characters

toc =A Definition=
 * A person or an animal that takes part in the action of a literary work.


 * Important Sub-terms**
 * Dynamic and static
 * Round and flat
 * Character foil

//Dynamic and Static - These terms define whether a character __changes__ during a story.//

=Dynamic character:=
 * These characters change somehow during the story.


 * Example**: Romeo is a dynamic character, changing from a sappy and shallow boy who is infatuated with Rosaline to a deep lover of Juliet.

=**Static character:**=
 * These characters stay the same throughout the story.
 * These characters can sometimes be considered shallow, but often they simply are not the main characters.


 * Example**: In //The Odyssey//, Athena is a static character. She is always wise and strong and powerful, and that never changes. //Round/Flat - These terms define how in depth a// character //is portrayed in a story.//

Round character:

 * These characters are many sided and complex.
 * Usually we see they have virtues and faults


 * Example**: Odysseus is definitely a round character. He has good sides (he is strong and brave and wise) and bad ones (he is a bit full of himself and that gets him in trouble with Poseiden when he brags about blinding Polyphemus the cyclops).

Flat character:

 * We see only one side, or trait, of these characters


 * Example**: Again in //The Odyssey//, the suitors are flat characters. We see one side of them-their bad side.

=A Definition=
 * This is when a character is portrayed as opposite of another character in a particular way. By putting the two characters next to each other, the different characteristic is emphasized.
 * This helps readers recognize particular characteristics.

=Notable Examples:=
 * In pictures:
 * [[image:http://farm1.static.flickr.com/176/483101804_4dfac47bbd_m.jpg caption="external image 483101804_4dfac47bbd_m.jpg" link="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cindy47452/483101804/"]]
 * In story:
 * In //Romeo and Juliet//, the Friar's patience is a kind of foil to Romeo's haste and passion.