A Classification of Character Types in

Literature
Do you know how many characters types are there in literature? If you love to read
literature, especially fiction stories and novels of if you are an aspiring fiction writer, you
would be knowing about some basic character types, i.e. a hero (protagonist), opposite
to a hero (antagonist), a changing character (dynamic) and a non-changing character
(static or flat).

But these are not all types you should be knowing. There are more types than these
basic ones and they have their unique characteristics. Apart from the basic types, there
are confidante character, foil character, round character, stock character, and a Villain.
There are also some archetypal characters.

Having an in-depth knowledge of the types mentioned above is crucial to writing an

interesting fiction story. To help you with this, we have discussed all these characters in
detail. Keep reading.

Types of characters in literature

There are 9 types of characters in the literature and all of them are important.
Regardless of the intensity or the length of their role, they have a place in the story.
They help the flow of a story go logically and smoothly towards the end.

The main character (Protagonist)

Every story has this type of character and evolves around it. It is the main character or
the hero and is also called the protagonist. It appears in the story from the start to end.
It is the one who fights with the situations and antagonist characters (we will be
discussing this type next) and takes the story to the happy (or unhappy) ending.

A hero is at the center of the story and keeps the readers interested by showing his
heroism and courage to stand by the truth and fighting against the evil and antagonist
character. The protagonist often raises from nothing or comes out as a strong person
after being a victim of a destructive event. Note that a fiction story doesn’t necessarily
have to focus only on one hero character. Many stories have more than one protagonist
or hero who help each other and plays equal roles until the end.
A good example of this type of character is Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling, which shows
the heroic characteristics of a boy who faces the evils and threats against his life and
still strongly maintains the good virtues and saves others’ lives in difficult situations.

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Character opposing the main character (Antagonist)
In fiction, when there is a protagonist or a main character who plays a role of a hero
who takes the stand for the good and truth, the antagonist plays against this heroic
character and tries to stop him by posing threats to his and others’ lives. Note that an
antagonist doesn’t always need to be a person or a group of people working to ensure
the misery of the protagonist. It can also be a difficult situation or accidental event that
works against the main and positive character.

This type of character is the life of a plot along with the main character and keeps
readers interested by posing the questions and making them curious about what will
happen next. We can also say that an antagonist, i.e. a negative person or a situation is
essential for the rise of a hero. Thus, this type of character is very important while you
are writing a fiction.

A great example of such a character is Lord Voldemort, the main antagonist character in
the Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling, who killed Harry Potter’s parents. He also tries
to kill Harry Potter in all parts of the series.

Static or flat character

Flat characters are not an eye-catching part of the story, but still play an important role
in the flow and help the main character in his or her intention. This character doesn’t
have strong characteristics or doesn’t reveal much about the self. It also stays static
throughout the story and feels the gap in the storyline.

Such characters often have a very short role in the story, but sometimes the writer can
make such character very interesting and memorable by giving it a special style and
manner.

One of the static character examples is Mr. Filch in the Harry Potter Series. He is a
caretaker of the Hogwarts school of magic. He is a flat character because of his role of
finding the students who break the rules of the school.

Changing or dynamic character

Opposite to the flat character, a dynamic character plays a role that develops and
changes during the events in the story. This character may change positively or
negatively depending on the need of the story. It can be anything from a supporter of
the main character to a partner of the antagonist and may change its direction from
positive to negative or negative to positive.

This type of character often rises from a normal non-important person to an important
one and makes a significant effect on the story.
Neville Longbottom is the best example of a dynamic character who converts himself
from a simple student of the school to a leader of the students and leads the students in
a fight against the evil character Lord Voldemort.

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Confidante character
A protagonist character’s virtues often get highlighted the help of a confidante character.
This type of character in whom the main character can trust on and it ultimately helps
develop his heroic characteristics. A story often must have this character in order to
support the development of the main character.

This character doesn’t need to be a person and can be an animal like a pat or any other
object. There are some characters like Hermione, Remus Lupin, Hagrid, Ron, Albus
Dumbledore and others who played a confidante role Harry Potter series and helped to
bring the strong characteristics of Harry Potter as a hero.

Foil character
This type of character plays a nasty and contrasting role that brings out the good
qualities and highlights the caring nature of the other characters like a hero or the main
character and other dynamic characters. It often plays a counterpart of the hero
character and serves to add a dramatic effect to the story.

An antagonist’s characteristics are opposite to those of the protagonist, but a foil

character works in contrast while comparing the personality of a hero with this
character. It also helps a protagonist see the problems in a different way by bringing out
another side of him. A reader will find this character helpful in understanding the main
character.

An example of this type is Draco Malfoy who highlights and even helps make the good
qualities and other virtues of Harry Potter stronger by being coward and nasty.

Stock character
Unlike other characters, the characters of this type are of no much value in a story.
They are usually stereotypical and are conventionally used repeatedly in the stories of a
particular type. They are like any guy found in the stories who just take the space but
doesn’t have any impact on the plot. They just come and go and are generally not
recognized by the readers.

This type of characters sometimes fits in the flat character definition that comes in
during any stereotypical situations as part of the society in the plot. They don’t develop
and can’t get a special attention in the story, yet they can be easily identified. They are
just the part of the culture like, for example, an unreliable servant in the Italian comedy
that just makes fun and comments on something.

We can identify Professor McGonagall as an example of a stock character who is a

teacher and seeks the students to follow the rules strictly. Her appearance is like that of
a typical teacher with a conventional style of talking and has stereotypical manners.

Round character
This is the character which contributes the most in making the story interesting and
keeps the reader confused about the person’s actual nature. Harry Potter himself in the
Harry Potter series will help you know what is a round character. This type of character
acts subtly and changes in the face of conflict. This character develops itself and rather
becomes complex as the story progresses as he or she doesn’t stick to the limited
qualities.

This way, the character makes it difficult for the readers to fully understand and identify
how the person will act in the story until the end of the story. You can call this character
a main or major character or also a dynamic character due to the changes and
development in the personality.

Another characteristic of the person with this type of character is that he or she seems
more realistic by becoming inconsistent in his or her role throughout the story. It is even
expected by the readers as they see realistic characters like those around in the real
world more connecting with normal human-like characteristics.

Some of the great examples of the characters of this type are Harry Potter, Hermione
Granger, Ronald Weasley in the Harry Potter series. They fit perfectly in this type as per
the round character literary definition. We can also consider the other two as round
characters in the same series. They are Ginny Weasley and Severus Snape.

Evil character or villain

An evil character can have similar characteristics to those of an antagonist, but he or
she acts actively with more intensity to harm the protagonist or the main character and
others. This character does everything to create life-threatening situations for the hero
in the story. Note that an evil-minded character doesn’t always work against the hero
but often creates a harmful situation for the society, country or even for the world.

This type of character can be considered as a major character along with the main
character as it takes the major portion of the story and drives the plot. An intense evil or
villain character makes a hero or the main character more important and ideal that
makes the story stronger and more interesting.

The main villain in the Harry Potter series, i.e. Lord Voldemort is an excellent example
of this type of character. He acts as a powerful enemy and creates grave situations for
the main and other characters throughout the series.

Archetypal characters
Archetype characters have the original characters based on which other characters
develop within the story. This word has its origin in the word “archein” in the ancient
Greek literature and it means “original”. So the meaning of archetype means original
type or model or pattern. These are the types which help create different characters with
sub-types and different combinations of characteristics.

Carl Gustav Jung, a psychologist, has prepared a character archetypes list of 12 basic
types responsible for the human motivation for all type of activities. They are further
divided into three sets and each set contains four types of character in the archetypal
category. They are:

The Ego
The hero: We have already discussed this type of character. He or she is the main
character in the story who courageously fights against the difficulties and villains to
prove his or her worth.

The innocent: This type of person tries to be happy by being non-harmful to others and
expecting the same from them. He or she tries to connect with everybody but fears to
be left out. This character generally has ordinary but solid virtues that keep him or her
down to earth and gives a common and familiar touch.

The regular guy: This character is somewhat similar to the innocent and tries to be
connected with others. This person also fears to be left out and disconnected. This
makes him or her trying to keep superficial relationships.
The caregiver: As the term suggests, this type of character is caring and helps others.
While compassion and generosity are their strengths, the martyrdom and selflessness
are their weaknesses.

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The soul
The rebel: This type of characters lives their life according to their own rules and fight to
change the world. They are radical and outrageous and bring revolution to overturn the
system that is not working.
The creator: These characters are imaginative and believe in creativity. They contribute
to the world and make other people’s life easier by developing useful things with their
talent and skills.

The lover: This character loves to be in the relationship and love the people, situations
and work around him or her. They can be a good friend, spouse or a team member.

The explorer: This character always seeks to go beyond the limits and explore the
unexplored area of nature, life, and the world. Sometimes they end up being aimless
and wandering around without any gain.

The self
The magician: This type of character aims to understand the fundamental universal
laws and tries to convert dreams into reality. They often work for the solutions to create
a win-win situation.

The ruler: This type of character holds the control over everything around him or her
and tries to make the family, community or the society according to his or her set of
rules.

The jester: This type of character believes in enjoying life to the fullest as according to
him or her, the life is short and the only chance to make the surroundings happy and
joyful. They usually do so by being funny and making jokes and playing around the
situation without taking it seriously and fit in the static character definition.

The sage: This type of character looks for the ways to find the truth and attain the
ultimate place. The knowledge and intelligence they possess enable them to see the
world analytically to know the truth to be free.

We have described the characters in as much detail as possible in this article. Hope it
will be
Protagonist (main character)
This is the person your story revolves around.

Most of the time they’ll also be your narrator, but not always.

For example, in The Great Gatsby, Gatsby is the protagonist, but Nick is the narrator.
The majority of books only have one protagonist. It is possible to have more than one, but you need
to be incredibly organised if this is the way you want to go. I would advise avoiding this at all costs
for your first writing project. It doesn’t matter how much you love your story or characters,
you will get confused. (I speak from experience.)
Work on your writing skills first, then work on a story with a complicated plot.

Deuteragonist
A deuteragonist is the second-in-command to your protagonist. You might call them a sidekick. I
don’t like that word, because it makes them seem less important. This person is very important.
It took me a while to admit that Fayth is the deuteragonist in What Happens in New York, while Hollie is
the protagonist. Deuteragonists can still have a significant role in your story, even if the story doesn’t
fully revolve around them.
Serena is the deuteragonist to Gossip Girls’ Blair; Han Solo is the deuteragonist to Star Wars’ Luke.
They’re not the same as a secondary character.

Antagonist (villain)
An antagonist is the person or thing that causes your protagonist all the drama. It doesn’t have to be
a person, though. Antagonists can be internal, too. Mental health issues such
as anxiety, depression, or stress can cause just as many problems for your protagonist as another
person or creature with an axe to grind.
Love interest
This one is pretty self-explanatory. It’s the person your protagonist is destined to fall in love with.
Even if only temporarily.
You may wish to toy with your readers by having your protagonist and love interest not get together,
but be careful because if you drag this out for too long it can get frustrating and cause you to lose
people.
Usually they’re a secondary character, but sometimes they can also be a deuteragonist and even a
narrator, too.

Mentor
The mentor is the person that guides your protagonist through their journey (whatever that may be).

Dumbledore and Obi-Wan Kenobi are two of the most famous mentor examples out there.

And, like Dumbledore and Obi-Wan, most mentors die at some point during the story. Usually when
the protagonist thinks that they need him or her the most.

Narrator
A narrator is the person who tells your story.

If you’re writing in first person, this will likely be your protagonist. Your deuteragonist may also be a
narrator.

If you’re writing in third person, you are your narrator.

But, unless it’s part of your writing style (like Dickens in A Christmas Carol), you don’t want your
reader to be aware of this. You still want them to forget all about you and focus on the actions of
your characters.
Secondary character
A secondary character is the one who joins your hero for their journey.

Sometimes there’s more than one, but if you have more than two, you’re going to start
overcomplicating things.

(See previous point about having too many protagonists.)

Ron and Hermione from Harry Potter are good examples of secondary characters. They’re three-
dimensional, but it’s clear that the story doesn’t revolve around them. They’ll do anything they can to
help the Harry, though.
Subplots often revolve around secondary characters, such as Hermione’s creation of S.P.E.W..
Tertiary character
We know less about tertiary characters than protagonists or secondary characters, but that doesn’t
mean that we don’t still care about them or want to know more.

Many of the teachers at Hogwarts, such as Lupin, fall into this category.

They’re not central to the story, and they’re not along for the ride. They may, however, play a crucial
role in a part of the protagonist’s journey, such as Lupin teaching Harry about dementors.
Flat character
A flat character is someone we don’t need to know anything about. They’re in one scene, maybe
two.

They don’t really help to move the story along, but they do help your protagonist with something or
other.

Everything from bartenders to pets can be flat characters.

Even though they’re called flat characters, that doesn’t mean that they have to be lacking in
personality. You can still make them interesting by giving them their own way of speaking or a
memorable mannerism.

Conclusion
Not every story will include every type of character.

Most stories outside of fantasy and sci-fi don’t have mentors, for example.

Stories with just one protagonist and point of view don’t need a deutarogonist.
But the more you’re aware of the different character types, the more you can make a better
informed decision about which character types you need Flat Characters

JGI / Jamie Grill / Getty Images 

In fiction, flat characters are minor characters who do not undergo substantial
change or growth in the course of a story. Often, these characters serve no
purpose other than to move the story along, so who they are as people is of no
significance to the plot.

In some instances, they may be more parts of the setting than characters. For
example, if two main characters are eating in a restaurant, their server—if
portrayed at all—likely would be a flat character.

Static Characters

 Yamini Chao / Getty Images

A static character doesn't change. Such characters usually are a type of flat
character, whose key difference often is that they might appear in more than one
scene.

Perhaps your main character lives in a building with a doorman, and to develop
your character, you show the kind of small talk she engages in with the doorman
each time she enters or leaves.

The doorman would be described as a static character because he never

changes; he is there only to help show a small part of the main character's
personality.

Round Characters

Lorado / Getty Images 

Round characters are the opposite of flat characters. For readers, these are the
characters you will put the most effort into following and understanding.
For writers, they are the most challenging to develop. Round characters are
multidimensional, complex, nuanced, and often contradictory.

Round characters don't have to be the main characters in a story, but they serve
an important enough role in the plot or a subplot that giving their personalities
multiple layers is a necessity.

Dynamic Characters

UpperCut Images / Getty Images 

Just as round characters are the opposite of flat characters, dynamic characters
are the opposite of static characters. Dynamic characters also are round
characters who will undergo some kind of change in the course of the story.

Consider how the doorman used as an example of a static character could

instead be a dynamic character if fleshed out a bit more. As the doorman gets to
know the main character a little better, perhaps he discovers something unsavory
about her character and must decide whether to act on that information.

Regardless of what he chooses, his encounters with the main character are likely
to change as his perception of her changes.

Stock Characters

 Klubovy / Getty Images

Stock characters are similar to static characters, but they often represent a
particular stereotype. They are difficult to pull off in fiction unless you are writing
satire, and even then, there must be much thought behind including a stock
character in your narrative. 

The purpose of a stock character is to move the story along by allowing the
audience to engage with the type of character they're already familiar with. For
example, the main character might be on the run from the mob and encounters a
mob enforcer.
While it's unoriginal to present the character as a stereotypical goon, it does
move the story along quicker because the audience already is familiar with what
that stock character represents.

Protagonists

Stephen Zeigler / Getty Images 

Protagonists are the main characters in fiction. They are round characters with
whom readers sympathize. However, they are not always completely moral or
likable.

It's important for protagonists to be relatable even if they are not likable. Readers
need to believe protagonists and understand their choices. Captain Ahab in
Herman Melville's "Moby Dick" is a good example of a protagonist who is
relatable yet unlikable.

Ahab's stubbornness and obsession with the whale that bit off his leg negatively
impact the rest of the characters in the story, yet readers can relate to the
emotion of becoming obsessed to the point of detriment to themselves and those
around them.

Antagonists

Jamie Grill / Getty Images 

Antagonists often are known as the bad guy in fiction. They attempt to prevent
protagonists from getting what they want or need.

An antagonist also should be a round character. Making an antagonist evil is not

as interesting as making the character conflicted. Pure evil is very hard to believe
in fiction since people are multifaceted and inspired by their situations and
personal histories.

One of the most iconic antagonists in film history is Darth Vader from "Star
Wars." At first, he seems to be little more than the embodiment of pure evil for
reasons that aren't clear. As the story develops, his character is also developed,
and viewers learn how and why he became such a violent and intimidating figure.
Confidantes

Adam Hester / Getty Images 

Just like people in real life, characters in fiction need someone in whom they can
confide. Confidantes work best when they are round characters dealing with their
own conflicts and issues, but they serve the story as someone who can help the
protagonist in his own conflict.

In Leo Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina," Anna often turns to her sister-in-law, Dolly, to
discuss the problems that have arisen because of her relationship with Vronsky.
Dolly is an interesting choice because she herself has been victimized by her
own husband's infidelities, and as the novel begins, it is Anna who is serving as
Dolly's confidante.

Foils

 Adam Hester / Getty Images

A foil is someone who possesses the opposite traits of the main character, often
the protagonist. The purpose of the foil is to serve as a contrast, which can help
bring out the main character's best traits.

For example, if you create a character who is known for being honest, that can
be highlighted by creating a foil for the main character who is consistently
dishonest and perhaps challenges the main character's own commitment to
honesty.

to include in your story.