A character is called a being that is part of an artistic work, driving the development of the actions.
A character is a being (whether human, animal, supernatural or any other type) that intervenes in an artistic work (theater, film, book, etc.). The characters are usually the main actors of a fiction and those who drive the actions.
For example: “The main character of the novel is an immigrant who tries to adapt to the city” , “A talking dog, a walking tree and a witch are the characters that appear in most of the scenes of this play” , “Robert Pattinson got the most important character in the film” .
Importance of a character
The recipient of a work reconstructs the characters in his mind, based on the language and images used by the author. Seen from this perspective, each character takes on different forms, depending on who observes them; This also happens when the life of a real person is narrated, since the representation that each person has of it is closely linked to one's own experiences and previous knowledge.
Depending on the talent of its creator, the character can be complex (what critics know as a circular character ) or linear ( stereotypical characters with few personality traits). One can also speak of a typical character to name the character model that brings together physical and psychological characteristics already recognized by the public according to tradition.
Minnie and Mickey Mouse are among the most famous children's characters.
Conception and development
The conception of a fictional character can be different in the mind of each writer. Generally, a very close bond is created that allows us to know their deepest secrets , the most hidden aspects of their personality, their tastes, their needs, their ambitions, even when it comes to secondary characters who do not receive more than one space. couple of lines in a novel.
The writer must learn to accept each and every one of his characters, regardless of their values and principles: for the health of a work it is as necessary to understand the motivations of a ruthless character as those of a kind one. It is a process that can only be understood through literary creation, the birth of an unparalleled bond between two beings that belong to different planes of existence.
One of the biggest challenges that arise when creating a character is ensuring that their passage through history is coherent , that their personality is consistent over time, that they can be identified even if their name is not expressly mentioned. There is nothing more gratifying for a writer than witnessing the relationships that his readers establish with the characters in his works.
When a character transcends the limits of fiction, he becomes part of the lives of his viewers, and they are capable of thinking about him as if he were a real person, imagining him in various situations and anticipating his reactions.
public figure
Character is also the person who is distinguished in public life by some singular characteristic or ability : “The Duchess of Alba is considered the public figure that sparks the most controversies in the media,” “A television program has revealed a series of secrets that seriously compromise a public figure whose name has not yet been mentioned.”
The concept of public figure does not necessarily have a positive connotation: on the one hand, it is used to refer to people of great prestige , with a legacy whose wealth distinguishes them from their contemporaries (as occurs with certain very visionary writers, businessmen and politicians). ); However, it can also be used in a mocking tone, to point out striking attitudes on the part of eccentric individuals, or to label certain celebrities for their career (regardless of the quality of their work).