Fiction: Character, Theme, and Plot

Understanding Characters in Stories#

Every story has characters — the people, animals, or creatures that the story is about. Learning to understand characters deeply is one of the most exciting parts of reading fiction.

What Makes a Character?#

A character is more than just a name in a story. Characters have:

• Traits — qualities like brave, kind, selfish, or curious
• Feelings — emotions like happy, scared, angry, or proud
• Motivations — reasons why they do what they do
• Goals — things they want or are trying to achieve

Good authors do not always tell you these things directly. Instead, they show you through the character's words, actions, and thoughts.

How Do We Learn About Characters?#

There are four main ways authors reveal characters:

1. What the character says — Dös the character speak kindly or rudely? Honestly or dishonestly?
2. What the character dös — Dös the character help others? Act selfishly? Show courage?
3. What the character thinks and feels — What worries or excites the character?
4. What others say about the character — How do other characters describe or react to them?

Character Traits vs. Feelings#

It is important to understand the difference between a character trait and a feeling:

• A feeling is temporary: She felt nervous before the test.
• A trait is lasting: She is a hard-working student who always prepares.

Traits describe who a character is, while feelings describe how a character feels in a moment.

Practice: Reading for Character#

When you read a story, stop after important scenes and ask yourself:

• What did the character just do?
• What dös that tell me about who they are?
• Has the character changed since the beginning?

The more attention you pay to characters, the more you will enjoy and understand the stories you read!