No story can exist without characters. Think of your favorite book or TV show. You likely already have a favorite character, right? That means – perhaps even without knowing it – you’ve already engaged with the world of fictional characters! But what does fictional character mean, and what are some of the all-time great fictional characters from literature, television, and film? Read on to find out the answer to the question “what is a fictional character?”
Characters from fiction
First, let’s define fictional character
For thousands of years, people have told stories out loud, in the pages of books, and more recently, on screen. Yes, some of the stories are true, or based on truth. But some of the stories are fictional, which means they’re made-up, or imaginary, with characters from fiction, otherwise known as fictional characters.
FICTIONAL CHARACTERS DEFINITION
What is a fictional character?
A fictional character is a person invented by an author or filmmaker to tell their story. The character doesn’t really exist, except for in the pages of the book, or on the screen. The character is fictional, or made up. The person was created from the author’s imagination. Even if the person was inspired by people the author knew, a fictional character isn’t a real person. They only exist within the pages of the story.
Characters from fiction:
- Harry Potter, a fictional boy wizard from the novel series “Harry Potter” by author J.K. Rowling.
- Superman, a fictional superhero created by comic book writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster.
- Leslie Knope, a fictional character who is the main protagonist in the show “Parks and Rec,” created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur.
What are fictional characters
Types of characters in fiction
Fictional stories usually have a main character. This is the person who the story follows from start to finish. This is the protagonist, and it’s considered “their” story. But the story also has many other characters, and there are certain types of characters in fiction that commonly appear, whether the story be a novel, television show, or film.
Learn about types of fictional characters
Below are some of the most common types of characters in fiction. These archetypes appear in many stories, but not all stories have all of these archetypes. For example, maybe a story doesn’t have an antagonist or villain, because the “villain” in the story is the protagonist themselves. Or some stories don’t have romantic plot lines, so there’s no need for a love interest. However, it’s good to know the archetypes that appear over and over again in fiction. Creating fictional characters like the ones below can help bring depth and dimension to the story you’re writing, and ultimately make it so readers or viewers relate to the story you’re telling.
The protagonist
The protagonist is the main character of the story. They’re the person the story revolves around, and they go through a transformation through the story. By the journey’s end, they are usually changed in some way. It’s “their” story.
Here are some fictional character examples:
Elizabeth Bennet in “Pride and Prejudice”
James Bond in “James Bond”
Moana in “Moana”
The antagonist
The antagonist is often known as the villain. This is the person who stands in the way of the protagonist. Sometimes this character is simply a “foil,” which means they exist in contrast to the protagonist in order to illustrate their differences.
Here are some examples of antagonists:
Mr. Wickham in “Pride and Prejudice”
Dr. No in “James Bond”
Te Kā in “Moana”
The love interest or best friend
Many stories have the protagonist fall in love. This can be the main plot of the story, or a side plot. In stories without a love interest, there can still be a love story, but instead of a story of romantic love, it’s one of friendship developing or strengthening.
Here are some examples of love interests or best friend fictional characters:
Mr. Darcy in “Pride and Prejudice”
Tracy Bond in “James Bond”
Maui in “Moana”
The above examples are the core and most important types of characters in a fictional story, but there's many other types of fictional characters found in literature, TV, and film. Here are some of the other types of fictional characters you can add to your stories to make them feel more complex and textured.
Foil
A “foil” character is one that exists in contrast to another character. Most often, a foil is used to contrast with the main character or protagonist, and point out something about them that's important to highlight. This is why a foil is often - but not always - a villain character.
Examples of foil characters:
Draco Malfoy to Harry Potter in "Harry Potter"
Buzz Lightyear to Woody in Toy Story
Did You Know?
Now that you know the answer to “what is a fictional character,” you might be wondering: “When were fictional characters invented?” Humans have been telling stories out loud since our beginnings on Earth, but we eventually started writing them down. One of the earliest fictional stories on record is of Gilgamesh in the “Epic of Gilgamesh,” which was a series of five Sumerian poems telling the life of Gilgamesh, a king. It’s estimated that this epic was written in 2100-1200 BCE.
Meanwhile, when it comes to novels, “The Tale of Genji” by noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu is often considered history’s first true novel, published around 1021, and the protagonist Genji is considered one of the earliest fictional characters from literature.
Dynamic Character
A dynamic character should always exist in your work, since a dynamic character is one that experiences a full and complete character arc. This type of character is greatly changed from the start to the end of the story. In a truly great work, all the characters are dynamic, which makes them feel more lived in and real. Take "Pride and Prejudice" as an example. Elizabeth Bennet is a dynamic character because through the course of her journey in the story, she learns to let go of her prejudices, and this enables her to see the true character of her love interest, Mr. Darcy. He, by contrast, lets go of his pride, allowing him to fall in love with Elizabeth.
Examples of dynamic characters:
Elizabeth Bennet in "Pride and Prejudice"
Ladybird in Ladybird
Static Character
Many stories in fiction have a static character, which is a character who doesn't change but remains the same throughout the story. Villains are often static, since they often do not learn anything in the story, unlike a protagonist. For example, Voldemort never transforms in "Harry Potter." He remains selfish and evil, which is why he's considered a static character. Static characters can be good obstacles for a protagonist, which is why they often appear as antagonists.
Examples of static characters:
Voldemort in "Harry Potter"
Sauron in "The Lord of the Rings"
Round and Flat Character
Sometimes, a dynamic character can also be called a "round" character. This type of fictional character is one that feels like a full, rounded, real person. By contrast, "flat" characters feel fake - like they were invented just to serve a plot point in the story. In a good piece of literature, every character feels round. This means the reader can imagine the person exists outside the pages of the story. If we followed this character after they left the scene, they'd have their own life, with their own relationships, wants, problems, etc. - just like a real person. Good writing always has round, not flat, characters, and these characters - despite their fictional status - feel complex, complicated, and full of life.
Examples of round characters:
Daisy Buchanan in "The Great Gatsby"
Hamlet in "Hamlet"
Examples of flat characters:
Crabbe and Goyle in "Harry Potter"
Anti-Hero
We often think of the protagonist as the "hero" of the story. But many stories have main characters who aren't heroic at all. In fact, some of the best main characters are riddled with flaws, and in these stories, part of the fun is seeing how they try or fail to overcome these flaws. This type of a character, who may be unlikeable, or have bad morals, is called an anti-hero. Anti-heroes make for complex and interesting stories.
Examples of anti-heroes:
Tony Soprano in The Sopranos
Miranda Priestley in The Devil Wears Prada
As you can see, the answer to “what is a fictional character?” comes in many shapes and forms. Good fiction stories have many characters to support the story, and to make the characters seem more real - despite their fictional status - it’s good to flesh out the various characters in your main character’s world, and what each of their wants, needs, likes, and dislikes are so, and how they relate to the goals and obstacles of your main character. This helps make your story feel more grounded and realistic for your readers or audience.
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Using your imagination to write something is a beautiful thing. But sometimes, it’s true stories that inspire you the most. If that sounds like you, you might be interested in adapting a true story and turning it into something fictional. Read the article below for tips and best practices on how to adapt nonfiction stories into fiction.
