Secondary Characters Characters in a narrative who play supporting roles to the protagonist, often contributing to the plot or providing contrast to the main character.
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Related terms A character or force that opposes or creates conflict for the protagonist in a story.
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A lead character who lacks qualities of traditional heroes, such as courage and morality. To make up for this they might be exceptionally skilled in a certain area or have an interesting flaw that makes them more complex character.
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A character who, despite being the antagonist, possesses sympathetic or redeeming qualities that challenge traditional notions of villainy.
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The narrative history or background information of a character, setting, or event that provides context to the main story.
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The transformation or development of a character throughout a story, typically involving a change in their beliefs, traits, or actions in response to the events they experience.
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A universally recognizable pattern or type of character that represents a specific role or personality trait often found in literature, mythology, or storytelling.
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A psychological or emotional trauma from a character's past that continues to influence their behavior or decisions in the present.
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A comprehensive summary or description of a character's traits, background, motivations, and personality traits used by writers to develop and maintain consistency in their portrayal throughout a story.
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The interconnected relationships and interactions between characters within a narrative, forming a complex network that drives the story forward.
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The process of developing and portraying the traits, motivations, and personalities of characters in a story through their actions, dialogue, thoughts, and interactions with others.
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A personality typing system that categorizes individuals into nine interconnected personality types, each with its own motivations, fears, and behavioral patterns, aiming to provide insight into personal growth and interpersonal dynamics.
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Indirect Characterization
The portrayal of characters through their actions, dialogue, thoughts, and interactions with others, allowing readers to infer their personality traits and motivations.
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Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
A psychological theory proposing that individuals have a hierarchy of needs, ranging from physiological requirements like food and water to self-actualization, which must be fulfilled sequentially, with higher-level needs becoming motivating factors once lower-level ones are satisfied.
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A wise or experienced character who provides guidance, support, and wisdom to the protagonist, often serving as a teacher or role model.
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The central character in a story whose actions, motivations, and development typically drive the narrative forward and with whom the audience often empathizes or identifies.
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A character in a narrative who exhibits depth, complexity, and development, often displaying a range of emotions, motivations, and behaviors.
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Characters in a narrative who do not undergo significant change or development throughout the story, maintaining consistent traits or behaviors.
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A character who embodies malevolent or antagonistic qualities, opposing the protagonist and often engaging in morally reprehensible actions to achieve their goals.
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