Characterization

Today in class, we discussed round and flat characters. You should have taken notes directly from the board.

Round characters are more complex than flat characters. They are also known as "dynamic" characters. Whilst not necessarily FAT, they are full, and they have both good and bad characteristics. They have personality, and they are well drawn. They change and they are affected by their situations and their surroundings. They become new people based on what happens to them in the book, and we (the reader) are better from having interacted with them. "A round character is capable of contradiction and change with evidence of emotional and psychological development."
Flat Characters are static. They don't change or deviate much. This is OK sometimes when we need a loyal side-kick or a villain who is a bad, bad man (a stock, stereotypical character). However, sketched in characters who are only simply half drawn are not desirable main characters. The example we used in class was Hermione and Scar.