Fiction houses two characters: round and flat. Both have roles to play in a story. The problem, except in the case of a plot-driven story, occurs when the main character, usually the protagonist but sometimes an antagonist, never leaves the realm of flat.
A flat character is a stock one. He or she is the character who might receive a “best supporting” award, but it’s unlikely. Flat characters tend to exist to move a story forward. They might have some really good lines, but they’re still a part of the backdrop. They are one-dimensional, the cardboard cutout. They’re often archetypal but without the saving grace of personality. Their actions are dictated by the roles they have to play (see: Prince Charming) rather than the characters they are or ostensibly could be.
Round characters are three-dimensional ones. They may be based on archetypes, but their types are altered by the existence of their humanity. They are people who struggle with hope, fear, desire, anger. They are the gods made flesh. They struggle to make a decision. They are transformed, for good or ill, by the circumstances against which they’re the pitted. They are the Prince Charming’s and Maleficent’s with backstories.
As for deciphering if the characters are round or flat, it comes to an assessment of their behavior. Do they respond as humans or do they react because of a role they have to play? If they are playing a role, is it because of a need to play that role or simply because it’s the role dictated by the author? The first shows a character who understands he or she is playing a role that could have unforeseen consequences; the second is a speed bump in the story so that the plot can wend toward its foreseen end.
Image: Alexander Ward (Creative Commons)
[…] of a person or subject, but telling all the positive points without admitting the negatives makes the story one-sided and flat. A true story is multi-dimensional. It allows ambiguities and even criticisms. In doing so, the […]