english March 30

In this section you will probably see how considerations about character overlap with last weeks explanation of plot. At the center of a story's plot is the story's conflict. And that conflict is always between people, or at least it's always between characters (sometimes they are actually not people, in the literal sense).

 

 

As you begin to think about character, be careful to distinguish between two possible definitions of character:

· the personality of the individual.

· the particular individual in a literary work.

When talking about the individuals who populate stories, round (or well rounded) characters are usually considered essential to quality fiction. We might also describe these characters as complex and three dimensional (in this sense, they seem realistic). Flat characters are those who are not shown in true complexity.

· In lesser story telling, these might be stock characters who are sometimes too clearly used as plot devices.

· Or in finer stories they are used as types for allegorical purposes, as features of the story's landscape, as necessary but brief participants in action, or to enhance readers' understanding of a central character (See Chekhov’s Misery for an example of the latter).

Another way of looking at character in a story is to ask how the writer develops his or her characters:

· Through dialogue?

· Exposition and description?

· Actions?

· Other characters or the setting?

Key Distinctions

Protagonist: this is a label for the main character whose actions move the story forward… often associated with the hero or anti-hero. Antagonist: the primary character or force in the story that acts in opposition to the protagonist. Another note: protagonists and antagonists are not always human or even individuals. The setting in Jack London’s story, To Build a Fire, is actually the antagonist. Because of the need for an empathetic main character (see distinctions between empathetic and sympathetic here) , the protagonist is almost always human or, if nothing else, a symbolic representation of human desires.

An interesting variance in formula to consider: Satan, as portrayed in Paradise Lost. The fallen angel initially takes on the role of an apparent anti-hero. However, Milton reveals him to be a fool by the end of his epic poem and ultimately a false-protagonist. The real character making all of the key choices that advance the story forward? God. Why did Milton have a story where the main character seems to shift? It does fit his story's purpose: to show the appeal of evil (the initial empathy that the poem creates for Satan). As the poem progresses, however, Satan's argument becomes more pathetic, obviously manipulative, and less empathetic. Another good question to answer: is the character dynamic or static? Usually, main characters change in some way, making them dynamic characters. If the main character doesn't change, he or she usually keeps us interested by his or her desire to change or keep from changing. The quest, either way, may not succeed, but there are choices being made: a struggle of some kind to move or resist movement. Static characters do not change and are immovable objects in the story (see Melville's Bartleby for a clear example of this). It's also helpful to think of characters (particularly the protagonist and the antagonist) and how they are integral to the story's plot. The conflict between these two forces shape the plot. The diagram to the bottom-right would represent almost any story worth reading or hearing: a protagonist who fights against an antagonist for something she wants. Each point on top of a step would represent a turning point, where the protagonist must usually make a choice to move the story forward and come closer to his desire. In fact, a good way to identify the protagonist in most stories is to ask: who is responsible for the most significant action (or inaction) during most of the turning points in the story?

Any Decent Story has Conflict:

It is always helpful to identify the nature of a story’s central conflict (or minor conflicts) in order to better understand the work. Conflict can be generally put into four categories (stories might contain a blend of these different conflicts): Man vs. man:

This usually amounts to a showdown between the interests or wills of two or more people. While it may be tempting to simply see the conflict between a hero and a villain, literature presents many possibilities. An example: In Anton Chekhov’s Enemies, a physician becomes the enemy of another man simply because they are both bitterly blinded by their own heartbreak. Man vs. self

Tortured souls, complex minds, ambitious characters, and even ordinary folk often need nothing more than their own goals or twisted psyches to provide the conflict for a good story. Example: Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is an obvious illustration of this type of conflict. The transformation of Jekyll is symbolic of many possible psychological dilemmas. The Doctor’s fight is primarily with himself! Man vs. nature These conflicts emphasize the futility of man’s plight in the face of unsympathetic natural forces. Earthquakes, flood, fire, or even time itself become enemies. Example: Jack London’s To Build a Fire (illustrated at right) is a story that shows a man’s struggle to survive in the Yukon wilderness. Man vs. society This is a favorite conflict of science fiction writers and of socially conscious authors whose works show the plight of the individual as it confronts societal conventions, stereotypes, and other limitations. ‘Man versus technology’ might best be labeled as a conflict in this category, as any technology is a product of a given society. Example: In Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, individuals confront a society that no longer values books and has made reading them illegal. Instead of saving homes and lives from the ravages of fire, fire fighters are now responsible for turning the offending materials to ash.

In order to answer the following question. be sure to read “The Use of Force” very carefully (it's found in your assigned reading this week) . Make certain that you can clearly identify the story's protagonist, antagonist, and the climax that occurs in the conflict between the two (identification of the antagonist and even the protagonist can sometimes be open to interpretation to some degree, so be sure that you've identified them based on close scrutiny of the story and careful thinking about how the story works). Properly use terminology that relates to conflict, such as rising action, antagonist, protagonist, climax, and crisis. Show me that you can carefully analyze the various aspects of the story's conflict in answering this week's discussion question.

 

Question: How does the conflict between the protagonist and antagonist in “The Use of Force” help you understand the meaning of this William Carlos Williams story?