While there isn't one definitive list, common frameworks identify seven key character types by role in fiction: the Protagonist, Antagonist, Deuteragonist (second lead), Foil, Confidant, Love Interest, and often Tertiary characters (minor supporting roles), which together create a dynamic narrative with conflict, support, and contrast.
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.
The 7 character theory is a storytelling framework that suggests a story often contains seven core character types: the protagonist, antagonist, mentor, deuteragonist, foil, supporting characters, and villain or anti-hero.
With that in mind, let us now take a look at Booker's seven basic plots.
12 Character Archetypes
The 4 main archetypes
Character types: heroes and villains
What are the Elements of a Story?
A subplot is a secondary storyline that runs alongside the main plot. It has its own beginning, middle, and end, but also has a clear connection to the main story, enhancing the narrative. For instance, think of a romance novel.
Several commonly recognized different types of literature are:
Here's an overview of the seven types of stories: Overcoming The Monster, Rags To Riches, The Quest, Voyage & Return, Comedy, Tragedy, and Rebirth.
The Six Pillars of Character is a framework for teaching good character and is composed of six ethical values (characteristics) everyone can agree upon: Trustworthiness; Respect; Responsibility; Fairness; Caring; and Citizenship.
12 Archetypes in Personal Style
When we know our dominant archetypes it is extremely easy to dress up and find your one-of-a-kind style. Here are the names of archetypes: Ruler, Warrior, Rebel, Explorer, Creator, Lover, Magician, Sage, Innocent, Caregiver, Regular Guy, and Joker.
After studying 100 fairy tales in tremendous detail, he identified seven archetypes: the villain, the donor, the helper, the princess, the dispatcher, the hero, and the false hero. These seven types provide an effective framework for analysing and understanding the functions the characters play in the narrative.
Tabb believes every good story should contain five primary character types: 1) the protagonist, 2) the antagonist, 3) the mentor, 4) the ally, and 5) the love interest. From there, you must build the plot, the problem at hand, and the goal or drive of the story to bring together your vision.
The 7 main character roles in film
subplot() : Specifying One Plot at a Time
The first subplot is defined with plt. subplot(2, 2, 1) , where the first two arguments specify a 2x2 grid (2 rows and 2 columns) and using the third argument places the subplot in the first position (ie top left).
It should ultimately progress the plot, character arc, or theme of the A Story (and sometimes all three). Often this will happen like this: The B Story is a relationship plotline between the protagonist and Influence Character. Usually, they must figure out how to work together to resolve the main conflict.
The redemption arc also makes a great subplot. For example, Loki's redemption arc is a subplot in Thor. Likewise, Darth Vader's redemption arc is a subplot in Star Wars. They provide a way for us to get inside the heads of side characters, and watch them change for the better.
Contents
To review, the five Cs are: Character, Context, Conflict, Climax and Closure. The fifth process step is to determine emotion. The best stories typically have more rather than less emotion because humans are emotive beings.
The 12 archetypes are: The Hero, The Mentor, The Sidekick, The Villain, The Trickster, The Ruler, The Rebel, The Caregiver, The Innocent, The Everyman, The Outlaw, and The Lover. Some lists vary, but these are commonly used in storytelling. Do my characters need to fit into specific archetypes?
The 12 archetypes are universal personality patterns, popularized from Carl Jung's work, that describe core human motivations, often used in branding and storytelling, including the Hero, Caregiver, Innocent, Explorer, Rebel/Outlaw, Magician, Everyman/Regular Guy, Jester, Lover, Ruler, Creator, and Sage, each representing different goals and approaches to life, from seeking happiness (Innocent) to creating order (Ruler) or discovering meaning (Explorer).
Fifty personality traits include a mix of positive (e.g., adaptable, compassionate, creative, honest, resilient, optimistic, organized) and negative (e.g., selfish, stubborn, jealous, rude, lazy) qualities, often grouped by how individuals interact with challenges, others, or themselves, such as brave, empathetic, disciplined, introverted, extroverted, cautious, or determined, highlighting diverse human behaviors and dispositions.
A character pattern is a coded value which describes the shape of a data value.