What is the role of a flat character in literature?

Of course, the arc you give your character is largely dependent on your story’s plot and the goal of your protagonist.įor nonfiction, keep the above definitions in mind. Sometimes it is more difficult for a character to hold true to who they are in difficult circumstances than it is to give in to change. Regardless of your exact definition for a flat character arc, this specific arc can be just as compelling as a dynamic character arc. Master Class says, “A flat arc is a much less common form of character arc that can mostly be found in action and thriller stories.”.

Literary Devices defines them as, “A flat character is a type of character in fiction that does not change too much from the start of the narrative to its end.”.

Flat characters are often used to support main characters in a story.” They are the opposite of ‘round characters’ who have complex personalities and change throughout the course of a story. Studio Binder defines them as, “Flat characters, often called stock characters, never deviate from their rather simple character traits.Instead, their journey is about learning to uphold their inner truth in a world that doesn’t accept it, allowing them to overcome the external conflict along the way.” The Novel Smithy defines them as, “Flat arcs are still character arcs, but instead of growing and changing as a character, flat arc characters stay the same.

The definition of a flat character arc is a bit dependent on who defines it.

What is the role of a flat character in literature?