- [Teacher] Hello readers.
One of the wonderful things about stories,
when they're given the room to grow and expand
is the idea of character change or growth over time.
Characters in stories are just like real people,
they have the capacity to change,
to make mistakes, to apologize,
to set things right, and to learn.
When you read, or when you interact
with any kind of fiction, watch carefully
for how characters change over time.
How do characters in a text interact with each other?
Does the way a character react to events
change over the course of the story?
What's changed and why?
One of my favorite pieces of fiction of all time
is "Avatar: The Last Airbender,"
and while he isn't the main character,
I think the character of Prince Zuko has one of the best
illustrations of character change
across the course of the show.
So spoilers ahoy!
But Zuko goes from being an antagonist
in the first few seasons, to officially joining
the protagonists, the good guys,
in the final season of the show.
I appreciate how the creators of the show
map Zuko's growth and change,
because we can see him unlearning old, bad habits
and taking on new, more productive ways
of behaving as the show progresses.
He fundamentally changes as a person,
and it's the result of a lot of hard work on his part
and a lot of love and patience
from the people who care about him.
Zuko is what is called a dynamic character,
which is to say that he changes throughout the story.
This is the opposite of a static character,
who does not change.
There's a running gag in the "Avatar" series
about this one hapless cabbage merchant
who keeps on showing up in various cities
only to have the protagonists knock his cabbage cart
over again and again.
Pretty much the only thing he says in the course
of the whole show is his catchphrase, "My cabbages!"
He doesn't learn, he doesn't grow,
he only suffers.
Cabbage guy, static character,
Zuko, dynamic character.
Many main characters are dynamic,
but secondary and background characters,
like the cabbage guy are static.
So what causes character change in stories?
Other people and events.
Let's take a look at an example from our website,
"Oscar's Musical Odyssey."
Oscar begins the story by telling his friends
on the soccer team that he can't hang out with them
that night, he's gotta go to the symphony with his parents.
His teammates mock him and he feels bad:
Oscar was hesitant to say it out loud,
as he knew exactly what would happen
when his friends found out where he was going.
"I have to go to the symphony tonight,"
he said quietly.
The water in Kevin's mouth exploded into the air,
propelled by the laughter that closely followed.
"The symphony, hey fellas,"
Kevin exclaimed, as his voice rose
to address everyone within ear shot.
"Guess where El Capitan Rico over here is going?
"He's gonna go sip tea and listen to the symphony!"
Instantly the other soccer guys joined in mocking Oscar.
"I didn't know you had a thing for old gringo music,"
laughed Lorenzo.
"What's next, bro," shouted Juan,
"watching the evening news in your bathrobe?"
"What kind of soccer player goes to the symphony?"
said Javier.
Oscar sighed.
He knew this would happen.
although he loved the camaraderie he had with the guys
on the soccer team, the amount of grief he was going to get
over a stupid night out with his parents
was going to be rough, very rough.
While Oscar almost always felt tight with this group,
this was stirring up some feelings of isolation within him.
So this is how Oscar reacts.
He's hesitant, he's embarrassed because of how his friends
feel about his symphony plans.
They're not even his plans, his parents are making him go.
Good readers ask themselves how do characters
treat each other?
Oscar's friends think listening to classical music
is something for old white dudes
or fancy tea-drinking nerds,
but whatever it is, it's definitely not for soccer players.
But then Oscar attends the symphony and he is bewitched
by what he hears.
The experience changes him.
So we can ask how do events change how characters behave?
Well, let's return to the text:
On the way home Oscar's mom said,
"I know this wasn't what you would have chosen for tonight,
"but I hope you enjoyed it."
"I thought it was great," said Oscar,
"I had no idea, I was so wrapped up in what the guys
"were saying about me that I didn't give it a chance.
"I bet they would love this music," he said.
"Maybe," said his dad, "but if they don't, does it matter?"
And that's when Oscar understood something.
His whole identity didn't have to be defined
by only one or two things.
Who he was could be a mix, in interwoven harmony
of many things.
We can look to the text to provide evidence
of Oscar's change.
He has this moment of clarity in the car after the symphony.
He realizes he doesn't have to be either a soccer player
or a guy who enjoys symphonies, he can be both at once.
So when you're evaluating a character,
ask yourself for specific choices that characters make,
dialogue exchanges, or interactions with other characters,
or responses to story events.
Compare similar events at different points of the story.
Does a character react in the same way
at the story's beginning
versus how they might react in the middle
or near the end of it?
If no, what's changed and why?
If you can answer those questions, congratulations!
You've identified the dynamic character.
You can learn anything.
David out.
My cabbages!