What Is A Flat Character †Definition and Definitive Examples

What Is A Flat Character s What is a Flat Character? (And How to Fix One) â€Å"Riddled with flat characters† is perhaps the most damning thing you can hear from an editor or reviewer. An accusation that your characters read like a cardboard cut-outs is like a knife in the heart of any fledgling writer. But having a flat character or two isn't the end of the world  - or even the end of your story! And if you can learn how to turn a two-dimensional character into a three-dimensional one, you'll have a real leg up on all future character creation. Sometimes the hardest part is simply identifying when you  do  have a flat character on your hands... especially if you're not exactly sure what constitutes one. Which is why we want to illustrate exactly what is a flat character: with a clear definition, examples, and instructions on how to fix any flat characters you may come across in your writing. First off, let's talk about what this term means.What is a flat character?A flat character  is a character with little to no complex emotions, motivat ions, or personality. They also don't undergo any kind of change  to make them more well-rounded. In other words, they're the opposite of a "round character," who has a fully fleshed out profile and changes throughout the story. A flat character will typically:Have no internal conflictConform to a stereotypeNever experience character developmentLack a multi-faceted personalityWhereas a three-dimensional or round character will typically:Have internal conflictUndergo significant character developmentExperience mental and emotional changesHave a multi-faceted personalityFlat characters are also sometimes referred to as â€Å"one-dimensional† or â€Å"two-dimensional." Both of these monikers point to the same thing: a character who has very minimal complexity, and often renders the story less believable as a result. Are you accidentally writing a flat character? Learn more in this post Not all static characters are flatDon't make the mistake of conflating a flat character with a static character. â€Å"Static† (or its inverse, â€Å"dynamic†) strictly describes the amount of change that a character undergoes throughout the story. â€Å"Flat† is a referendum on the character's complexity. That means that, generally speaking, all two-dimensional characters are static, but not all static characters are two-dimensional. To learn more about the flip side of the equation, we wrote extensively about what makes a dynamic character here.Are flat characters bad?Again, having two-dimensional characters never spells automatic death for your book. And the occasional flat character can even benefit your narrative! Charles Dickens, for instance, was a genius at writing casts that were packed with memorable caricatures. Are Miss Havisham, Mrs Micawber, and Mr Jaggers flat characters? Absolutely - they have few complex characteristics and exist mostly to inter act with the main character of their respective stories. But does their flatness make them inherently uninteresting or irrelevant to the story? Not necessarily. Flat characters can fulfill a number of roles: they populate the environs of the protagonist’s journey, and can move the story along in a plot-driven book. You really just don't want your  main  character(s) to be flat, otherwise your audience will lose interest in them. Her animal friends are the most interesting thing about her. (Image: Buena Vista Pictures)6. Mary Jane from Spider-ManSummed up in one sentence: The girl next door who’s the object of Peter Parker’s affection. Purpose in the story: To be the damsel in distress whom Peter rescues time and time again.7. Karen Smith from Mean GirlsSummed up in one sentence: A popular high school student who isn’t the brightest bulb in the box. Purpose in the story: To be the comic relief. (Though, to be fair, she would unquestionably make a great weather reporter!)8. Mr Collins from Pride and PrejudiceSummed up in one sentence: A silly, pompous, vain, obsequious clergyman with narcissistic tendencies. Purpose in the story: To represent the stereotype of the silly, servile parts of British society that Jane Austen ends up eviscerating.So why do authors write flat characters?As you can see, authors utilize flat characters in a number of ways. Writers generally bring them out when:The story in question is extremely plot-driven. Genres such as detective novels and thrillers will feature more two-dimensional protagonists for this reason (i.e. Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes and The  Da Vinci Code’s Robert Langdon.)The story is simple enough that complex characters are unnecessary.  This is the case in many children's movies, such as the  Cinderella  example above.Minor characters are needed. These characters don’t need depth, as they exist in order to further a three-dimensional protagonist along on their journey.So a flat character isn't necessarily a  bad  character; it's all about how you use them. Some very popular stories make almost everyone into flat characters except the protagonist(s). However, when it comes to standard literature, it's usually best to steer clear when possible. As a general rule, the more complex and multi-dimensional you make your characters, the deeper you'll pull readers into the vivid world of you r story - and that goes for all  characters, not just the ones we see the most.Do you have any favorite flat characters? Have you included any two-dimensional characters in your own work? Let us know in the comments below.