Characters, Dialogue, and Literature: An In-Depth Look

Posted on Feb 10, 2025 in Art

Characters in a Story

The narrator recounts events, and the actions performed are usually by Carian characters. Actions make the argument progress, but they need not necessarily be a person; an animal or an object can cause transformation from a starting location to a new one in the narrative.

Types of Characters

The character referred to in the narrative action is called a *character*, so that what they do – or what happens – is what the narrator focuses on. The *antagonist* is the character who opposes the actions of the *protagonist*. Other characters in the story accompanying the above are *minor characters*.

Characteristics of a Character

There are three main characteristics:

  1. Description: At one moment at the beginning of the text, and then gradually as the story progresses, the author uses physical and psychological descriptions to portray the character.
  2. Action: What the character does at the moment.
  3. Dialogue: The traits of a character also appear in their words.

Time of Discourse

  • Order: In a linear narrative, events are told in the same order they happened.
  • Pace:
    • There is *rapid pace* when many events occur in a limited space.
    • A *slow affair* includes events that have actually lasted a short time, but the narrator extends his speech, narrating in great detail.

Dialogue in Narrative

The narrator adds in their own speech the words the characters say or think. There are different ways to cite:

  1. Dialogue in Direct Style: Inserts the words of the characters literally, as they said or thought them.
  2. Dialogue in Reported Speech: The narrator does not quote verbatim the words of the character but recounts them from their point of view.
  3. Summary Dialogue: The narrator does not specify the character’s exact words but only the meaning of what they said.

Dialogue in Theater

In a play telling a story, there are characters who have conflicts and perform certain actions in one or various locations and along a given time. All there is on-lending directly: there is no narrator to tell us what happens. Dramatic speech is constituted with the words that the characters, which the actors are responsible for pronouncing on the scene, say. Mostly in dialogue, there are other discourses that are not dialogue:

  1. Monologue: When a character explains their thoughts aloud, speaking with themself.
  2. Aside: A commentary that the character speaks out loud and that other characters on stage cannot hear.
  3. Stage Directions (Acotaciones): Indications that the author gives to the director of the play and the actors on how the representation should be. The author explains how the stage should look.

Literature

Literature is defined as beautiful, using words as a tool. Thus, literary art is distinguished from other arts. We must understand that literature is a historical product. Any literary creation is the result of an author. It has been stated that the purpose of literature should be to teach delightfully.

Literary Genres

There are three main groups:

  • Lyric: The poet expresses their emotions and feelings.
  • Narrative: The author, through a narrator, tells the incidents that happen to other characters.
  • Dramatic: There is no narrator.