It happened from ancient times: they are not born heroes - they become. But time is moving inexorably forward, and today a hero can be created out of the blue. Such heroes are also called the protagonists of a work of art, it is about them that we will talk today. Well, let's try to create a unique character, because the theory is not worth a penny without the practice of a broken line.
Difference of concepts
So, in each literary work you can get acquainted with fictional people, who are called characters, characters, heroes, images and types. What is their fundamental difference and is there any?
A character in a work of art is a character who takes certain actions. It doesn't matter if he is positive or negative, the whole point is that he is doing something. It can appear only in one or two episodes, and it can perform actions throughout the story - it is not so important when it is the protagonist of a work of art.
A hero is another term by which participants in works of art are called. According to the literal definition, a hero is a demigod or a deified person. So, for example, it was instituted by the ancient Greeks. The title of a hero gave a person many advantages, songs and legends were composed about him, he was worshiped and supported in every possible way. Over time, this word migrated to literature, and today the reader has formed two fundamental ideas:
- The good character is a noble husband who saves the world, and along the way everyone who is in a deplorable position.
- The negative hero is a villain from whom you need to save the world.
Incorrect synonyms
Thus, the protagonist of a work of art is also called a hero. However, this concept is often used as a synonym for the word "character", which is not the same thing. Any character can be called a character, while a hero is an exponent of a plot action on which all content is built.
The term "character" has no additional meanings. Like, for example, an actor who has to do something. And yet, the characters have their own typology:
- The episodic face. A character that is the focus of a particular episode.
- Genre heroes. For example, in an epic the character will be noble both in manners and in origin, and in the comedy, notes of some absurdity will be attributed to his character.
- Anthropomorphic characters. Talking things, animals, etc.
- Collective. Participants in mass scenes.
- Group characters. The number of participants is limited and they are all named by name in the work.
- Off stage. Characters that are told in the story, but they themselves do not appear.
- Borrowed. Persons taken from the works of other writers.
- Double. Appears as a result of the bifurcated consciousness of the hero.
- Transformed. Characters with whom various metamorphoses occur in history.
Images and types
Also, the protagonist of a work of art is called the image. This is a kind of artistic generalization of human properties and character traits in the description of the hero of the work. For example, Tatyana Larina from "Eugene Onegin" can be considered the image of a romantic and dreamy girl, smart beyond her years.
So, the protagonists of a work of art are called images, characters and types. Speaking of types. This is a generalized image of human personality, which is most characteristic of the social environment at a certain time. The types concentrate all the most striking and remarkable features characteristic of a certain group of people. For example, a type of Turgenev girl.
Is it easy to be a creator?
And yet, no matter how the characters of a work of art are called, all of them can be considered literary heroes that have character, appearance and inner peace. Is it possible for a simple person to create a character ?! It is possible, but difficult.
First, you need to give a descriptive description of these positions:
- Portrait. Distinctive features of the face and figure.
- Clothing. It reflects certain character traits.
- Speech. Characterizes the hero no less than appearance.
- Age. Determines the potential of opportunities.
- Profession. Determines the position in society.
- Life story. The origin of the hero.
And secondly, it is worth paying attention to the inner world of the actor. It is necessary to describe his worldview, ethical beliefs, faith, statements, actions, thoughts and affections. The main thing is to understand that the hero is able to reflect, that is, be aware of his emotions and analyze actions.
The nuances of the process
Any character in literature is a fictional animated subject with his own character and unique appearance. The author will independently come up with these data and convincingly convey them to the reader. Such a process is laborious and requires certain skills.
It is best to write out on a separate sheet all the personality traits of the character and phase them out. You will also need to answer these questions:
- How does the character relate to other people, his work and himself?
- How does he feel about his things?
By answering, you can get a complete picture of the person. It is important to add an artistic detail - a certain detail that carries a semantic and emotional burden. And of course, choose the right name.
Practice it?
Well, let's try to put knowledge into practice. Before you begin, you need to clarify that in the literary works about the character all information is not immediately given, a complete list of its characteristics is not offered. First, a general description, and then, with each new episode, the author reveals all its features, and by the end of the story the reader already has a complete picture of the hero.
You can introduce the reader to your character as follows:
“Nikko always believed that if an object cannot be explored, then its existence in this world is meaningless. He was already about forty, but he still looked like a seventeen-year-old teenager, and behaved like an eight-year-old child, who was interested in absolutely everything. Only in his laboratory did he become calm, reasonable and dreamy.
The twelfth son, deprived of parental love and guardianship, grew up like a tumbleweed, having spent most of his conscious life in the library. By the age of twenty, he had already studied all material objects and was now trying to decompose human emotions into molecules. "Nikko didn’t know if that made sense, but thanks to these studies, his life began to play with bright colors."
So, what is the protagonist of a work of art called? Differently: character, hero or image. Is this the main thing? Each of them has a name and lives his own life, albeit invented by the author. This should not be forgotten.