static flat character definition literature

Mercutio is risque in his jokes and has an inflated ego, which leads him to challenge Tybalt to a duel which results in his own death. Mercutio is entertaining and works well as the foil to Romeo in the play The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, but he does not evolve or change throughout the play, and his personality lacks complexity. His ever-present optimism, sense of adventure, and forgiveness of his best friend Gene’s flaws live on in Gene’s mind, but they do not change or evolve enough to make Finny a dynamic character. While Finny is the centerpoint of the novel A Separate Peace by John Knowles, he is a one-dimensional character.

Montresor’s personality is limited to wanting retribution and using manipulation to get it, which lacks complexity and depth. For instance, Montrestor in Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Cask of Amontillado” is the protagonist of the story who is bent on revenge against Fortunato, and this does not change or evolve. A protagonist can be flat or static if they lack a fully dimensional personality and do not evolve or change throughout the story. His personality is unique in Gene’s world, but it mainly serves to highlight Gene’s own shortcomings, and his eventual realization that the only enemy he’s fighting is his own insecurities.Ī flat/static character is usually found in a supporting role, but not always. He remains optimistic, upbeat, adventurous, and forgiving of his flawed best friend right up until his death. For example, in the novel A Separate Peace by John Knowles, Gene’s narration focuses on his memories of Finny yet Finny never changes throughout the novel. They can be an archetypal character, like a sidekick, mentor, or villain, which serves to highlight the protagonist’s more complex personality traits. They often do not learn anything from their experiences, or they are simply in the story to fulfill a role. A flat or static character is a character in a story that lacks depth and complexity, and tends to remain in a fixed mindset.

Static flat character definition literature