Static vs Dynamic Characters

Static characters are

• characters that stay the same throughout the plot of a text

• characters that change throughout the plot of a text

• characters that have more than one personality trait

Dynamic characters are

• characters that stay the same throughout the plot of a text

• characters that change throughout the plot of a text

• characters that engage in a conflict in a text

Ricky plays soccer every day and practices so he can improve. He watches soccer, reads about soccer, eats, sleeps and breathes soccer. A new kid joins the team and takes over. He becomes the star and steals the spotlight from Ricky every time. Ricky is jealous and starts to slip up in every game. He stops practicing. He loses confidence in himself and quits the team.

• Ricky is an example of a static character.

• Ricky is an example of a dynamic character.

• Ricky is neither a static or dynamic character.

Miranda moves to the United States as a refugee. Her family has seen death and she is very afraid. She doesn't know the language or the customs. She doesn't talk for 3 months. One day, she drops the pencil sharpener in French class and a kind classmate helps her clean up. "Thank you," Miranda says. The classmate, T'John, asks Miranda on a date. Miranda begins to speak English and starts to love her new home.

• Miranda is an example of a static character.

• Miranda is an example of a dynamic character.

• Miranda is neither a static or dynamic character.

Betty is a talented singer. She enters a talent show at school and decides to sing an Ariana Grande song. When the high note comes, her voice cracks and she is humiliated. She runs off the stage. Betty cries. The next day, she tells her voice coach what happened. Her voice coach tells her that it happens to everyone. They practice the song again so Betty can nail the high note in her next performance.

• Betty is an example of a static character.

• Betty is an example of a dynamic character.

• Betty is neither a static or dynamic character.

Angel and Brian are twins. They dress the same, they play the same video games, read the same books and have the same friends. When they begin freshman year of high school, Brian decides to dye his hair green. He starts to wear all black clothes. He makes new friends and they play Dungeons and Dragons together. Angel tries to invite Brian to play video games with him and their old friends, but Brian wants to hang out with his new friends instead.

• Angel is an example of a static character, and Brian is a dynamic character.

• Brian is an example of a static character, and Angel is a dynamic character.

• Angel and Brian are both dynamic characters.

• Angel and Brian are both static characters.

A reader can tell that a character is dynamic if

• the character changes as a result of a challenge in a text

• the character changes as a result of their interactions with other characters in a text

• the character changes after learning a lesson from a new experience

• all of these