Dynamic and Static Characters Dynamic Characters Experience a

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Dynamic and Static Characters

Dynamic and Static Characters

Dynamic Characters Experience a change or shift in attitude and behavior during the course

Dynamic Characters Experience a change or shift in attitude and behavior during the course of a literary work. (not literal change, like a haircut, but a change in values or beliefs—sometimes a new understanding or sense of awareness)

Static Characters Do not change. Attitudes and behavior remain essentially stable or the same

Static Characters Do not change. Attitudes and behavior remain essentially stable or the same throughout the literary work. Hold the same beliefs or opinions in the end as they did at the beginning of the story.

Important difference: Change in circumstance does not produce a dynamic character – only if

Important difference: Change in circumstance does not produce a dynamic character – only if the changes in one’s circumstance (whether good or bad) causes the change in the character. If a character inherits a million dollars from a rich aunt in a story, this may or may not result in the sort of change in his personality or values that would make him count as a dynamic character, but his inheritance is not the “change”. He might remain the same bitter, selfish person he had always been. This would be an instance of static character.

Change = or Change in identity can be a good or bad thing Examples?

Change = or Change in identity can be a good or bad thing Examples? ? Important to look at the story’s plot in terms of the characters’ decisions Going through trials and making progress vs. falling to temptation and resulting in failure

Understanding the Change What motivated the change? Is it a good or bad thing?

Understanding the Change What motivated the change? Is it a good or bad thing? What is the extent of the change? Based on the change or lack/unwillingness to change, what can we infer about the focus of the story? What is it trying to teach or show us as a reader?