abstract
| - Change isn't always a good thing, nor necessary. Likewise some characters, be they Round or Flat, will end a story with much the same personality and traits they began with. These Static Characters can go entire seasons or books without changing or experiencing the Character Development that a more Dynamic Character does. This is NOT necessarily a bad thing, as some characters don't need Character Development. A Badass does not have to decay into The Woobie to stay an interesting character—while some consumers may embrace the evolution, others will cry out, "We Want Our Jerk Back!" Such characters are useful in secondary roles, serving as yardsticks against which your central (and Dynamic) character's growth can be contrasted. If you want your Static Character in the central role, just enforce it internally, using a Pygmalion Snapback or a painful collision with Status Quo Is God. Some comedies built around characters whose personalities are set in stone and will not change, whatever happens. For that matter, every Tragedy—no, every tragedy—is built around characters whose personalities are set in stone and will not change, whatever happens. Also note that a Static Character is not by definition boring. Obviously, it helps if you've got a Round Character, as exploring all their pre-existing facets can entertain without requiring character evolution. Furthermore, the introduction of Hidden Depths or an exploration of a Dark and Troubled Past accomplishes similar things; while the character is technically not evolving, the audience's perception of the character very much does. And these characters are ripe for internal conflict, since we already know a fair bit about them. Having said that, Flat Characters who are also Static may get dull unless the author takes care to make them entertaining somehow, be they the Butt Monkey or perpetual Fish Out of Water. Despite their unchanging nature, Early Installment Weirdness is still a distinct a possibility; Static Characters are frequently the result of Flanderization. Examples of Static Character include:
|