what is the definiton of a dynamic vs. static character-?

Answer 1

A story can have many dynamic and many static characters - they have nothing to do with being antagonists or protagonists or who is the lead character and who is a secondary character. Quite often, a lead character is very much a static character.

A static character is a character who does not undergo any important change during the duration of the story. At the end they are essentially the same person they were at the beginning. The story does not affect any changes in them. In contrast, a dynamic character does undergo change - often very dramatic change -- during the duration of the story.

The change doesn't have to be good or bad. A good kid could turn to a life of crime in your story. He would be a dynamic character. An evil person could have a change of heart and do something good - like Ebenezer Scrooge - and be a dynamic character. It can involve an epiphany or any other kind of change in the person's thinking or character.

A character who has a particular personality and stays that way regardless of what happens is static. If we go back to A Christmas Carol, Bob Cratchitt is static. He doesn't change his personality at all. He is the same person at the end as he is at the beginning. Even his windfall doesn't change his character.

Sometimes the two types of characters play off each other -- with a third character as kind of the catalyst, but the catalyst can also be an event, an incident, or even something that doesn't actually happen in your story but happens far away. For instance, a person could be in California and after they heard about 9/11 they were influenced to join the army and end up getting killed in Iraq. A terrible example but that is a static character influenced by an outside force.

Hope that helps. Pax - C

Answer 2

Static Vs Dynamic

Answer 3

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RE:
what is the definiton of a dynamic vs. static character-?

Answer 4

I think Static characters are those who do not undergo "changes" throughout the story... They remain the same. They are still who they were from the very beginning. Dynamic characters however are those who go through changes and become better( or worse)characters at the end of the story. =)

Answer 5

a dynamic character is in laymans terms the lead character, whereas a static character contributes to a story to further it, however they are not the featured character.