Magic Star of Dramatic Writing

CHARACTER

A compilation of guidance from classical and contemporary experts on creating great dramatic characters.

ARISTOTLE

Do the characters . .

show their moral quality through actions?

Are the characters . .

good (if tragic)?
appropriate?
human-like?
consistent (or inconsistent in a consistent fashion)?

Are . .

no roles characterless, and
all characters distinct?

DAVID BALL

Is character . .

revealed primarily by what a character does?

JOSEPH CAMPBELL

Do the characters . .

undergo a transformation of consciousness and spiritual enlightenment?

LAJOS EGRI

Does character . .

create plot?

Are the characters . .

described in terms of physiology, sociology, and psychology?
changeable and eternally changing?
revealed through conflict?
well-defined, uncompromising, in opposition, and moving from one "pole" toward another (e.g., hatred to love) through conflict?

Do the characters have . .

within themselves the seeds of their future development?
the strong, unbreakable bond of the "unity of opposites" between them that makes compromise impossible without the death of some dominant quality in one of the characters?

Does the pivotal character, i.e., the protagonist . .

want something more than anything else in life?
have something vital at stake?
create conflict and make the story move forward?

Will the protagonist . .

fight for his convictions
destroy or be destroyed to attain his goal?

Is the protagonist strong enough to . .

make a decision to act?
carry the burden of protracted conflict to its logical conclusion?
equal the protagonist?

SYD FIELD

Do the characters have . .

a strong dramatic need?
a strong point of view?
an attitude?

Do the characters . .

change?

BERNARD GREBANIER

Does the cast of characters include the . .

central character, second character, and a third character required for the climax?
other characters required or suggested either by the Proposition or the climax?
other characters that carry the incidents of action?

Is the characterization . .

revealed basically through the action of the characters?

MICHAEL HAUGE

Are the characters . .

described in terms of physical makeup, personality, and background?

Do the primary characters include a . .

"hero" whose "outer" motivation drives the plot forward?
"nemesis" who stands in the way of the hero achieving his "outer" motivation?
"reflection" who supports the hero's outer motivation, e.g, a friend, coworker, sidekick, or mate?
"romance" who is the sexual or romantic object of at least part of the hero's outer motivation and who alternately supports the hero's outer motivation, and then is at cross-purposes with it?

CHRISTOPHER VOGLER

Are the characters drawn from the ancient patterns of personality that are the shared heritage of the human race, i.e., the archetypes . .

hero
mentor
threshold guardian
herald
shapeshifter
shadow, and
trickster?

Does each character have a . .

psychological and
dramatic function in the story?

Does the hero grow and change, making a journey from one way of being to the next, from . . .

despair to hope
weakness to strength
folly to wisdom
love to hate, and
back again?

Do the characters develop gradually through an arc, tied to the pattern of the hero's journey, that includes . .

limited awareness of a problem
increased awareness
reluctance to change
overcoming reluctance
committing to change
experimenting with first change
preparing for big change
attempting big change
consequences of the attempt (improvements and setbacks)
rededication to change
a final attempt at big change, and final mastery of the problem?

RICHARD WALTER

Are the characters . .

audience-worthy, i.e.,
- not stereotypical
- somehow sympathetic even if the foulest, most evil villain?
growing and developing throughout the tale?