Dan Brown Teaches Writing Thrillers
7 Character Roles in Stories
If we categorize character types by the role they play in a narrative, we can hone in on seven distinct
varieties: the protagonist, the antagonist, the love interest, the confidant, deuteragonists, tertiary
characters, and the foil.
1. 1. Protagonist: The main character of the story is the protagonist. They should be carefully
crafted with a logical backstory, personal motivation, and a character arc over the course of
the story. Often the story will be told from their point of view.
2. 2. Antagonist: The villain of the story is the antagonist. Note that an antagonist is not the
same as an anti-hero like the Joker or Walter White. Anti-heroes are villainous people who
function in a protagonist’s role.
3. 3. Love interest: The love interest is the protagonist’s object of desire.
4. 4. Confidant: This type of character is the best friend or sidekick of the protagonist. Often the
protagonist's goal flows through the confidant—although not every story needs one.
5. 5. Deuteragonists: These characters often overlap with confidants. A deuteragonist is close to
the main character, but the story’s main plot does not directly correspond with their own
character arc.
6. 6. Tertiary characters: Tertiary characters populate the world of the story but do not
necessarily link to the main storyline. These minor characters serve any number of functions
and may have varying degrees of personal dynamism.
7. 7. Foil: A foil character primarily exists to bring the protagonist’s qualities into sharper relief.
This is because the foil is effectively the opposite of the protagonist. Draco Malfoy is a foil to
Harry Potter.
5 Character Types That Appear in Fiction
One way to classify characters is by examining how they change (or don’t change) over the course of
a story. Grouped in this way by character development, character types include the dynamic
character, the round character, the static character, the stock character, and the symbolic character.
1. 1. Dynamic character: A dynamic character is one who changes over the course of the story.
As such, a dynamic character makes the best protagonist.
2. 2. Round character: Closely related to a dynamic character, a round character is a major
character who shows fluidity and the capacity for change from the moment we meet them.
By contrast, some dynamic protagonists do not change until actions in the story force that
change.
3. 3. Static character: A static character does not noticeably change over the course of a story.
Sometimes known as a flat character, these characters often play tertiary roles in a narrative
(think of various parental figures in Roald Dahl’s children's books). Many villains are also
static: They were evil yesterday, they’ll be evil today, and they’ll be evil tomorrow.
4. 4. Stock character: A stock character is an archetypal character with a fixed set of personality
traits.
5. 5. Symbolic character: A symbolic character represents a concept or theme larger than
themselves. They may have dynamic qualities, but they also exist to subtly steer an
audience’s mind toward broader concepts.
6. 12 Character Archetypes
Characters in a work of fiction can usually be grouped into archetypes. These archetypes have been
categorized by Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, the American literary theorist Joseph Campbell, and
generations of authors, screenwriters, and storytellers. Here are the 12 commonly discussed
character archetypes:
1. 1. The Lover: the romantic lead who’s guided by the heart. Their strengths include humanism,
passion, and conviction. Their weaknesses include naivete and irrationality. Some famous
lovers are Romeo, Juliet, and Scarlett O’Hara.
2. 2. The Hero: the protagonist who rises to meet a challenge and saves the day. Their strengths
are courage, perseverance, and honor. Their weaknesses include overconfidence and hubris.
Some famous heros are Achilles, Luke Skywalker, and Wonder Woman
3. 3. The Magician: a powerful figure who has harnessed the ways of the universe to achieve
their goals. Their strengths may include omniscience, omnipotence, and discipline, while
their weaknesses center on corruptibility and arrogance. Prospero, Gandalf, Morpheus, and
Dumbledore are famous magician characters.
4. 4. The Outlaw: the rebel who won’t abide by society’s demands. The outlaw can be a bad
guy, but not always. The outlaw’s strengths include independent thinking and skepticism.
Their weaknesses may include self-involvement and criminality. Among the famous outlaws
are Han Solo, Dean Moriarty, and Humbert Humbert.
5. 5. The Explorer: a character naturally driven to push boundaries and find what’s next. Their
strengths: They are curious, driven, and motivated by self-improvement. They are weak in
that they are restless, unreliable, and never satisfied. Famous explorers include Odysseus, Sal
Paradise, and Huckleberry Finn.
6. 6. The Sage: a wise figure with knowledge for those who inquire. Strengths of the sage
include wisdom, experience, and insight. In terms of weakness, the sage may be overly
cautious and hesitant to actually join the action. A few famous sages: Athena, Obi-Wan
Kenobi, and Hannibal Lecter (an evil sage).
7. 7. The Innocent: a morally pure character, often a child, whose only intentions are good.
Their strengths range from morality to kindness to sincerity. Their weaknesses start with
being vulnerable, naive, and minimally skilled. Famous innocents are Tiny Tim, Lennie Small,
Cio-Cio-San.
8. 8. The Creator: a motivated visionary who creates art or structures during the narrative. Their
strengths include creativity, willpower, and conviction. Their weaknesses include self-
involvement, single-mindedness, and lack of practical skills. Famous creators include Zeus, Dr.
Emmett Brown, and Dr. Moreau.
9. 9. The Ruler: a character with legal or emotional power over others. The ruler’s strengths
include omnipotence, status, and resources. Their weaknesses include aloofness, being
disliked by others, and always seeming out of touch. Famous rulers include Creon, King Lear,
and Huck Finn’s Aunt Sally.
10. 10. The Caregiver: a character who continually supports others and makes sacrifices on their
behalf. Among their strengths, caregivers are honorable, selfless, and loyal. Among their
weaknesses, they lack personal ambition or leadership. Sometimes they even lack self worth.
Famous caregivers include Dolly Oblonsky, Calpurnia, and Samwell Tarly.
11. 11. The Everyman: a relatable character who feel recognizable from daily life. When it comes
to strengths, they are grounded, salt-of-the-earth, and relatable. In terms of weaknesses,
they typically lack special powers and are often unprepared for what’s to come. Famous
everymen: Bilbo Baggins, Leopold Bloom, Leslie Knope.
12. 12. The Jester: an intentionally funny character who provides comic relief but may also speak
important truths. Strengths include the ability to be funny, disarming, and insightful.
Weaknesses include the capacity to be obnoxious and superficial. Famous jesters range from
Sir John Falstaff to King Lear’s Fool to George’s parents in Seinfeld.
