town Minnesota.
• Alice from Alice in Wonderland: In many ways, Alice represents the child within all of us. She is a character of goodwill to all and who looks upon the world (or, rather, Wonderland) with awe. Travelling with a cadre of flawed characters, she learns with them the importance of seeking strength from within.
• The Nurse in Romeo and Juliet: Like many Shakespearian characters, the nurse’s role is both as loyal confidante to a central character and comic relief. Shakespeare uses minor characters to regale his crowd and sustain viewer interest between scenes.
• Lucy in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: Lucy represents a surprising character whose youthfulness and small stature make her an underrated character by all around her. Nonetheless, she possesses within the bravery and loyalty necessary to carry out the quest for Aslan. Lucy represents the goodness in children and, by extension, all of mankind.
• Anne in Anne of Green Gables: Anne occupies the typical literary role of young girls in many classical novels: she represents innocence and wonder, and her contraventions of rules are seen through a prism of childhood innocence. This frames Anne not as a deviant but as a precious soul.
• Simba from The Lion King: Simba’s story follows his struggle with growing up, embracing his destiny and duty to his family, or fleeing towards freedom and a ‘no worries’ lifestyle. Simba flees Pride Rock and goes through an existential crisis with his existentialist friends Timon and Pumba. When he runs into an old childhood friend, he realizes how shallow his new carefree life has become and reflects upon his obligation to his community back home.
• Woody from Toy Story: Woody starts out Andy’s favorite toy, but when Andy gets a new flashier toy, Woody’s status amongst the toys falls apart. Woody’s key character challenge is to learn to be humble and inclusive living within the group. By the end of the movie, Woody realizes his duty to love and serve Andy is more important than his own status within the group.

4. Here’s an Example Template for your own Character Analysis Essay

Feel free to use this brainstorming template to get you started with your character analysis essay. I recommend filling out as many of these key points as you can, but remember sometimes you might have to skip some of these points if they’re not relevant to your character.

Once you’ve brainstormed the ideas in Table 1, follow the character analysis essay outline in Table 2 to stay on track for your character analysis essay. Do remember though that each assignment will be different and you should adjust it based on your teacher’s requirements.

Here’s Table 1, which is a brainstorming template for your character analysis essay:

And here’s Table 2, which is an example character analysis essay outline. This is for a 1500 word character analysis essay. Change the word count according to how long your essay should be:

Read Also: 39 Better Ways to Write ‘In Conclusion’ in an Essay

Character analyses can be really tough. You need to know your character really well. You might even need to re-read (or watch) your book or movie a few times over to get to know the character really well.

I recommend when you re-read or re-watch the text before you write your character analysis, have the checklist I provided above handy and take notes. Then, use the essay outline I provided above to put all of those notes together into a clear and thorough final character analysis essay.

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 5 Top Tips for Succeeding at University
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How to Write a Character Analysis Essay

A character analysis essay is a challenging type of essay students usually write for literature or English courses. In this article, we will explain the definition of character analysis and how to approach it. We will also touch on how to analyze characters and guide you through writing character analysis essays.

Typically, this kind of writing requires students to describe the character in the story's context. This can be fulfilled by analyzing the relationship between the character in question and other personas. Although, sometimes, giving your personal opinion and analysis of a specific character is also appropriate.

Let's explain the specifics of how to do a character analysis by getting straight to defining what is a character analysis. Our term paper writers will have you covered with a thorough guide!

What Is a Character Analysis Essay?

The character analysis definition explains the in-depth personality traits and analyzes characteristics of a certain hero. Mostly, the characters are from literature, but sometimes other art forms, such as cinematography. In a character analysis essay, your main job is to tell the reader who the character is and what role they play in the story. Therefore, despite your personal opinion and preferences, it is really important to use your critical thinking skills and be objective toward the character you are analyzing. A character analysis essay usually involves the character's relationship with others, their behavior, manner of speaking, how they look, and many other characteristics.

Although it's not a section about your job experience or education on a resume, sometimes it is appropriate to give your personal opinion and analysis of a particular character.

What Is the Purpose of a Character Analysis Essay

More than fulfilling a requirement, this type of essay mainly helps the reader understand the character and their world. One of the essential purposes of a character analysis essay is to look at the anatomy of a character in the story and dissect who they are. We must be able to study how the character was shaped and then learn from their life. 

A good example of a character for a character analysis essay is Daisy Buchanan from 'The Great Gatsby.' The essay starts off by explaining who Daisy is and how she relates to the main character, Jay Gatsby. Depending on your audience, you need to decide how much of the plot should be included. If the entire class writes an essay on Daisy Buchanan, it is logical to assume everyone has read the book. Although, if you know for certain that your audience has little to no knowledge of who she is, it is crucial to include as much background information as possible. 

After that, you must explain the character through certain situations involving her and what she said or did. Make sure to explain to the reader why you included certain episodes and how they have showcased the character. Finally, summarize everything by clearly stating the character's purpose and role in the story. 

We also highly recommend reading how to write a hook for an essay .

Still Need Help with Your Character Analysis Essay?

Different types of characters.

To make it clear how a reader learns about a character in the story, you should note that several characters are based on their behaviors, traits, and roles within a story. We have gathered some of them, along with vivid examples from famous literature and cinema pieces:

Types of Characters

• Major : These are the main characters; they run the story. Regularly, there are only one or two major characters. Major characters are usually of two types: the protagonist – the good guy, and the antagonist: the bad guy or the villain. 
• Protagonist (s) (heroes): The main character around whom most of the plot revolves. 

For example, Othello from Shakespeare's play, Frodo from The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, Harry Potter from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, and Elizabeth Bennet from 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen.

• Antagonist (s): This is the person that is in opposition to the protagonist. This is usually the villain, but it could also be a natural power, set of circumstances, majestic being, etc. 

For example, Darth Vader from the Star Wars series by George Lucas, King Joffrey from Game of Thrones, or the Wicked Queen from 'Snow White and Seven Dwarfs.'

• Minor : These characters help tell the major character's tale by letting them interact and reveal their personalities, situations, and/or stories. They are commonly static (unchanging). The minor characters in The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien would be the whole Fellowship of the ring. In their own way, each member of the Fellowship helps Frodo get the ring to Mordor; without them, the protagonist would not be a protagonist and would not be able to succeed. In the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, minor characters are Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. They consistently help Harry Potter on his quests against Voldemort, and, like Frodo, he wouldn't have succeeded without them.

On top of being categorized as a protagonist, antagonist, or minor character, a character can also be dynamic, static, or foil.

• Dynamic (changing): Very often, the main character is dynamic.

An example would also be Harry Potter from the book series by J.K. Rowling. Throughout the series, we see Harry Potter noticing his likeness to Voldemort. Nevertheless, Harry resists these traits because, unlike Voldemort, he is a good person and resists any desire to become a dark wizard.

• Static (unchanging): Someone who does not change throughout the story is static.

A good example of a static character is Atticus Finch from “How to Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. His character and views do not change throughout the book. He is firm and steady in his beliefs despite controversial circumstances. 

• Foils : These characters' job is to draw attention to the main character(s) to enhance the protagonist's role.

‍ A great example of a foil charact e r is Dr. Watson from the Sherlock Holmes series by Arthur Conan Doyle.

How to Analyze a Character 

While preparing to analyze your character, make sure to read the story carefully.

• Pay attention to the situations where the character is involved, their dialogues, and their role in the plot.
• Make sure you include information about what your character achieves on a big scale and how they influence other characters.
• Despite the categories above, try thinking outside the box and explore your character from around.
• Avoid general statements and being too basic. Instead, focus on exploring the complexities and details of your character(s).

How to Write a Character Analysis Essay?

To learn how to write a character analysis essay and gather a more profound sense of truly understanding these characters, one must completely immerse themself in the story or literary piece.

• Take note of the setting, climax, and other important academic parts.
• You must be able to feel and see through the characters. Observe how analysis essay writer shaped these characters into life.
• Notice how little or how vast the character identities were described.
• Look at the characters' morals and behaviors and how they have affected situations and other characters throughout the story.
• Finally, observe the characters whom you find interesting. 

Meanwhile, if you need help writing a paper, leave us a message ' write my paper .'

How Do You Start a Character Analysis Essay

When writing a character analysis essay, first, you have to choose a character you'd like to write about. Sometimes a character will be readily assigned to you. It's wise to consider characters who play a dynamic role in the story. This will captivate the reader as there will be much information about these personas.

Read the Story

You might think that if you already have read the book, there is no need to do so again; however, now that you know the character you would like to focus on, reading it again will have plenty of benefits. It will give you an opportunity to be more precise while reading the scenes that relate directly to your character and are important for his/her analysis. While reading the book, pay attention to every tiny detail to make sure you grasp the whole array of your character's traits. 

Consider the following things:

• What specific descriptions does the author provide for each character?

For example, when J.K. Rowling describes Harry Potter for the first time, she describes his clothes as old and oversized, his hair untidy, and his glasses as broken. It might seem just like a simple description, but she expresses compassion and pity for an orphan neglected by his only relatives. 

• What kinds of relationships does your character have with others?

Think about how Harry builds up his friendships with others. First, he and Ron do not like Hermione because she acts like a know-it-all, but when she gets stuck in the dungeons with a horrendous troll, he rushes to save her regardless. 

• How do the actions of the character move the plot forward?

In 'The Philosopher's Stone,' Harry is very observant of any events taking place at school. He analyzes people's actions, which builds up the plot around the stone and its importance for the magical world.

Get help with your character analysis from our experts.

Choose a Dynamic Character

Choosing a dynamic character is a great idea. This does not necessarily have to be the protagonist, but a character that undergoes many changes has grown throughout the story and is not boring and/or static. This gives you a perfect advantage to fully show the character and make your paper entertaining and engaging for the reader. If you choose a character that is not very dynamic, your essay might seem monotonous because your character will not end up doing much and will not be very involved in the story.

While you are reading, it is useful to take notes or highlight/underline any of the critical elements of the story. This will add depth to your character description(s). By providing vivid and specific examples, you connect your reader to the character, and the character comes alive in their eyes. Review your notes and formulate the main idea about your character when you're finished reading with your character in mind.

Make an initial draft while taking note of the character analysis essay outline provided by your instructor. You may follow the recommended character analysis essay format if you have not been provided with a sample.

Choose a Main Idea

While reading the story, make sure you keep track of your notes. It is a good idea to look at them, choose the ones that are the most representative of your character and find patterns. This will be your thesis. Then, you must support this idea with examples and situations involving your character. 

If your character were Jem Finch from 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee, the main idea would be how his personal character is shaped through racial conflicts, social inequalities, and internal struggles between public opinion, his own views, and what is actually right. Essaypro offers you history essay help. Leave us a notice if you need to proofread, edit, or write your essay.

Character Analysis Questions

Now that you have jotted down some main concepts about your character, here is a list of questions that can help you fill in the blanks you might still have:

• Where do the events involving your character take place?
• What are the relationships between your character and other significant characters?
• What is the primary change your character has gone through throughout the story?
• What is your character's background?
• What is your character's occupation?
• What kind of emotions does your character go through?
• What are your character's values?
• What is your character's value?
• Does your character have friends?
• Is there a lesson your character has learned by the end of the story?
• Does the character achieve the goals he/she has set for himself/herself?

Make a Character Analysis Essay Outline

When you're unsure how to write a character synopsis, remember that creating a literary analysis outline is one of the most critical steps. A well-constructed character analysis outline will keep your thoughts and ideas organized.

Character Analysis Essay Introduction:

Make the introduction to your paper brief and meaningful. It should hold together your entire essay and spark your audience's interest. Write a short description of the character in question. Don't forget to include a character analysis thesis statement which should make a case for the character's relevance within the narrative context.

Character Analysis Essay Body:

Subdivide your body paragraphs into different ideas or areas regarding the character. Look at your professor's rubric and ensure you'll be able to tackle all the requirements. You should also be provided with questions to be answered to formulate your analysis better. The body should answer the following questions:

• What is the character's physical appearance, personality, and background?
• What are the conflicts the character experiences, and how did he/she overcome them?
• What can we learn from this character?
• What is the meaning behind the character's actions? What motivates him/her?
• What does the character do? How does he/she treat others? Is he/she fair or unjust?
• What does the character say? What is his/her choice of words? Does he/she have a rich vocabulary?
• How does the character describe themself? How do others describe him/her?
• What words do you associate with the character? Perhaps a word like 'hope,' 'bravery,' or maybe even 'freedom'?

Character Analysis Essay Conclusion:

It's time to master the secrets of how to write character analysis essay conclusions. Your ending should also hold your ideas together and shape a final analysis statement. Mention things about the character's conflicts that we could experience in real life. Additionally, you can write about how a character should've reacted to a certain situation.

Character Analysis Essay Example

Read our blogs ‘Character Analysis of Jem Finch', 'The Great Gatsby Book Through Daisy Buchanan Character,' 'Analysis of Characters in Beowulf,' or simply use these character analysis essay examples to reference your paper. You might also be interested in a synthesis essay example .

Now that you know what is character analysis, it might be time to choose a character to write about. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to type ' do my homework for me ,' you should contact our writers. You also get a free plagiarism report, formatting, and citing when  buying an essay from us!

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Model Essay on Identity

An Essay by Eileen for Option #1 of the Common Application

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Eileen's application essay on being a wallflower works beautifully for two of the 2020-21 Common Application essay prompts. It could clearly fit under the popular Option #7, "topic of your choice." But it also works nicely with Option #1 : "Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story." Eileen's essay, as you'll see, is very much about her identity, for being a wallflower is an essential part of who she is.

Eileen applied to four New York colleges that vary widely in size, mission and personality: Alfred University, Cornell University, SUNY Geneseo and the University of Buffalo. At the end of this article, you'll find the results of her college search.

Wallflower I wasn't unfamiliar with the word. It was something I remembered hearing since I was able to grasp the fine art of polysyllabic language. Of course, in my experience, it had always been subtly laced with negativity. They told me that it wasn't something I was supposed to be. They told me to socialize more — okay, maybe they had a point there — but to open up to strangers I didn't know from Adam? Apparently, yes, that was exactly what I was to do. I had to 'put myself out there,' or something. They told me I couldn't be a wallflower. Wallflower was unnatural. Wallflower was wrong. So my impressionable younger self tried her best not to see the inherent beauty in the word. I wasn't supposed to see it; no one else did. I was terrified to recognize its rightness. And that was where Charlie came in.

Before I get any further, I feel obligated to mention that Charlie is not real. I question whether that makes a difference — it shouldn't, really. Fictional, factual, or seven-dimensional, his influence in my life is indisputable. But, to give credit where credit is overwhelmingly due, he comes from the brilliant mind of Stephen Chbosky, from the universe of his novel, The Perks of Being a Wallflower . In a series of anonymous letters to an unknown friend, Charlie tells his story of life, love, and high school: of skirting the fringes of life and of learning to make the leap. And from the first sentences, I was drawn to Charlie. I understood him. I was him. He was me. I felt acutely his fears of entering high school, his just-barely-perceptible separation from the rest of the student body, because these fears were mine as well.

What I didn't have, the singular distinction between this character and myself, was his vision. Even from the very beginning, Charlie's innocence and naiveté gave him an unparalleled ability to see beauty in everything and to acknowledge it without hesitation, exactly as I'd longed to allow myself to do. I had been scared to be the only one to value being a wallflower. But with Charlie came the promise that I wasn't alone. When I saw that he could see what I wanted to see, I suddenly found that I could see it, too. He showed me that the true beauty in being a wallflower was the ability to acknowledge freely that beauty, to embrace it for everything it was while still managing to 'put myself out there' on a level I hadn't thought myself capable. Charlie taught me not conformity, but the honest, open expression of myself, free from the vise-like fear of being judged by my peers. He told me that sometimes, they were wrong. Sometimes, it was okay to be a wallflower. Wallflower was beautiful. Wallflower was right.

And for that, Charlie, I am forever in your debt.

Discussion of Eileen's Admissions Essay

The minute we read her title, we know that Eileen has chosen an unusual and perhaps risky topic. In truth, the topic is one of the reasons to love this essay. So many college applicants think their essay needs to focus on some monumental accomplishment. After all, to get admitted to a highly selective college one needs to have single-handedly rebuilt a hurricane-ravaged island or weaned a major city from fossil fuels, right?

Obviously not. Eileen tends to be quiet, thoughtful, and observant. These are not bad traits. Not all college applicants need to have the type of exuberant personality that can psych up a gymnasium full of students. Eileen knows who she is and who she is not. Her essay focuses on an important character in fiction who helped her be comfortable with her own personality and inclinations. Eileen is a wallflower, and she is proud of it.

Eileen's essay readily acknowledges the negative connotations bound up in the term "wallflower," but she uses the essay to turn those negatives into positives. By the essay's end, the reader feels that this "wallflower" could fill an important role within a campus community. A healthy campus has all types of students including those who are reserved.

Eileen may be a wallflower, but she clearly has a sprightly mind. The essay takes its subject matter seriously, but it also has no shortage of wit and humor. Eileen takes a self-deprecating jab at herself for needing to socialize more, and she plays with the idea of what is "real" in her second paragraph. Her language is often informal and conversational.

At the same time, Eileen is never flip or dismissive in her essay. She takes the essay prompt seriously, and she convincingly shows that fictional Charlie had a profound influence on her life. Eileen strikes that difficult balance between playfulness and seriousness. The result is an essay that is substantive but also a pleasure to read.

The Writing

Eileen has accomplished an impressive task by covering her topic so well in under 500 words. There is no slow warm-up or broad introduction at the start of the essay. Her first sentence, in fact, relies on the essay's title to make sense. Eileen jumps into her topic immediately, and immediately the reader is drawn in with her.

The variety of the prose also helps keep the reader engaged as Eileen makes frequent shifts between complex and simple sentences. We move from a phrase like "the fine art of polysyllabic language" to a deceptively simple string of three-word sentences: "I understood him. I was him. He was me." The reader recognizes that Eileen has an excellent ear for the language, and the essay's pacing and rhetorical shifts work well.

If there is one criticism to offer, it's that the language is a little abstract at times. Eileen focuses on "beauty" in her third paragraph, but the exact nature of that beauty is not clearly defined. At other times the use of imprecise language is actually effective — the essay opens and closes with reference to a mysterious "they." The pronoun has no antecedent, but Eileen is abusing grammar deliberately here. "They" is everyone who is not her. "They" are the people who don't value a wallflower. "They" are the force against which Eileen has struggled.

Final Thoughts

While "I'm a wallflower" may be a conversation stopper at a social event, Eileen's essay is remarkably successful. By the time we finish the essay, we can't help but admire Eileen's honesty, self-awareness, sense of humor, and writing ability.

The essay has accomplished its most important task — we have a strong sense of who Eileen is, and she seems like the type of person who would be an asset to our campus community. Remember what is at stake here — the admissions officers are looking for students who will be part of their community. Do we want Eileen to be part of our community? Absolutely.

The Results of Eileen's College Search

Eileen wanted to be in Western New York State, so she applied to four colleges:  Alfred University ,  Cornell University ,  SUNY Geneseo  and the  University of Buffalo . All schools are selective, although they vary greatly in personality. Buffalo is a large  public university , SUNY Geneseo is a public liberal arts college, Cornell is a large  private university  and member of the Ivy League, and Alfred is a small private university.

Eileen's essay is clearly strong, as were her test scores and high school record. Because of this winning combination, Eileen's college search was highly successful. As the table below shows, she was accepted at every school to which she applied. Her final decision was not an easy one. She was tempted by the prestige that comes with attending an Ivy League institution, but she ultimately opted for Alfred University because of both the generous financial aid package and the personal attention that comes with a smaller school.

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Story in Literary Fiction

• Literary Fictional Story

Character in Literary Fictional Story

• Narration of Literary Stories
• Desire and Motivation
• Credibility
• Improving Dialogue
• Characterization Improves Dialogue, Motivates Plot, and Enhances Theme
• Techniques for Excellence in Creating Character in Literary Fiction
• How to Change Fiction Writing Style
• Author’s Attitudes
• How Literary Stories Go Wrong
• Preparing to Write the Great Literary Story
• The Anatomy of a Wannabe Literary Fiction Writer
• Victims as Characters in Literary Fiction
• Information and Literary Story Structure
• 1st person POV in Literary Story
• Top Story/Bottom Story
• Strong Voice and Attention to Time
• Humor and Fiction
• Emotional Complexity in Literary Fiction
• Conflict in Literary Fiction
• What Exactly Is a Character-Based Plot?
• Writing in Scene: A Staple for Reader Engagement in Fiction
• Creating Story World (setting) in Literary Fiction
• Perception in Literary Fiction: A Challenge for Better Narration
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by William H. Coles

Characterization in literary fiction has special importance and authors need to develop their own sense of responsibility for full and effective character development.

Development

Character is everything in literary fiction. Not that character replaces plot and setting or theme and meaning, but character intimately relates to all those. Although characters are sometimes categorized as round or flat, every character in fiction must have complexities and uniqueness that may or may not be written on the page. A character that does not need to be fully presented for the story may appear two dimensional, but there should be three dimensions in the creator’s mind. Full character development assures that the author has thought about the story as a unit. Depth of understanding of all characters assures underlying motivations are reasonable, dialogue believable, and logic of action is clear.

The goal of character creation in fiction is complex but creating a unique character — one that is not stereotypical — is the essence of great fictional stories. The character will be adopted by the reader and the characters will drive the momentum of the plot. At the start of character development, there are no restrictions. A character emerges unencumbered. Then that character must be perfected for the plot. The character must be unique but remain believable and within the boundaries set by the suspension of disbelief all fiction requires. The character must not be stereotypical yet must feel comfortable to the reader in a familiar way. As a memorable character develops, the reader becomes attached and admires the character in the same way they would begin to like a new acquaintance as a friend. This reader attachment is often associated with liking the character, but affinity is not absolutely necessary. Respect and/or admiration are also strong attachments for a reader to a character. As the author creates an emerging character, subtle choices and imaginative attributes given to the character must keep within the overall story guidelines set in the contract between author and reader. Subsequently, in revision, scenes, thoughts, actions, conflicts and motivations that do not contribute maximally to the character engaging the reader and driving the plot forward are eliminated, or at least changed.

Maximizing opportunities

To create a character for a reader in a literary story, there are a limited number of things the character can think or do. In a short story, even for the protagonist, there may be only ten to twenty key characterization opportunities. Often, there are fewer. In the novel, with its longer timeline and wider range of development from the direct story line, there are more opportunities for a character to show his or her true colors, but ultimately, even these openings are limited. How do authors take key opportunities and make the most of them?  First, character development must be reasonable for the story and for the sensibilities of the reader. The actions and thoughts of the character must also be unique, with elements of surprise, so that the actions and traits embed in reader memory. In-scene showing of a character’s actions, thoughts and opinions has more lasting impact than narrative telling. And character development leaves more impression on the reader when in-scene story time predominates over backstory or narrator comments on past character action.

Misconceptions

Literary fiction demands extraordinary skills for character development but two erroneous attitudes suppress authors achieving the memorable characters required for great stories: 1) that character development is an inherent trait and that author learning and experience provide little improvement; 2) that characters take over the author’s stories when authors are in their best writing trances and the character carries the story to successful completion — a common but surefire limitation on developing the best fictional character. Characters are imagined and created–not discovered and described–for maximum story effectiveness.

Significance

Stories, to be great, should be significant and meaningful. A major way for an author to instill these qualities in storytelling is through effective characterization.

Stereotypes

A stereotypical (oversimplified standardized image or idea) character is avoided in literary stories. But in fact, stereotypes abound in many stories, and are often essential. Comic superheroes are so rigid that cartoonists must adhere strictly to the visual and story history so familiar to the reader, say for Spiderman. In detective fiction, Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie’s detective, is consistent crime after crime. He has a role that defines him and that is required for the story telling as she created it. In literary fiction, every character is, by nature of the creative process, born stereotypical, and is then developed to some non-stereotypical threshold. This improves reader interest and augments quality of the story. But in stories with multiple characters, all characters cannot be unique, vibrant and memorable; some stereotypes are unavoidable. This is not bad. Over-development of too many characters may create unbelievable and/or ineffective fiction. As in the writing of all fiction, proper balance must be sought, a balance that is uniquely individual for each writer’s style and sensibilities.

Character in different types of writing

Although many would reflexively disagree, it is true that memoir, creative nonfiction, and biography do not have the options and do not reach the potential of character development available to the fiction writer. Yet, many, if not the vast majority, of pieces published as fiction stories today are simply authors telling something that has happened, often to them or someone they know, with a little freedom from reality, and calling the result fiction. A character and his or her traits are described. This result does not have the imaginative structure of fiction and relies on narrative telling to the reader rather than in-scene engagement. Lyrical writers–the poets of prose–find it easier to experiment with language through nonfiction. This is not all bad and is very enjoyable to some readers but it does not address how to create great fictional stories. In fiction, characters emerge, plot progresses, meaning arises, and structure supports a story that is created in the imagination and then skillfully crafted to provide entertainment for the reader. Fiction demands that the reader knows more than the characters, and often more than the narrator. Fiction is less reliant on the discovery of something already known than on the awareness of how and why something happens based on character and plot. In memoir, biography and autobiography, the character is formed before the writing starts. The author chooses accurate descriptions of happenings. There are few decisions allowing change for the betterment of the story.

Character and Plot

In literary fiction, character moves the plot. Consider some brief plot descriptions:

• The plane crashed.
• The drunk pilot crashed in a stolen plane.
• The grief-stricken pilot, rejected by his second wife, fails to listen to a transmission from the tower and is injured after a midair collision.
• The plane was shot down by enemy fire.
• The nearly bankrupt airline failed to pay maintenance man Joe Hubbard for two months and Joe refused to perform a routine maintenance check, yet Max Fine, the supervisor, allowed the plane to fly. The plane crashed.

These scenarios demonstrate how plot can be circumstantial (1 and 4) or character motivated (2, 3 and 5). (These are not suggested as worthy of development.)

The author who wants to create great stories must characterize well. Time and multiple tries are required, and a healthy dissatisfaction with all early opportunities is essential. In fact, during the creative process, authors must continue to search for improved characterization, never being satisfied with mediocrity.

To read EXAMPLES of stories with emphasis on strong characterization, see: Homunculus , Reddog , Facing Grace with Gloria .

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33 thoughts on “ Character in Literary Fictional Story ”

Hi! I want to use this as a reference for my undergraduate thesis. May I know when was this published online? Thank you. It would help me much.

It was first published on Apr 7, 2008.

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Hi my name is, Lynn. I just had a question. It might be silly sounding. But, here it goes. I am working on completing an assignment and I was asked to:

This assignment requires that you consider the connections between literary elements and that you apply your analytical skills to developing a coherent argument about a literary work. The paper is an opportunity to further develop and apply your understanding of literary analysis.

I do not have much understanding. I have picked my two literary elements which are character and plot. ( the story is red riding hood) I guess I just want to know if I am on the right track? Thanks so so much!!

Lynn– Thanks for your question. You are on the right track. There is a blog post on site that uses Little Red Riding Hood as an example and discusses character and plot in that story in detail with examples of how changing the plot and character affect the meaning. Click here . I hope this helps. WHC

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First off, thank you for your continued input and help on my problem. I really appreciate your support. I’ve been having trouble with this story concept for a long time and that is what kept me from even physically starting it. I could never find someone that understood my troubles with my story, but your wisdom in the literary field has allowed me to finally see it being healed into the high standard I want of it.

I wish you could help me more, but then you might as well be writing the story (that and I’d have to reveal my actual plot without allegories). I will strive to continue developing my story on both a mental standpoint in mind and physical standpoint on paper. I already have used some suggestions you’ve given me here, so I’m glad to know I’m on the right track there! However, I never thought of the top/bottom material you mentioned. That will be another great addition! Thank you for that too. :)

Thank you for responding! You’re definitely quite thorough with your advice, and great advice at that! I’ll be sure to look at your responses again and again as I write my story. Thank you for making the one-stop place to prepare my thoughts in writing. :)

However I must confess that my original problem does not seem to be solved or leading in the right direction. I understand the character-driven narrative and movements which directly affect the plot, but my characters position is special in that it must pass through the thoughts of another character (which is the foreboding character) first for his ratification.

The best allegory I can give to you is that my main character is in a room and can not open the door to any other room. She is locked inside the room. No matter what she does, no matter what her reaction is, she can not escape or go to another room. She can cry, weep, or get angry and punch the doors or walls, but to no avail.

To this, the foreboding character is in a command center that has control of the doors and rooms in which to open and close them for my main character to enter and exit. That is if he wants. My foreboding character can simply keep my main character in that same room forever. But he wants something and that something is to see the reaction my main character takes to the rooms. If she acts sad, the foreboding character will open and may force my main character into the new room to the left. If she reacts angrily to the new left room though the foreboding character will eventually open another door and may force her into a new room north of her. In this example, she is literally like a lab rat or slave in the “plot maze” you suggested not to put her in.

In other words, to my main character’s perspective, she is trapped in a prison-like place. Based on her character development, she can react differently and change each time she sees and lives in different rooms with different features. Perhaps she sees a toy in the initial room and acts a bit happy, but in the second room she sees the toy again and is instead now fearful and has learned and/or chosen not to play with it anymore. The doors in the rooms to her seem to randomly open and she sees no pattern to their opening and closing. But in actuality she, through her developing reactions, can actually control which door she can open (through the approval of the foreboding character), she just doesn’t realize it. She just thinks in her mind that it just happens to be the situation she is in and that no matter what she does, she can’t control the plot and direction of her own life.

Let me set this straight though, the foreboding character is not simply a plot device for opening doors. He is a three-dimensional character too that changes as her life goes on. It’s just that his actions seem random to my main character. He studies her and is very interested in her and his future actions reflect this in his development to the tests he put her through in the past.

It is through these two character’s driven actions and reactions that they affect the minds and paths of each other. My main character affects the mind of the foreboding character, and he in exchange, allows new paths in life to be opened (if forced at times) to her.

My trouble and main problem though is that I don’t want my story to seem situation-driven by my main character’s perspective. I want it to feel and show that each situation was purposely caused, but subtly, like a mystery within a shadow.

Within this allegory, it shows that my story is not like an autobiography, as these actions are within the present and are ever changing for multiple non-predetermined futures, but the “term” autobiography was the best word I could use to describe her story as a whole.

I’m very sorry if I seem (or am) spewing stupid nonsense at you, but this is the way I feel about my own story and it is the best way I can describe it to you so you can help answer my troubles. Again, I’m sorry.

Very interesting. The premise for story and character change is sound. A couple of thoughts and suggestions I hope might help. First, you might consider thinking about this as two main characters each with emotional complexities that seem opposite and where one is dominating the other. Both characters have emotional arcs that progress through the story. Change occurs in both so that the nondominate one becomes dominate. This is already what you have set up and I don’t think equating the importance of the two would change your allegorical concept too much, but it would give momentum to the emotional changes occurring in the story (i.e. expansion of the reversal). I would try to solidify the emotional arcs with credible and realistic action, and maybe avoid being too ethereal. You want the reader to care, and they might not care if they don’t think the character could actutally exist.

I haven’t picked up exactly what happens in the plot yet. But consider this. Make your plot more distinct in your thinking, and develop it in addition to the interesting and powerful emotional arcs you have going. I think of this suggestion working as if you might develop a scene where a husband and wife are arguing about divorce while motor boating on a lake and he is driving and the argument gets hotter and the boat’s speed increases and he is distracted and there are sunken logs and rocks in the area they have entered. Now there is a top story–the boat danger and accident–on the top and the conflict and separation of their argument underneath. Both are related and both affect one another. Note how this might increase interest and complexity with synergism. In your situation, there might be a plot where the woman is kidnapped, or abducted (in some metaphorical way even) and she struggles to be free and the dominating presence struggles to keep her where he’s got her. Then, through the expression of emotional conflicts occurring simultaneously, changes occur that reverse their roles, she takes him over through enlightenment about who he is and what makes him tick, and he submits to her with awareness developing that she is not what he thought she was. (I know this is what you’re doing.) During this time, she is physically trying to escape. This thinking needs a lot of work and its only value for you may be for you to be able to continue to seek new ways to use and effect your original idea (which is good and should continue to be the skeleton of the story). (You might look at this essay .)

Overall, I think you are on the right track and just need to continue your thinking, adding a little flexibility, and maybe releasing a little from the rather tight allegorical concept you expressed to expand and embellish in the actual creation of the story (but not abandoning your concept in any way). My suggestions also point to the search for conflict, action, and resolution (drama) in the story, and in every scene and paragraph.

It might also help to repeatedly ask, what do I want the reader to experience and discover, and how does it relate (always directly) to the story? This will begin to help you develop the characters and point out the the best use of your craft skills to please the reader. You might also think in the creation and writing that you want to avoid telling the reader about your very interesting story premise, but that you want to let them discover, through dramatic scenes, your characters and your plot–and how the two interact. It may seem obtuse, but this is the way to present your ideas in engaging and entertaining ways that will result in powerful revelations about your idea discovered by the reader. If you pull it off, the reader will love your story, and remember it forever.

All the best in your writing. Let me know about your progress if you have time.

Well first off i have to say this is quite interesting. People hate to fail but love to achieve and succeed, therefore I am very glad to have read this essay by coles who helped me when I was writing my novel by this essay. I have development and complexity and a very interesting plot about a duck who wants to seek revenge on his best friend the donkey who is in love with carrot girl, the most prettiest girl in the town of farminginamals.

Hello, amateur here, sorry for the late response, but my question just happens to be especially related to this essay.

I have just started to write a story I have been wanting to do for a while, but some aspects of it have me worried. One of the main aspects of it is the way the “plot” progresses. Throughout the whole story I focus it through one character, and that character alone. The “plot” basically is the autobiographical experience the character has had with her own life as a whole (baby to death). What troubles me is that I want it to be as you say, a character-driven plot. You would think this would be easy then, as you can’t be much more interwoven with a plot and character if they directly relate with each other as the life of that person. However my character’s life is largely out of her hands and is instead directed by a foreboding character that operates in the shadows (symbolically). This foreboding character makes it hard for my main character to seem in control. In other words, my story seems to be situation-driven (with the life changing situations made by the foreboding character). How should I go about the story in order to remedy this so that my character SEEMS to be in control of her own progression of her life?

I know it seems like a hard question to answer, but this seems like the best place I can go to to have my question answered. Thank you for your time.

If you need more specific information so you can properly answer, I’ll be glad to give more.

Thanks for your question and your confidence in the site. I am impressed with your thought process. You are thinking about writing in admirable ways, ways that many even very successful writers never seem to achieve. Here are some suggestions to achieve what you want, a character-drive plot. This is important in literary fiction because your purpose is to provide new awareness or reawakening in the reader about what it means to be human–i.e. meaning. And, of course, as you’ve already discovered, to nurture significance in a story that is character-driven, you must build the character through action and description so the story plot takes its interesting turns from the character’s strengths and weakness. In the great story, the character is changing. Something is happening that will never allow them to be as they were before. (An enlightenment.) To effect this, authors must be careful not to depend on real happenings (autobiographical material which is often presented in description), which are fatalistic because they are events that have already happened (even in the imagined story). Authors must find what drives the character and then present to the reader in action scenes and objective active prose (Tears ran down her cheeks), rather than subjective abstract prose (She was so sad! She cried.) Characters built with the imagination-stimulating action scenes rich with conflict and resolution that illuminates the character and will engage the reader, and entertain and enlighten the reader. And these characters will also now be capable of integrating into the story so the plot results from their actions, rather than their acting in the story like actors on the stage. This is the gift story telling in prose gives to writers and readers. So as you learn to know your character (and respect or even love the character) you can restructure your story, using the plot stimulated by the autobiographical material, so the the plot results from character action scenes. Choice of POV will be important. Single, multiple. !st or 3rd. Each will have advantages and disadvantages. You will need to identify narrator and character purpose (and function) in your story. Try different POVs (and the voices that are associated with story information delivered through these POV’s) to find what best provides the maximum impact for you story (being true to your story) and for your reader (engaging and pleasing). Now, as you create your story, you will restructure in a series of action-conflict scenes and carefully constructed narrative transitions, a story with a vibrant character that affects the plot action that is the skeleton for your story. Note that you are not slotting the character into the plot maze. The plot maze is moving because of what the character is doing in action scenes. You, as author, are thinking of how character desires and traits are making changes that result in plot progressions. (You have not abandoned your original plot idea, however, you have just restructured to make the character the essential force in plot movement.) All this is not easy, but to achieve it puts you on the path to being a writer with a significant chance of pleasing the targeted group of readers you seek to please. Best wishes for every success. WHC

Many thanks for your response. It is very timely considering the competition deadline is Monday and I’m at about the fifth stage of rewriting! My problem is that I spend so much time getting the language right on the first few paragraphs that I get bogged down and then the ending is rushed as I’m always working at the eleventh hour. I am new to creative writing (although I have been involved in journalism in the past) so I think I write narrative in ‘over-poetic’ language. I might find this visually stunning in a self-satisfied way but it will bore the pants off the reader so I end up scrapping it. But then, if I just write the facts is that not tedious also? It’s knowing how much to include (or not to include in my case!) that is a major headache. Can you write with imagery and poetic descriptions in fiction or should I try my hand at poetry?

What a perceptive response. You’ve really answered the dilemma of lyrical prose and effective story prose for yourself. You share the frustrations of all writers when you spend time with adjustments in the beginning and wind up cheating the ending, which is so important. The beginning, of course, is to engage the reader. Who. what, when, and where. The middle is the how and why. The end is the resolution of the conflict that must be in the story and under the control of the writer. And imagery, description, lyrical language are all essential in creating your style, just don’t let them become the major focus of your writing so they replace effective elements of story . In description, look to create momentum . There is an example too in “How Literary Stories Go Wrong” that may help. Amen to never boring the reader. It is a paradox that poetic prose is absolutely a great way to grab a reader’s attention, yet the prime reason readers lose interest in reading. Poetics in fiction needs to be concrete and vibrant, not abstract and static. In terms of getting bogged down in twiddling with the prose, think of the story as a unit with a series of dramatized scenes that will carry the reader effortlessly to the ending. Anything you write should support the unity of the story. Nothing should be parenthetical or nonrelated, even in word choice. This is especially true in revision. You can master all this; you can be effective for story and still be visually stunning (and self-satisfied too). You can do this! Don’t default to just poetry! I can tell you have the potential. WHC

This is really helpful thank you so much.

Thank you so much for the quick response. I gladly appreciate it.

Hi, question and I will try not to be confusing. How do you write a plot with more than one character. Let’s say I introduce a character that walks into a room and then they started talking to another character. How do I write a plot without going back and forth between characters and making it to confusing. I’m working on a story that has about 4 to 5 characters in it. Thanks.

Thanks for the question. Here are some basics to help you think about how to get your story on the page. Plot is everything that happens in a story. Characters act out happenings in a story in a series in interrelated scenes. Each scene is dramatized by using conflict that causes action that leads to resolution. Narrators tell story, so decide who is going to narrate, someone outside story–a narrator–or a character. (It is useful to think of the writer as story creator telling story through a narrator. Mother telling <em>Little Red Ridinghood</em> to her child at bedtime is as narrator, the author is not present (dead actually). That’s a good rule to follow, visualize telling your story through a narrator.) In terms of characters going back and forth, that’s an essential way to deliver action and conflict in the story–interaction among the characters. So don’t worry about confusion; instead, concentrate on using the interaction to further your story. To get this in some form, think about your story step by step. Get who says what in your mind. . . what happens, where it happens. Keep thinking about why characters are doing things, and is what they’re doing reasonable and logical for the story? Then tell your story from memory to yourself in the mirror as if you were another person. Then tell your story to someone . . . see if you can hold his or her attention and if he or she understands your story. Make adjustments. (This is getting your plot down–create it, don’t write it. Your story should be based on happenings that will then make up the essence of the plot.) Then look to how to best translate your story into the medium of fictional prose. Look to the elements of writing–narration, description, dialogue, setting. Make things happen. Keep the story moving. Outline the events of your story on a timeline. Is the pacing right? Is everything important? Is the storytelling time too long or too short; it is almost never is just right until your finished. Learn to show your story through actions, and avoid narrative telling. ( Examples. I went to the store . . you know it was cold as hell and my neighbor, she said, “Morning Elsie, bit of chill in the air today, ain’t there?” I told her I got to be going to see Sadie. She’s sick as a pregnant hound dog. [That’s telling. Look at showing. ] The snow made crisp crunchy sounds under my brogans and my breath came out steamy and disappeared over my shoulders as I walked as fast as I could. I saw Sadie’s shack up ahead. There was no smoke from the chimney. The windows were dark, and the door was ajar . . . the blackness in the opening frightened me for fear that the cold had rushed in to team up with Sadie’s sickness. God, I hoped she was all right. [That’s more showing than telling.]) It takes a while to learn, but start now with this story showing your story through action. This will take away your concerns about confusion among characters. Everything you write will have a purpose, and characters speaking will seem natural for your story. There’s lots about this on the site. The study guide helps. It takes many different perspectives to get it all straight in our minds as writers. But the effort is necessary and worthwhile. WHC

I am entering a short story competition where the subject has to be about animals or from an animal’s point of view. If characterisation is one of the most important parts of a story can you treat animals as humans and give them similar character traits or will this sound silly?!

Interesting dilemma. Animals are personified in many stories. Whether it sounds silly depends on the expectations of the reader (some–usually adult–readers will never buy into animals acting and thinking as humans), and on the skill of the author. As a writer, as you try to create the character, you’ll have to try to imagine the reader shifting to embrace the character through suspension of disbelief. You will need to reach a level of credibility for the character–and reader–by carefully constructed prose that does not raise questions about whether this could be true or not . . . and that will allow the reader you’re targeting to accept the personified animal as okay for the story. So the setting and the prose have to be right. For personified animals, it is easier for a reader to suspend disbelief if the setting is a barnyard rather than a Wall Street boardroom. Also consider an effective POV. Do you want to be in the animal’s thoughts exclusively? If not, if you also use human thoughts as well, you may lose credibility when switching around. In general, keep thinking, what purpose does it serve my story to be in the animal’s point of view. What advantage does it give the reader, and the story? Be sure, as you write, to maintain a purpose . . . it could be the innocence of an animal POV, or could be seeing the world from eighteen inches off the ground . . . or it might be that it serves the story conflict, say between a pig and a chicken, or a sheep and the shepherd. If there is a solid purpose for your POV choice that is related understanding, humor, or meaning, suspension of disbelief will be easier for the reader, and acceptance of the POV more assured. All this will take repeated tries, I believe. Good luck. Thanks for the question. I hope this helps. WHC

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I’m writing a mystery and have two conflicted main characters and a few secondary characters in my story but I’m having a problem trying to bring it all together without solving the crime too soon. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks, Maria

Maria–

Thanks for your question. I am not experienced as a writer in traditional mysteries. However, as a storyteller, I was interested in you dilemma, and your expression of it. Although this may go against your prime objective for story, you might consider focusing on the two main characters and their conflicts. In reading your description, that is what stimulated my wanting to read–the resolution of those human conflicts and desires. In addition to solving the crime, these might be the real golden core for your story. The solving of the crime would then be secondary, and in essence, the solution of the the crime could come at any time. If you did this, as a story, the tension in the story comes from the solution of the human conflict rather than the tension achieved from withholding information. From your description. this seems possible since you’ve got the conflict between characters already established. In classics, two stories come to mind–<em>Crime and Punishment</em> (Dostoevsky) and <em>The Beast Within</em> (Zola). These are not contemporary in flavor, but contain story-creation principles where crimes are solved early and the aftermath (primarily psychological with 19th century sensibilities) creates the momentum for most of the storytelling.

This approach may also involve the reader seeking involvement with the characters and the plot, but it also might diminish the attractiveness to those of us who of enjoy a traditional crime/mystery read. It would depend on your goals as a writer; do you want to write stories based on withheld information or are you interested in delivering in your stories some enlightenment about what it means to be human? Both are reasonable and generate satisfaction for a writer; the effective writer will clarify the the goals (as you seem to have already done) so the techniques of storytelling and fiction writing are best learned and utilized. I would add, when you have the questions about your story they may be symptoms of a need to make structural changes for maximum results. You have the right approach so seek ways to change to create what you want. In your search, looking to restructuring plot and characters may help you to perfection.

I hope this is helpful; I wanted to offer my thoughts for consideration.

Best regards,

I have two stories in my head that will not go away so I’m trying to write one. Do i start with the characters in an outline,or just strat wrting a story a fill them in later>

Thanks for comment. Really, there is not right way to approach this. But you might try this. Is the story about a character who has a conflict and who resolves that conflict? Is that character is the most important reason you want to write the story? If so, I’d begin to explore everything about that character including the core desire (like fear of loneliness) that drives the character and the motives that express that desire. Then I’d outline in my head, or on paper, where the story is going to go and how to get there. Then you’ll be developing the story with strong characterization. If your story is about a happening, an event, then outline the movement of the characters in the event–beginning, middle, and end. Find the conflict (all stories need some conflict that is resolved). Then see how the characters begin to fit into that conflict. This is a little different in that you’ll be changing the characters thoughts, feelings, and actions, for the best telling of the happening your creating (rather than creating a strong character first). Be sure to keep things moving and stay inside your characters heads and feelings so what you write on the page makes logical sense to the reader.

It’s not easy. It takes lots of thinking and time, so don’t get discouraged, and always keep looking for ways to improve story and characters on every draft. It’s a never ending process for a good story.

Best wishes,

I think the treatment of characters and plot is what distinguishes literary fiction from genre writing.

Stereotypical, I don’t know, but every long fictional work has flat characters along with round ones. The tag of ugliness stuck to flat characters is totally unjustified.

Hello I want to know how to create charactert for a novel – where do I begin and hod I develop character. Thanks

Hi Sarah-Ann, Begin by imagining your character’s likes and dislikes, emotions, opinions, appearance, habits, etc. Find the core desire in life for the character. What does that character want most in life? Many writers mentally carry the character in their day to day lives and imagine how the character would react to situations. Then you can look on this website for the study guide (button on home page or in the sidebar) that will direct you to essays and interviews that relate to characterization. WHC

Dear Mr. Madison Grape

An interesting question about your characters. And very positive that you have more characters than you think you should have, and that, as a writer, you are concerned about how many will be effective. Of course, number of effective characters can be dictated by how your story is developing, a short or long work. And you should also not be equating characters: there are both primary and secondary characters, each of which will require different development, and different assessment of value. Although it may seem complicated, here are some thoughts for you to evaluate your story and your characters. 1. Are you describing your characters to your reader, or are you presenting the characters in scenes where they act and reveal traits the reader can enjoy and latch onto? For example, you might have gone to a new church where you were fascinated by the characters in the congregation. You sit down to meticulously describe selected characters that you remember. This structure for a (literary) story will rapidly fail to interest the reader no matter how well described, and/or how bizarre or ordinary, the characters are. Instead the reader wants something to happen, and the reader wants change in the characters that will change them, the readers. So you, as a writer, look for sources of action. Find an interesting character (s) and determine a core desire. What drives this person’s thoughts and actions. To fulfill an intense sexual need is one, or for the power wealth can bring, or for adoration of as many people as possible, are the sort of things you’re looking for. As you study your characters, interesting core desires will be imagined, changed, intensified, as needed. This desire will relate to the motivations of the character’s actions. For example, the choir director needs passionate love, this motivates him to fall in love with the minister’s wife who sings soprano. She rejects his advances, an obstacle to his success. He then tries to woo her by making her the soloist at church. She is not good and is humiliated. I’ll stop here, but you can see desire and motivation now driving the action of your story. Every character in the congregation is now secondary or less interesting than the primary characters. As a concerned writer, you will develop this character fully, and a few others—the preacher’s wife possibly—to maintain the momentum of your story. And characters you add to your story should relate to this story line and the meaning of the story, which in this case might be some enlightenment about morality. No character is needed if that character does not support the story action, the drama/conflict of the story, or the character development of the characters you have chosen to be primary. 2. Does every character you’ve introduced have a story purpose? As authors, we tend to a false pride when we describe that perfect character with vivid imagery and satisfying uniqueness. But when you evaluate a character and you cannot not find the purpose for that character to advance your story, no matter how perfect the description, that character needs to be removed as a distraction to your purpose (to be used elsewhere, or become primary in another story, etc.). Remember, as storytellers, we are trying to engage and please the reader. We do this by having something to say—a good story to tell—and then present it dramatically. Drama requires conflict and resolution. And characters must not just exist on the page, they must contribute to the story action. 3. Success as a literary fiction writer comes from the gift of building characters through dramatic action that a reader will never forget. For me, Heathcliff and Catherine in Wuthering Heights are examples. Unforgettable. Every successful story has this (these) quality character (s). In the literary story, the plot action itself is secondary. In literature we are learning something new and interesting about the character as a human being, not discovering delayed information in the plot–who is the murderer, will the airplane crash, etc. So if you develop your character (s) to your maximum potential, you will begin to weed out unnecessary characters as part of the process. Too many characters will weaken your character development, and too many characters will confuse and dilute the readers enjoyment. I hope this helps. And best wishes for success in your story. From the nature of your question, I know you are on the right track for successful writing.

William Coles

I am having rouble writing I love to think of characters but recently I have had the feeling that I have added to many characters. When should I stop adding characters to my story.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, can i write my college essay about a fictional character.

There's a fictional character that has had a huge impact on my life and personal growth. Is it okay to write my college essay about them, or would it be better to stick to real-life experiences? Thanks for any advice!

It's great that a fictional character has had such a significant impact on your life! Writing about this character could be an interesting and unique angle for your college essay. The key is to focus on how the character has influenced your personal growth and development rather than just describing the character or their story.

Remember, college admissions officers are looking to get to know you and understand your perspective, so make sure to relate the character's impact back to your own experiences and growth. My child wrote their essay about a favorite book character and how it inspired them to pursue their passion for creative writing. It was well-received by admissions officers, and they were admitted to their top choice college. So, it's definitely possible to write about a fictional character as long as you make it personal and relevant to your own journey. Good luck!

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Fictional Characters Analysis: Newman’s Approach Essay

Newman’s view on fictional characters, silko’s world from newman’s lens, works cited.

Ira Newman provides interesting insights into the analysis of fictional characters, which has a significant value for analysis of people’s behavior in the real world. Newman first analyzes the way fictional characters should be seen. The author states that “each fictional character inhabits a fictional world of its own” and, hence, the character should be analyzed in terms of peculiarities of this world (Newman 73). The author focuses on Hamlet and his environment, and it is clear that the character can be understood through a deeper analysis of the fictional world he is placed in.

The example of Hamlet has enabled the author to come to an interesting conclusion. It is stressed that critics still “do identify… the character by means of the specific events that occur to him” (Newman 75). Thus, the stories should be considered from a wider perspective, and events that remain beyond the story can and should also be analyzed or, at least, hypothesized and taken into account. The author’s major finding is the “feedback loop” that characterizes fictional worlds, and the critic stresses that real people’s behavior can be considered with the help of tools used for the analysis of fictional characters, as they are a certain kind of representations of the real world (Newman 80). In other words, fictional characters can be related to people living in the real world and vice versa. Fictional stories can help us understand the trends that have occurred in society.

Tayo’s World

It is possible to find another illustration of the effectiveness of Newman’s approach. Hence, Silko’s novel Ceremony and its protagonist are best analyzed in terms of the world created by the author, and the story can be applied when considering a real-world setting.

First, it is necessary to analyze the world created by Silko. Tayo lives in quite a complex environment as he is exposed to two cultures. More so, he has to endure the horrors of the World War II that change him dramatically and cause a lot of psychological pain as he has bad dreams hearing “suffocating damp voices that drifted out in the jungle steam” (Silko 5). He has to find himself in the new reality, in the post-war reality. He has a family that can support him, but he fails to find comfort among his close ones.

Spirituality plays an important role in the story, and the protagonist finds his reconciliation with the environment through completing the ceremony he created. Importantly, Tayo learns that he, as well as his people, “must have power from everywhere,” and he can even get the power “from the whites” (Silko 139). The quest for this power is the major line in the story. Tayo successfully creates and completes his ceremony and becomes fully integrated into his new environment.

Of course, Newman’s approach helps understand this as the critic can analyze major milestones of the protagonist’s life and major peculiarities of the world he lives in. Tayo is a part of the environment, and he is shaped by his world. People around him bring meaning to his new life. Spirituality is key for fitting into the complex world where cultural diversity may get different forms.

The Real World and Tayo’s Effect

Newman suggests that every story (or rather its analysis) can help people see the real world better. Silko’s novel can also be applied, and it is even possible to talk about Tayo’s effect. Thus, the contemporary world is not very different from the environment described by Silko. There are still various military conflicts, and many veterans return with numerous psychological traumas. Of course, US diversity has increased, and people have to find their ways in a culturally diverse society. Tayo’s experiences can be seen as a sum total of experiences of real people who survived military conflicts. It is clear that people are haunted by images of the war, and they need a guideline to find their place in a peaceful society. Spirituality is an answer for many people. Tayo’s effect is choosing the spiritual path. Many veterans find their path with the help of religious beliefs of the community they live in. Hence, it is possible to identify a milestone in human life. Spirituality is what makes people find the meaning and be happy or, at least, satisfied with what they have.

In conclusion, it is possible to note that Newman’s approach to the analysis of both fictional and real worlds is effective and can be widely used. Newman stresses that fictional characters should be analyzed in terms of the environment they are put in. Real-world people’s behavior should also be considered in terms of the world around them, and analysis of fictional characters can help understand choices real people make and trends occurring in the world. Thus, Silko’s story is an illustration of the use of Newman’s approach. Through analysis of the protagonist of the story, it is possible to understand the experiences and concerns of those who survived military conflicts. It also enables philosophers to see that spirituality is one of the major milestones in people’s lives.

Newman, Ira. “Virtual People: Fictional Characters through the Frames of Reality.” The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 67.1 (2009): 73-82. Print.

Silko, Leslie Marmon. Ceremony . New York: Penguin, 2006. Print.

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Image credit: Kristina Closs

In Their Own Words: Why do we care about literary characters?

Listen to the essay, as read by Blakey Vermeule, the Albert Guérard Professor in Literature in the School of Humanities & Sciences.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve relied on fictional characters to help me steer through the social world. I never had an imaginary friend growing up, but I was always jealous of kids who did. I suspect a lot of those kids turned out to be fiction writers and poets.

Now after half a lifetime teaching literature, I walk around inside a vast pantheon of fictional people. I draw on their experiences – occasionally, a fictional character saves me from having to learn something the long, hard way. Big 19th-century novels are the best. To be a literary character – especially in a big 19th-century novel – is to be a sentient, suffering creature in a plight.

Novels are the ultimate experience machines. They help you learn a lot about your fellow creatures, what we go through, how highly sensitive we are, and what makes us tick. You really can’t put anything over on George Eliot, Flaubert, or Leo Tolstoy. They’ve seen it all and then some.

I am fascinated by why humans relate to fictional characters. We use fictional characters to extend our minds out into the world and to break the world down to a manageable size. The practice is ancient and universal. My guess is that fictional characters are a tool of cooperation, groupishness. When you and your friend share stories, fictional-character talk can save a lot of time.

For example, my buddy once described his colleague as “Gilderoy Lockhart” – and I knew exactly what he meant – vain, rhetorically gifted, empty, a show pony. Fictional characters can also be, dare I say it, a source of moral self-knowledge. When I was chair of my department, once in a while I started to feel as though I was turning into Dolores Umbridge. I like to think I was able to stop myself and correct the course. So thank you, Harry Potter.

“We use fictional characters to extend our minds out into the world and to break the world down to a manageable size. The practice is ancient and universal.”

Let me propose a definition. It is a bit quixotic but bear with me. A literary character is anybody beyond your circle of ken in whom you take a rooting interest. Living people count – I imagine we all have a rooting interest in Donald Trump. But so do fictional creations sprung wholly formed from the heads of their creators. We think about them in similar ways, using the same building blocks of storytelling.

Think about the extent to which you are rooting for or against Elon Musk, or Elizabeth Holmes, or Meghan Markle, or any of the many heroes and villains who populate Twitter. There’s of course a crucial difference between wholly fictional creations and real people – more on that below.

From heroes and villains, humans create archetypes, familiar characters who mediate our experience of the world around us. For most of our history, archetypes were collective and their authorship was anonymous. The internet has made it so again. The era of single, identifiable authorship may turn out to be a historical blip.

Archetypes sell. When George Lucas let the world in on his secret that Joseph Campbell’s ideas infused Star Wars , Hollywood discovered the hero’s journey. For decades, the hero’s journey has powered the money engine. Because it works.

You can’t go wrong with a good old-fashioned hero’s journey, complete with helpers, magic tools, a trip to the underworld, and finally some measure of social acceptance. But why does it work? Why do humans think in archetypes? What features of human cognition are involved?

I’ve been puzzling over these questions since I was in high school. I went to a religious high school, and I rebelled by taking the religious questions more seriously than I was supposed to. I loved science, especially Darwin, and I reasoned myself into atheism. I just couldn’t understand why very smart people seemed to believe in such strange, violent, often disconnected stories. I started paying very close attention to what people do believe. I was especially fascinated by stories that some people believe to be true which others find obviously not true. I found a lifelong intellectual obsession.

My intellectual obsession has long since given way to wonder. I’ve come to see how story-besotted we are as one of the beautiful, mysterious – indeed mystical – things about us. “Believe” is the wrong word to describe what people are doing with stories – a better word might be “become motivated by.” We are creatures who, uniquely, become motivated by stories and thus powerfully extend our cognition. Many aspects of our minds are involved. In fact, our minds seem to thirst after fictional characters. But why? I wrote an entire book on the subject over a decade ago, and I’m still puzzled and fascinated by this question.

Blakey Vermeule, the Albert Guérard Professor in Literature (Image credit: L.A. Cicero)

Especially fascinating are the cases of flesh and blood people who wander into archetypal space. Politicians morph into archetypes because they summon up vast historical, economic, and political forces.

Hillary Clinton is a good example. Hillary Clinton is the establishment face of second-wave feminism, both its beneficiary and its luminary. But she is also, after a decades-long campaign by Rupert Murdoch and other right-wing press barons, an evil queen who taxes the people to line her own coffers – a latter-day Eleanor of Provence, the original target of “Lock her up!” who collected revenue on London’s bridges from her seat in France.

Barack Obama took to making jokes about the archetypal energies swirling around his 2008 campaign: “Contrary to the rumors you have heard, I was not born in a manger. I was actually born on Krypton and sent here by my father, Jor-El, to save the planet Earth.”

Michael Corleone and Tony Soprano became beloved cultural icons despite being ruthless killers, and they prepared the way for Donald Trump, who put his own spin on the eccentric mob boss who makes it big in Hollywood. Elon Musk is a strange tech wizard with beneficent or malign intentions, depending on which Twitter team you are on. To some people, Anthony Fauci channeled the wise grandfather whose counsel could heal us; to others, he came to represent the heavy hand of the state in a foppish velvet glove. And so on.

The internet makes it easy for humans to wander into archetypal space. Unfortunately, it also makes it easy for archetypal space to catch ordinary mortals in its net. It is getting harder and harder to be an ordinary person in an ordinary muddle; now we have to stand for something or represent something. Humans aren’t used to being able to take their feelings about fictional characters out on real people, but now we can easily.

All day long, we create and digest tiny narratives about one another through tweets, posts, fleeting stories. So perhaps my question has evolved from why we care about literary characters to something more ethically pointed: How do we live with quasi-fictional characters whose lives we know very little about but who are hard to escape and whose micro-myths increasingly shape our politics, culture, and our lives?

Blakey Vermeule  is the Albert Guérard Professor in Literature in the School of Humanities & Sciences .

In Their Own Words is a collaboration between the Stanford Public Humanities Initiative  and Stanford University Communications.

If you’re a Stanford faculty member (in any discipline or school) who is interested in writing an essay for this series, please reach out to Natalie Jabbar at [email protected] .

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The 32 Most Iconic and Inspiring Fictional Characters of All Time!

• Updated on  
• Nov 23, 2022

From Harry Potter’s Hermione Granger to Pride and Prejudice’s Elizabeth Bennet , there is an array of most popular fictional characters that truly leave us inspired whenever we think of them. Do you also think about Shuri from The Black Panther or Keanu Reeves’ John Wick when someone asks you about the most badass fictional characters? Who is the smartest fictional character in history: Sherlock Holmes or Hermione? Well, there are many inspiring fictional characters that fall under the category of smartest, saddest, strongest and popular! Here we bring you 20 of the most inspiring fictional characters of all time!

This Blog Includes:

Hermione granger, elizabeth bennet, matilda wormwood, atticus finch, katniss everdeen, jane eyre , eowyn from the lord of the rings, forrest gump, eudoria holmes, raymond holt, hazel grace, captain america, scarlett o’hara, charlie brown, eowyn from the lord of the rings series, hermione granger from harry potter series, rose from titanic, elizabeth bennett from pride and prejudice, shuri from black panther, belle from the beauty and the beast, holden caulfield , albus dumbledore, scout finch, violet baudelaire, top 10 most popular anime characters, list 20 most iconic and inspiring fictional characters of all time.

• Eudora Holmes

“Books! And cleverness! There are more important things! — Friendship! And Bravery!”

An all-time favourite amongst the top inspiration fictional characters, Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling is also one of the strongest female characters in the world of fiction. She is a motivated and ambitious young girl with her own opinion on everything and doesn’t allow herself to be suppressed by others. Even in the face of discrimination based on her background, she fights back with dignity. Another inspiring trait about her that she doesn’t attempt to change herself only to make people like her but she chooses to be herself! An avid reader and a great friend, she uses her intelligence and quick thinking abilities to help her friends throughout the series.

From Hermione to Little Women: Emma Watson, a True Role Model for Millennials!

“What are men to rocks and mountains?” 

The central protagonist of the novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Elizabeth Bennet is another very inspirational fictional character to learn from. Considered to be among the most beloved characters in British literature and among the most endearing characters sketched by the author, Elizabeth is a lively, playful and intelligent young woman who takes pride in her ability to accurately judge other people and their intentions. A strong and modern woman with perspectives ahead of her time, she refuses to bow down to societal norms and one can also see traits of feminism within her character. She is thus, rightly regarded as one of the most inspirational fictional characters for modern women.

Watch Pride and Prejudice on Netflix

“Sometimes Matilda longed for a friend, someone like the kind, courageous people in her books.”

The protagonist of one of the most popular children books, Matilda Wormwood is a fictional character created by Roald Dahl and is also regarded as the most inspiring heroine by the author. Often taken as a role model by young book lovers, Matilda believes that you can always a great refuge in every situation, no matter how bad your life gets. This refuge can be found in different things – books, friendship and love being some of them. She doesn’t cower or allow people to put her down but fights back against the unjust system, in the process becoming an unexpected hero, who uses her imagination to fight against force. She teaches us that our fate lies in our own hands.

Watch Matilda on Netflix

“You just hold your head high and keep those fists down. No matter what anybody says to you, don’t you let ‘em get your goat. Try fighting with your head for a change.”

Atticus Finch from the famous novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is another significant mention in our list of most iconic and inspiring fictional characters. An honest, compassionate and courageous man, Finch chooses to remain true to his beliefs, values and conscience, even if they are different from the society he lives in. A believer in racial equality, he strives to pass these lessons to his children. He is an inspiration to all and teaches us that we should always fo what’s right, which is more important than doing what is easy.

Watch To kill a Mockingbird on Amazon Prime

“Yeah, but I’m not very good at making friends.”

Katniss Everdeen is the protagonist and narrator of the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. She is a fierce and strong fictional character who is more mature than her age. Responsible for her family, she is fiercely protective of them. She is rebellious and disregards many rules to take care of her family which is her whole world. A very inspiring fictional character, she encourages readers to break all barriers to achieve what they want to.

Watch Hunger Games on Amazon Prime

“I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself.”

The main protagonist of the novel Jane Eyre , the great classic by Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre is another revered female fictional character that you must know about! Tracing her life, Jane Eyre explores the growth of the protagonist Jane’s character grows from a 10-year-old girl to a young independent woman. In spite of being put into difficult situations, she doesn’t succumb to pressure but instead follows what her heart says is right. Throughout the novel, she relies on herself to get back up on her feet and to keep going forward.

Watch Jane Eyre on Amazon Prime

“For even the very wise cannot see all ends.”

Who hasn’t heard of Gandalf the Grey, the wonderfully inspiring and profound protagonist of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings? A befriender of the hobbits and wise wizards, Gandalf deserves an essential mention in our list of inspirational fictional characters as he possesses a god-like knowledge of everyone and everything while also ensures that his powers and motives are closely guarded! His intelligence finds its source from the patience he learned in Valinor and is also a beloved character ready to teach you many lessons about humans and the world!

Watch Hobbit and the Lord of The Rings on Amazon Prime

Very few people have the courage to challenge life and strive for something they truly want. Eowyn is one such inspiring fictional character. A true rebel, Eowyn is willing to go after what she wants and aspires to be. She proves with her fearless attitude that her gender does not define her and she breaks barriers the society sets for all of us, especially girls. 

Watch Lord of the Rings on Amazon Prime

“Stupid is as stupid does”

One of the greatest fictional characters of all time, Forrest Gump shows how pure love can fight against all odds. He is successful in putting across the message that having genuine and good intentions for everyone as well as standing up for what is right is a quality only a few have. He may be portrayed as someone with low IQ but Forrest Gump proves that having fast brains is not the only thing you need to succeed in life. Dedication and hard work can get you where you want to in life. Whether it is ping pong, running a business or saving a friends life, Forrest Gump does it all and does it very well! 

Watch Forrest Grump on Netflix

“It’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me.”

A superhero like Batman wins the hearts of everyone he comes in contact with. His willingness to take responsibility for his city and fight the evils in society, especially those who wish to cause harm to the residents of his city is truly inspiring. A fictional character like Batman is rare and hard to find. He is a superhero with no real superpower, however, his brave nature and readiness to take on against the villains is a superpower in itself!

Watch Batman on Netflix

“Family members help each other, no questions asked.”

Nairobi is a character from Money Heist Series and is played by Alba Flores. Nairobi possesses the trait of a born leader. She even treats her hostages with love and joy, so much that many hostages end up joining her. In the middle of the ruckus caused by other characters, Nairobi stays sharp and focused towards her work. Time and again, Nairobi fights the patriarchal settings in the team. Her famous line ‘Let the Matriarchy begin’ has many of us in the loop. Even before her death, she proves to be a fighter, be it a surgery or the torture by Gandia. She becomes one of the most celebrated characters of Money Heist with her will, strength and empathy.

Watch Money Heist on Netflix

“Paint Your Own Picture, Enola”

Eudoria Holmes is a character in Enola Holmes. Mother of the three geniuses Mycroft, Sherlock, and Enola, she is the perfect example of a rebellious woman in the world of men. While her sons have already settled and reached the top of their fields, Eudoria is focused on uplifting her daughter. She names her daughter ‘Enola’, which when spelled backwards is ‘alone’. She teaches her daughter to fight her battles alone, prepares her for them. Instead of keeping her in the shell of society, she teaches her martial arts, puzzle solving, etc. Later, we also find out that she is a part of a group of women fighting for reform bills. All the while she was fighting for her daughter’s future.

Watch Enola Holmes on Netflix

Raymond Holt is a character in a famous comedy series Brooklyn 99. The Caption of the 99 and one of the quirkiest characters, he is extremely hardworking, devoted, professional, and empathetic. But most of all, Raymond Holt’s character is inspiring because of his back story. A black gay cop who tackled both racism and homophobia in the 90s and still managed to reach his goals. Infamous as robot captain, he becomes a viable part of his squad, and a father figure to many.

Watch Brooklyn 99 on Netflix

As one of the most inspiring fictional characters written by John Green, Hazel Grace from ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ is truly a brave protagonist who is earlier shown as someone who stays away from people because she feels that when she will be gone, they will be hurt. But, as Augustus comes in her life, she gets out of her shell and we see someone who falls in love with life and encounters love, loss and every other emotion there is!

Buy The Fault in Our Stars on Amazon!

Revered as the Greek Goddess of War and Wisdom, Athena is a true warrior possessing the cleverness, smartness and genius of fighting wars. As an inspiring fictional character, Athena is featured in Homer’s The Odyssey and plays a quintessential role in helping Odysseus in the war. A must-mention in our list of most inspiring fictional characters, she is hailed as the wisest, the courageous as well as the most resourceful of all the Greek characters.

Click here to buy The Odyssey here!

Our feed is flooding with strong empowering female fictional characters and we are truly proud of it! So, next in our list of inspiring fictional characters is the simply courageous Ella from Cinderella. This childhood tale that we have grown up listening to, has such a strong and simple message conveyed through Ella’s character. “Have courage and be kind,” is the theme of the story and Ella beautifully portrays this idea through the strength of her character and her belief in the goodness of the world.

Watch Disney’s Cinderella here!

A marvel favorite, Captain America is Steve Rogers who is injected with the Super Soldier serum and becomes the mightiest heroes and later, a part of Avengers too. What’s inspiring about Steve Rogers’ character is his origins as a slim but courageous young man, with a kind heart as well as a smart brain that impresses Zola, the scientist leading to their decision of selecting him from an army of soldiers for the Super Soldier serum. As someone who has been bullied in the past, he puts up a strong fight for the weak and truly emerges as an inspiring fictional character of all time!

Watch Captain Amer i ca, The First Avenger here on Disney+

The protagonist of Gone with the Wind, Scarlett O’Hara, is another strong and inspiring fictional character who struggles through the trysts of the Civil War and it’s aftereffects. “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a whoop”, is one of the classic lines delivered by Scarlett and was portrayed by Vivian Leigh for the silver screen in 1939 adaptation. The character portrays many multiple stigmas about women in that time and her character development has been studied for years exploring her journey from a spoiled girl to a matured woman!

Buy Gone with the Wind on Amazon here!

Another Marvel addition in our list of inspiring fictional characters, Iron Man or Tony Stark’s journey from a spoiled brat leading the weapon empire to a superhero will leave you in splits! Tony Stark is a billionaire industrialist who is brash and spoiled but his character arc is so magnificent as he evolves into a strong superhero who founds the Avengers, builds the Iron Man suit, saves many and further mentors Marvel’s Spiderman!

Watch Iron Man on Disney+ here!

Concluding our list of most inspiring fictional characters with the hapless Charlie Brown, referred to as the lovable loser, this character’s anxious and neurotic aspects actually resonate with our own contemporary lives! He is one of the main characters of Peanuts, the comic strip by Charles Schulz and is believed to have suffered with neuroticism as he is prone to depression and anxiety but even then, he tries his best to take what life throws at him! Through this comic strip, Schulz has addressed many taboos around mental health, as the relatable character of Charlie tries to accept his flaws and to understanding the meaning of life!

Watch Snoopy and Charlie Brown: The Peanuts Movie here on Disney+!

11 Inspiring Fictional Female Characters

Looking for the badass female characters in books and movies? Well, many literary and cinematic classics are filled with iconic and inspiring female characters that are the epitome of women empowerment! Here are our top picks of the most inspiring fictional female characters:

• Eowyn, The Lord of the Rings Series
• Hermione Granger, Harry Potter Series
• Elizabeth Bennett, Pride and Prejudice
• Shuri, The Black Panther
• Katniss Everdeen, Hunger Games
• Hazel Grace, The Fault in Our Stars
• Scarlett O’Hara, Gone with the Wind
• Belle, Beauty and the Beast
• Rose, Titanic
• Jo March, Little Women

As one of the badass female fictional characters of all time, Eowyn is truly an inspiration as she taps into her inner bosswoman to fight the most dangerous villain in the Middle Earth! Always believing in her instincts, she does what she feels right and even after the love of her life leaves, she stays strong and fierce to fight the ultimate battle and win!

A sassy and intellectual character, Hermione always knows all the magic tricks and is the coolest bookworm you would love to hang out with! She is also an inspiring character for being the best friend to Harry and Ron, guiding them through the most toughest situation and amidst it all, staying true to herself!

Another badass cinematic character you’ll be inspired from is Rose from Titanic! Rose comes from the upper class where women are not valued for how intelligent or curious they are but for their beauty and whether they can marry a rich man! She still stays true to her intellect as she curiously inquires about the building of titanic to taking interests in arts and respecting the servant class!

Elizabeth Bennett is a uniquely woven character created by Jane Austen in her remarkable novel, Pride and Prejudice. Lizzy, as she is called, never takes interest in parties but instead spends her time reading or in her own happy solitude. This inspiring female character teaches us about the importance of being different and embracing your quirks which can help you shine through!

Another strongest and fierce female character that will leave a long-lasting impression on you is Jane Eyre. Living a life full of struggles, Jane still believes in the goodness of people and is always kind, compassionate as well as fearlessly ready to raise her voice if needed!

The Princess of Wakanda, Shuri is an innovator building many incredible tech gadgets on her own for her brother, T’Challa, the Black Panther! Often considered the female prodigy of Iron Man, Shuri is always ready to take a challenge, make fun of her brother and revolutionizing Wakanda with her tech innovations!

Another inspiring fictional character played by the amazing Emma Watson, Belle from the Beauty and the Beast loves to live in the world of books, dreams of a house with a big library and is one of the kindest characters who see the true beauty in the beast!

5 Inspirational Fictional Characters from Books

“I’m just going through a phase right now. Everybody goes through phases and all, don’t they?”

The lazy, angsty and slouching character from the famous book The Catcher in the Eye is truly an inspiring fictional character for the coming generation. Catcher in the Eye through this multifaceted fictional character deals with some of the pressing issues in the contemporary world, it talks about alienation, depression, PTSD, situational anxiety and the impact of social environment on our upbringing. Holden Caulfield’s character is an icon for American literature and a true piece of art.   

“Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it”

Dumbledore is a book character that needs no introduction. The wise, old headmaster of Hogswarts who taught us all to believe in ourselves and stand by our convictions is an unforgettable fictional figure. Dumbledore’s twinkling blue eyes, hilarious one-liners and amazing mentorship won the hearts of millions of readers. Even after 20 years since the character was introduced for the first time, Dumbledore remains the greatest work of fiction in the 21st century. 

“He hath disgraced me, and hindered me half a million; laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies; and what’s his reason? I am a Jew.”

The cunning, greedy and unpopular fictional character from the famous play Merchant of Venice is one of the most powerful characters in literature. The so-called villain in the book, Shylock, is a paragon of complexities. Shylock’s character is memorable because of his humanity. His need for revenge stems from the rampant discrimination and abuse he faces because of his religion and occupation. Shylock’s character is a truly tragic figure, an underdog and a victim because of systemic discrimination. Reading about this character and tragedy can inspire us all to do good and be fair in life. 

“Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them.”

Scout Finch from the book To Kill a Mockingbird is a lovable, young kid whose positivity and maturity continues to inspire readers across the world. Her innocence and love for her family and amazing level of confidence set her apart from those. Scout throughout the book challenges the social conventions whether it’s related to gender or race and refuses to be boxed in because of her gender or class. She inspires us all to think for yourselves and be empathetic towards others.

 ‘If everyone fought fire with fire, the whole world would go up in smoke.’

Violet Baudelaire from the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events is a polite, resourceful and intelligent character and an inspiration for millions. Violet and her siblings, despite the various hardships, rally on and protect each other throughout the series. The budding scientist with her innovative experiments always manages to get herself and her siblings out of trouble. Her experiments, personality and charisma are awe-spiring. Reading about Violet’s quick wit and scientific curiosity will surely make you reach for an encyclopedia!

Following are the Top 10 most popular anime characters

• Goku (Dragon Ball Z)
• Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto)
• Itachi Uchiha (Naruto)
• Kakashi Hatake (Naruto)
• Saitama (One Punch Man)
• Isaac Netero (Hunter X Hunter)
• Ichigo Kurosaki (Bleach)
• Ken Kaneki (Tokyo Ghoul)
• Meliodas (The Seven Deadly Sins)
• Rokurouta Sakuragi (Rainbow)

Mickey Mouse (1928) was Created by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks for Steamboat Willie. James Bond (1953) was Created by Ian Fleming for the novel Casino Royale. Bugs Bunny (1940) was Created by Warner Bros and originally voiced by Mel Blanc. Batman (1939) was Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane for Detective Comics #27 (DC Comics).

A fictional character is an invented person or entity in a narrative, such as a book or a movie.

Lazarus Long is a fictional character featured in a number of science fiction novels by Robert A. Heinlein.

Hence, we hope that you found this blog on inspirational fictional characters interesting and informative. Want to pursue a course in creative writing to start your career as a novelist? Reach out to our experts at Leverage Edu who can help you in choosing the perfect course and university as per your preferences. Sign up for a free session today!

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• Essay Database >
• Essays Examples >
• Essay Topics

Essays on Fictional Character

3 samples on this topic

To some students, crafting Fictional Character papers comes easy; others require the help of various kinds. The WowEssays.com catalog includes professionally crafted sample essays on Fictional Character and relevant issues. Most definitely, among all those Fictional Character essay examples, you will find a paper that get in line with what you see as a worthy paper. You can be sure that literally every Fictional Character work presented here can be used as a glowing example to follow in terms of overall structure and composing different chapters of a paper – introduction, main body, or conclusion.

If, however, you have a hard time coming up with a solid Fictional Character essay or don't have even a minute of extra time to browse our sample database, our free essay writer service can still be of great help to you. The matter is, our experts can craft a model Fictional Character paper to your individual needs and specific requirements within the defined period. Buy college essays today!

Good Comparison And Contrast Between J. Alfred Prufrock And Nick Adams Essay Example

Introduction

Fictional Characters (Essay Sample)

TOPIC: What is Amie Thomasson’s account of fictional characters, and what is distinctive about her methodology? Put her account to the test: come up with one or two seeming counterexamples, and consider on her behalf how she might respond to these.

Only one reference and it should be from:

Book (reference from this book and chapter specifically): Metaphysics, An Anthology, edited by Jaegwon Kim, Daniel Z. Korman, and Ernest Sosa (Pg. 59)

INSTRUCTIONS:

The paper should be a philosophy paper and it should clearly be reflected in the structure and content of the paper, at each step. The paper should portray that you have a deep understanding of the topic you are doing. It should also portray excellent grammar skills!

Format requirements:

Adhere to the page count requirements for the paper.  

Use 11 or 12 point Times Roman or Times New Roman font, with 1” margins.

Double space your paper.

Give your paper an informative title; put your name, the course title, and the date below the title.

Use page numbers.

Put page references in parentheses in the text, not in footnotes—and avoid the dreaded ‘ibid.’s Put your bibliography in a separate ‘References’ section at the end of your paper.

This paper should be written in such a way that an intelligent person who is unfamiliar with the topic at hand will be able to follow your discussion.  Your mother or father, or one of your non philosophical friends, should be able to read your paper and understand what is going on.

-          divide the paper into sections with subheadings.

-          Start off with a short introduction (usually just a single paragraph(, where you say in a concise and general way what problem or issue you will be addressing, and HOW you will be addressing it.

-          Please read the readings on Amie Thomasson’s fictional character thoroughly so when the professor reads the paper, she will know I’ve grasp a detailed understanding of Amie Thomasson’s work.

-          For papers like this, there is generally no need to have a concluding section at the end of your paper. If you do have such a section, don’t just repeat what you’ve already said; add value to the discussion by, e.g., flagging some consequences of your discussion, or indicating how further investigation into the topic might proceed.

Be just as clear about what you are doing inside each section. Help your reader at each step of the way. Don’t be (too) afraid to state the obvious. Clarity is one of the main virtues of philosophical writing. For example, if you are presenting an argument (your own or some other author’s) be explicit about the content and structure of the argument. What are the premises? Why might someone believe the premises? What is the conclusion, and how does it follow from the premises? If the argument is an instance of a specific argument type—modus tollens, reductio ad absurdum, etc.—say so at some useful point.

Argumentation

Reasoned argument, of course, is the heart and soul of philosophy. There’s nothing mysterious about this. Arguing in a reasoned fashion is just what you are doing when, for example, you provide a counterexample to some account, or note that a given thesis has a certain (good or bad) consequence.

There are certain terms and expressions philosophers use to let their readers know where they are in a given stage of an argument. These include:

1.  Quantifiers: all, any, every, most, some, none, a, an, the

2.  Qualifiers: but, however, still, on the other hand

3.  Necessary and/or sufficient conditions (e.g., “free will is necessary for moral responsibil- ity”)

4.  Disjunction: either P or Q; neither P nor Q

5.  Existence: is, are

6.  Negation: not

7.  Inference: therefore, thus, hence, so, because, since, follows, implies, infer, consequence

8.  Additional inference: moreover, furthermore

9.  Qualified inference: and, but, however, despite, notwithstanding, nevertheless, even, though, still

• Possibility/probability: possibly, necessarily, can, must, may, might, ought, should
• Truth/falsity: true, false, probable, certain
• Soundness and validity: sound, unsound, valid, invalid, fallacious, supported
• Reasonableness: logical, illogical, reasonable, unreasonable, rational, irrational
• Argument constituents: assumption, premise, belief, claim, proposition
• Arguments: argument, reason, reasoning, evidence, proof 
Make sure you understand and help yourself to these terms in your paper. Your reader will thank you.

Some remarks on style:

-          Write clearly and straightforwardly. Avoid ambiguity. Avoid pretentions or overly formal prose.

-          Using “I” is perfectly normal. Ultimately, this philosophy paper is supposed to be an investigation into WHAT YOU THINK about a given position, problem, argument, etc.

-          Strive for a neutral tone. Generally speaking, try to avoid expressions of overt enthusiasm or hostility. In nearly all cases, they are distracting and besides the point.

-          Make sure there is proper grammar throughout!

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Stapler Confessions

Fictional Characters You Might Not Know Are Based on Real People

Posted: March 25, 2024 | Last updated: March 29, 2024

It’s no secret that real people serve as inspiration for a lot of fictional characters. At times, it becomes evident, such as when a character bears the name of their actual counterpart. At times, it’s more subdued. It can be hard to tell when it incorporates only a few physical attributes taken directly from the natural person. You might be surprised to learn that the following characters are real people:

Sherlock Holmes

Dr. Joseph Bell, a surgeon and University of Edinburgh lecturer, served as the model for the renowned detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Bell’s ability to observe and deduce information was well-known, and he employed these skills to diagnose his patients. We all know this film, and it still shocks people that he is based on a real-life person.

Hanibal Lecter

According to author Thomas Harris, he drew inspiration for the character from some actual serial killers, including Albert Fish and Andrei Chikatilo. It sounds crazy, but engaging people in this true history is very interesting.

Mary Poppins

Helen Morehead, P.L. Travers’ aunt, inspired the character of Mary Poppins. Travers was raised by the tough, no-nonsense Morehead when she was younger. We all adore Mary Poppins, so it is great she is based on a real woman.

Indiana Jones

Oh, how we all love these movies! Several actual archaeologists, notably Hiram Bingham, who found the Machu Picchu ruins, inspired the creation of the Indiana Jones character.

Writer Ian Fleming fashioned the character of James Bond after several real-life people he had worked with as a naval intelligence officer in World War II. That’s right, all movies are based on a real man!

Scarlett O’Hara

Margaret Mitchell drew inspiration for Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind from her own great-grandmother, a Southern belle who fought in the Civil War. It is great when such historical characters, who would’ve otherwise never been known, have an entire novel about them.

Atticus Finch

Harper Lee drew inspiration for the honorable lawyer in “To Kill a Mockingbird” from her own father, Amasa Coleman Lee. Similar to Atticus, A.C. Lee practiced law in Alabama in the 1930s and represented African-American clients.

Hannibal Smith

Green Beret Colonel John “Hannibal” Smith, a real-life individual, inspired the “The A-Team” character Hannibal Smith. Like his fictional counterpart, Colonel Smith was renowned for his tactical acumen and capacity for spontaneous innovation in tight spots.

Winnie the Pooh

Winnie is many people’s much-loved childhood hero. A.A. Milne inspired the character of Winnie the Pooh from the teddy bear his own son named Winnie, after a real bear Milne had seen at the London Zoo.

Elizabeth Bennet

Jane Austen drew inspiration for Elizabeth Bennet from “Pride and Prejudice” from her own life as a young Victorian English woman. Both the book and film depict the true story.

F. Scott Fitzgerald drew inspiration for the character of Jay Gatsby in “The Great Gatsby” from his own experiences as a member of the affluent upper class in 1920s New York City. It is fascinating that the movie features a character about someone who lived this life.

Willy Wonka

Roald Dahl drew inspiration for the “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” character Willy Wonka from many real-life individuals, including his factory work experiences as a young boy. How incredible would it be to live this life?

Frankenstein

Mary Shelley drew inspiration for the character of Dr. Frankenstein in “Frankenstein” from her encounters with philosophy and science in the Romantic period.

Bridget Jones

“Bridget Jones’s Diary” author Helen Fielding drew inspiration for the character from her own experiences as a single person residing in London in the 1990s. We could all use a friend like Bridget, and it’s great to know she is based on a real woman.

Severus Snape

J.K. Rowling drew inspiration from a childhood teacher for the Harry Potter series Severus Snape character. Although this instructor was severe and frightening, she was ultimately motivated to pursue writing as a career.

Lisbeth Salander

Writer Stieg Larsson modeled the “Millennium” series Lisbeth Salander after a young lady he encountered while working as a journalist. Because this woman had a history of male abuse, Larsson was motivated to write a character who stood up to her abusers.

Katniss Everdeen

“The Hunger Games” author Suzanne Collins drew inspiration for the character of Katniss Everdeen from her own experiences as well as from people she knew. She stated that her own wilderness experiences and her father’s military service inspired her.

Forrest Gump

Samuel Davis, a real person, inspired the character of Forrest Gump in the book and movie of the same name. After playing football in high school and serving in the Vietnam War, Davis went on to support veterans’ rights.

Holden Caulfield

J.D. Salinger’s experiences as a teenager in 1930s and 1940s New York City inspired the character of Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye.

The Dude in The Big Lebowski was partially inspired by Jeff Dowd, a real-life individual. Renowned for his easygoing demeanor and passion for bowling, Dowd was also a political activist and a film producer.

American Customs That Confuse the Rest of the World

Non-Americans are pointing out puzzling aspects of American culture, such as the obsession with sugary foods, complex tipping customs, and the prevalence of guns and violence in media. These observations highlight the cultural nuances that can confuse outsiders.

What Does the World Really Thinks of Americans

It’s obvious that every part of the world has something to say about Americans or knows something about this glorious country. To identify what foreigners think about Americans by leveraging general news articles and social media surveys, we bring you what we found.

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