Round vs Flat Characters: Differences And Examples In Writing

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“I am not an angel,” I asserted; “and I will not be one till I die: I will be myself.”

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Every fictional character in the writing world falls into two categories: round and flat. Flat and round characters each occupy different roles in books, and knowing the differences between the two can help guide your writing skills going forward.

Generally, round characters are multi-layered, nuanced individuals with highly developed personalities. Flat characters fit an archetype and rarely develop throughout a season. Both types of characters can help make a story more compelling for readers if used well. Join us at What We Reading as we explore round vs flat characters, and provide the differences and examples needed to help you hone your writing skills! 

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What Are Round Characters?

Round characters are individuals who have all the complex emotions and personalities most of us in the real world hold. Their depth and complexities are apparent throughout, and they usually go through a series of developments as the plot unfolds. 

Writing a compelling and believable round character is something every writer needs to know how to do. To make your round characters more nuanced, consider including some of the following: 

• Relatable traits: most round characters are believable and likeable to readers because they share traits with many of us.
• Backstory: While readers are often introduced to characters when they are young adults or grown-ups, these characters still have backstories from their earlier years that an author will want to share.
• Internal conflicts: a round character, especially a main character, will often be their own worst enemy. Moments of self-doubt and insecurities provide another set of challenges for them to overcome.
• External conflicts: just like in the real world, round characters do not get along with everyone. They may certain acts or comments disagreeable and shouldn’t gel with every personality around them.
• Motivations: whether they are materialistic or more philosophical, there are motivations and things round characters want to achieve.
• Distinct voice: because their backstory and personality are more pronounced, these characters should have a unique quirk to how they speak.
• Contradictions: internal contradictions make characters more complex. An example of this could be someone who desires affection but pushes away anyone who gets close to them.
• Fatal flaws: a fatal flaw is also known as hamartia. These are traits that prevent them from developing or obtaining their goals.

Naturally, not every character needs all of these traits to be classed as ‘round’ in a book. Nevertheless, many of them crossover with one another.

Round Character Examples

Round characters are usually reserved for a book’s protagonist, antagonist and any major characters who feature in multiple scenes across a story. Some examples of round characters that embody the majority of these traits include the following: 

Jane Eyre (Jane Eyre)

Jane Eyre is a resilient and headstrong woman living in 19th-century England. Charlotte Bronte’s book follows Jane from her abusive upbringing to an independent life of her choosing. Her sense of justice is quite a contradiction to the culture of her time. She regularly runs into conflict both internally and externally with others, and her desires for independence and connection directly compete against one another. 

Severus Snape (Harry Potter)

Professor Severus Snape is introduced to readers as a major villain in the making. He is cold and distrustful towards Harry, and several hints are thrown in the reader’s direction to make them think he is always scheming something. However, as readers learn more about Snape’s complexities and inner conflict, they discover his true allegiance and the extent of his complexity as a character.

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Check Out Our Guide To Character Tropes 

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What Are Flat Characters?

Unlike round characters, flat characters are not complex. They often drift into a stereotypical role or personality and lack the nuance and depth of a protagonist, antagonist or main character. 

They don’t have much of a personality, go through very little development and usually only exist to drive the plot forward.

That doesn’t mean that these characters are any less important to your book than your round characters, however. As well as providing a purpose for the plot, they can assist in the development of your round characters and fulfil other archetypes that round characters are too complex for. Other characteristics that define flat characters include: 

• Built on tropes: tropes that are often associated with flat characters include the ‘dumb henchman’, ‘grumpy receptionists’ or ‘mean step-parents’.
• Plot-driven: While round characters are often drivers of the plot through their choices, the plot decides the actions of flat characters.
• Understandable: complexities, conflicts and contradictions are not part of flat characters.
• Predictable: how a flat character behaves in a situation should be predictable for a reader.
• Easy to summarise: flat characters need to be able to be summarised within a couple of lines usually.

It’s important to note the difference between flat and static characters. Static characters also don’t tend to develop much throughout a story, but they come with more complex and layered personalities compared to flat characters. An example of a static character in demonstrating the difference between these individuals and flat characters would be Dumbledore in Harry Potter – enigmatic and with a backstory, but not someone who changes their role or personality throughout the series. 

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Check Out How To Fix Your Flat Characters

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Flat Character Examples

Whilst the majority of flat characters exist only to be driven by the plot and help push the story forward, they can also be major players in their own right. Some examples of flat characters in the literary world include the likes of:

Nick Bottom (A Midsummer Night’s Dream)

Nick Bottom only ever appears with other characters in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and his actions are entirely plot-driven. He exists only as comic relief for the audience and mirrors other Shakespearean characters designed to appeal to those across the social strata.  

Hercule Poirot (Agatha Christie Novels)

Hercule Poirot is the most famous protagonist from Agatha Christie’s books. Everything from his voice and his appearance to his goals are replicated from story to story, giving the readers a sense of familiarity every time he appears. Veteran fans of Christie’s works begin to identify how Poirot works, he exists to drive the plot forward by identifying the culprit, and his mannerisms have become the archetype for the crime-mystery genre.