Glossary
Character Relationships
The interactions and connections between a character and other individuals or groups, which are crucial for understanding their development and motivations.
Example:
The complex character relationships between the various residents of Wuthering Heights are central to the novel's themes of love, revenge, and social class.
Character's Perspective
The unique viewpoint, thoughts, and feelings of a character regarding their experiences, relationships, and the world around them.
Example:
Understanding Holden Caulfield's character's perspective in The Catcher in the Rye is essential to grasping his cynicism and alienation.
External Forces
Pressures and influences from outside a character, such as the desires of others, societal expectations, or environmental factors, that impact their choices.
Example:
The oppressive political regime in 1984 represents a dominant external force that controls every aspect of Winston's life.
Family
The closest and often most influential group a character belongs to, revealing core values and conflicts through its dynamics.
Example:
In Romeo and Juliet, the feuding Capulet and Montague family dynamics directly drive the tragic plot and the lovers' forbidden relationship.
Foil
A character who contrasts with another character, typically the protagonist, to highlight particular qualities of the other character.
Example:
Dr. Watson often serves as a foil to Sherlock Holmes, emphasizing Holmes's extraordinary intellect through his own more conventional thinking.
Friends
Characters who form close bonds with the protagonist, often serving to support, challenge, or highlight different aspects of the main character's personality.
Example:
Ron and Hermione act as crucial friends to Harry Potter, offering both emotional support and intellectual challenge throughout his adventures.
Group Dynamics
The patterns of interaction, influence, and behavior within a collective of characters, revealing how individuals are shaped by and contribute to the group.
Example:
Observing the shifting group dynamics among the boys on the island in Lord of the Flies illustrates the descent into savagery.
Group as a Character
A collective entity that functions as a single character within a narrative, undergoing development, making choices, and influencing the plot as a unified force.
Example:
The chorus in ancient Greek tragedies often functions as a group as a character, commenting on the action and representing the community's voice.
Group's Perspective
The collective viewpoint, attitudes, and beliefs held by a group of characters towards an individual, event, or societal norm.
Example:
The judgmental group's perspective of the townspeople in The Scarlet Letter profoundly impacts Hester Prynne's life and identity.
Identity Groups
Groups based on shared characteristics like race, gender, sexuality, or nationality, which impact a character's role, expectations, and potential for conformity or rebellion.
Example:
A character navigating the challenges of being an immigrant often grapples with their belonging to a specific cultural identity group within a new country.
Influential Forces
The internal or external pressures, desires, and circumstances that significantly impact a character's choices, development, and actions.
Example:
The influential forces of societal expectations and personal ambition drive Jay Gatsby's relentless pursuit of Daisy Buchanan.
Internal Forces
Motivations, aspirations, and fears originating from within a character that drive their actions and decisions.
Example:
Hamlet's indecision and melancholic nature are powerful internal forces that shape his delayed revenge.
Personified Forces
Abstract pressures or concepts that are given human form or characteristics within a narrative to represent their influence on characters.
Example:
In some allegories, characters like 'Greed' or 'Justice' appear as personified forces, directly interacting with the protagonist.
Sidekick
A subordinate character who accompanies and assists a more prominent character, often providing support, comic relief, or a sounding board.
Example:
Samwise Gamgee is the quintessential sidekick to Frodo Baggins, offering unwavering loyalty and practical assistance on their perilous journey.
Society
The broader social context, including setting, class, and norms, that significantly influences a character's experiences, choices, and opportunities.
Example:
The rigid Victorian society in Jane Eyre dictates the limited roles available to women and the expectations placed upon them.