Dynamic and Static Characters: The Difference and Why It Matters
Memorable, believable characters are important to any good story. Think about what makes these literary classics so memorable:
- Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
- Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre
- Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
- R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit
- Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women
- Herman Melville’s Moby Dick
Each includes a cast of imperfect characters whose growth and character arcs are crucial. Before writing a story imagine and convert it into an article or get article writing services. A story contains two types of characters: dynamic and static. Understanding them can assist you in persuading readers to keep turning the pages.
What is a Dynamic Character?
One who changes a lot by the end of a story because of the problems he faces inside and outside himself and the lessons he learns. The more obstacles there are, the greater the story. The most difficult tasks result in the most powerful transformations. Lead characters are usually engaged, but this is not always the case.
Dynamic Character Examples:
Katniss Everdeen: Following her father’s death, she begins The Hunger Games, trying to feed and defend her family. When Katniss’s sister, Prim, is chosen as the tribute for District 12, she realizes she will not survive, so she volunteers to take her place beside the baker’s son, Peeta, the chosen male tribute. Peeta has had a crush on Katniss since babyhood, but does Katniss share his feelings, or is she acting for strategic reasons? The twists and turns of the game have readers guessing if Katniss and Peeta will survive. Katniss becomes a hero in the end, inspiring expectation (and revolt) among her countrymen. Book publishing agent help you in every step to complete your character.
Ebenezer Scrooge: He starts A Christmas Carol as a selfish, greedy, and unpleasant old man who appears to dislike anything good, including carolers attempting to spread holiday cheer on Christmas Eve. That night, however, he is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, as well as the ghosts of Christmases past, present, and future. He watches as no one cares about him enough to suffer his passing. In the end, he transforms into a kind, compassionate, and kindhearted gentleman who plans on maintaining the Christmas spirit for the rest of his life.
Walter White: Breaking Bad’s main character begins as a high school science teacher who discovers he has cancer. His insurance company denies funding all of his therapies, threatening his financial strength. He already has two jobs and a second mortgage on his house. Walter gets an idea while riding along on a drug bust with his DEA brother-in-law: he could utilize his scientific skills to manufacture quality meth and make a fortune. An accidental encounter with a former student develops an odd partnership and thus begins Walter White’s secret life. Not only is he able to meet his family’s financial demands quickly, but his drug operation grows so wealthy that it eventually destroys everyone involved. White went from being a high school teacher to being a drug kingpin, which is different from what happened to Scrooge.
Dynamic vs. Static Characters
Static characters.
frequently get a bad rap, but this isn’t always justified.
While dynamic people go through life-changing events, static characters’ personalities, habits, and morals remain mostly unchanged. That doesn’t mean they have to be boring. It simply means that they do not undergo as dramatic an internal transformation as dynamic characters do.
Static Character Examples:
James Bond: Ian Fleming constructed the ideal static character in his 12-novel series. Despite being a sophisticated, smart, and dangerous British Secret Service agent fighting crime, he remains the same.
Smaug: In The Hobbit, the dangerous, fire-breathing dragon who captures Erebor stands atop a golden treasure he’ll defend at any cost. Smaug awakens and fights when Bilbo steals a goblet, which leads to his eventual end. His character remains unchanged throughout.
Albus Dumbledore: For most of the Harry Potter books, Dumbledore is shown as the beloved grandfatherly Headmaster of Hogwarts. As readers, we get to know him better as we learn about his past, but he stays the same throughout the series. Only after his death do we learn more about his sins and integrity, as well as the fact that he never completely purified himself of the dark side he so carefully suppressed.
How to Create a Dynamic Character
Give him a history. Your character’s history, or “backstory,” shaped who he is today. The more familiar you are with him, the easier it will be to decide where change can occur in your story. Things to keep in mind, whether or not you include them:
- When and where was he born?
- What are his parents’ names?
- Is he related to any brothers or sisters (please mention names and ages)?
- Did he finish high school? College? What about graduate school? How long will you be there and where will you be?
- What is his political party?
- What is his profession?
- How much money does he make?
- What are his objectives?
- What are his abilities and skills?
- What is his spiritual life like?
- Who are his acquaintances?
- Who is his closest companion?
- Is he still single? Dating? Married?
- What’s his point of view?
- What personality type is he?
- What makes him angry?
- What makes him happy?
- What is he scared of?
This is the cardinal rule of fiction, as Jerry always says.
Through his thoughts, actions, and dialogue, show readers who your character is. Then trust your readers enough to let them figure out the leftovers.
This provides the finest reading experience for readers.
Start Developing Dynamic Characters
A dynamic character, whether positive or negative, changes during the course of a story.
Investigate dynamic people in stories to discover what makes them tick and how you might do the same. Create memorable characters by creating dynamic characters who feel real. For further details click this link “Book Writing Company“.