The Power of Renewal a.k.a. Character Arc
By Heather Webb | January 5, 2014 |
In the spirit of the new year, I couldn’t avoid talking about one of my favorite topics—renewal and growth. Fitting, as my historical debut, Becoming Josephine, just released on New Year’s Eve and a major theme of the book is the hope that comes in starting anew. As a former military brat, I’m no stranger to this topic. New towns, new houses, new friends. I know as well as Josephine did, the feelings of isolation, the gray between of not quite belonging anywhere and searching for a better understanding of self through it all.
Any good writer knows that what we’re really talking about here is CHARACTER ARC, how we—how our protagonists—face obstacles and change over time as a result. So how does one ensure change happens? You’ll need to first choose which path your character will take. Let’s look at our choices of character arc:
FOUR TYPES OF CHARACTER ARCS
REVOLUTIONARY, or THE HERO’S JOURNEY: In this arc, our story opens with a protagonist that is the farthest thing possible from a hero or savior. Yet he/she typically possesses an inner drive or strength that the character has never been forced to access—until now. By the end of the novel, this character will undergo a complete metamorphosis of spirit, mind, and sometimes, body.
Example: Peter Parker, an average teen and science nerd, becomes superhero Spiderman
INTERNAL GROWTH: In this type of arc our protagonist overcomes internal conflict—fear, anger, weakness, loss—all the while, facing down an external conflict. By the end of this arc, the character becomes a better version of himself (or herself), happier and more complete. Note the difference between the revolutionary arc and the internal growth arc. With internal growth, the character basically remains the same person, just a more developed and improved self.
Example: Harry Potter overcomes fear of his own power and his fate, as well as the loss of his parents, in order to become his true, fulfilled self.
PERSPECTIVE SHIFT: In this arc, our protagonist moves sideways, so to speak. This may result from leaning something new, a different world view, or accepting a new role, but ultimately the character ends the story just “different”, not necessarily “better”. This doesn’t mean the character hasn’t arced or doesn’t possess good qualities. This arc is typical of stories with high levels of external conflict.
Example: Katniss Everdeen, though heroic ultimately, doesn’t change who she is and doesn’t become a better person. She simply makes a choice to accept her new world and Peeta’s love. She shifts to a new role with a new perspective of what holds meaning in her life.
TRAGIC FALL This arc follows the character’s unraveling. He/she devolves because of a series of faults and character flaws that dooms the protagonist and often others. Classic endings for these stories are illness, imprisonment, insanity, or death.
Example: Hamlet’s desire to avenge his father’s death led him to lie and murder, ultimately resulting in his haunted conscience and his own eventual death by poisoned sword.
MOTIVATION
Once you’ve chosen your protagonist’s path, you’ll need to devise their belief systems and what drives them, or their motivation. Motive propels a character to make choices and ACT. In essence, motives are a result of something that has happened to the protagonist in the past (backstory). Motivation changes over time in a story, or should, if the character is arcing properly.
CONFLICT
Next in the lineup toward character change is conflict. It’s your job to make certain the protagonist never gets too comfy, never feels quite at ease. The minute they do, it’s time to throw in an obstacle that prevents your protagonist from attaining their goal. Each story will have MANY obstacles, MUCH conflict, either external or internal, and sometimes both. In fact, a scene without some sort of turmoil is a dull one. Let’s look at examples.
Example: Peter Parker gains his powers from a radioactive spider, but ignores a victim being robbed. It’s not his problem. (Here comes the conflict) But the same robber goes on to shoot and kill his uncle. BAM. Peter Parker has a solid reason to use his powers, if for no other reason, to avenge his uncle’s death. Through the pain of loss, Peter changes.
Example: Katniss Everdeen and Peeta are surviving in the cover of the woods. During a quiet moment together, Peeta shows her a wound from a previous battle. The gash is severely infected. (Here comes the conflict) Now, Katniss must choose between leaving him alone, unable to fend for himself, or risking her life to venture back to the supply station. In the moment she realizes he will die, she knows how important he is to her. Her feelings and her attitude toward him change.
Be HARD on your characters. The moment they are comfortable, give them something to worry about, a YEARNING, something to strive for. Challenge them. Without challenge, your character will not arc, regardless of the trajectory you’ve chosen. Without challenge, WE don’t arc and grow.
Growth and renewal is painful, sometimes even brutal, but there’s nothing more beautiful.
As a writer, what types of character arcs do you gravitate towards? And as a reader, which character paths do you prefer?
Heather Webb is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of historical fiction. As a freelance editor and an adjunct in a MFA in Creative Writing program, Heather has helped many writers sign with agents and go on to sell at market. When not writing, she feeds her cookbook addiction, geeks out on history and pop culture, and looks for excuses to head to the other side of the world. To date, her books have been translated to seventeen languages.
Nice summary, and great examples, Heather. For me, I tend to go (so far) for internal growth and/or perspective shift. I’ve just always found those kinds of character arcs much more interesting than the others.
One note of correction: It as Macbeth who wanted power; Hamlet was trying to avenge his father’s death.
Best of luck with your book!
Thanks, Jeff. That’s what I get for late night writing. ;) And I agree with you–the internal growth arc is what I tend to lean towards as a writer. As a reader, I enjoy a variety.
Congratulations! You had to have worked very hard to achieve this pinnacle in your writing career. Great reviews on Amazon!!
Thanks for the help on character arc. I love craft posts and will save this.
p.s. As a reader and writer, I like internal growth best.
Thank you for your kind words, Carmel. It’s a blessing when hard work= payoff. As we all know from our collective list of rejections, that doesn’t always happen. I’m so grateful!
Heather, thanks for the in-depth article about character development. I never thought about what kind of arc I prefer in my own reading, but now I understand there is a link to understanding why we write… based on personal factors. I’m saving this article to guide me as I venture into fiction writing. Congratulations on the publication of your new book!
Glad to be of help, Kathryn! Thanks so much for your comment.
Heather-
Great breakdown of arc-types. To me they all add up to change. It’s most effective, I find, when a physical journey mirrors (is a metaphor for) a needed internal change.
Likewise, an inner change is just mush on the page unless it is visibly acted out. Change is real when it is something we both see and feel.
The struggle to transform is the emotional heart of story. Without that, a novel is just empty events, a plot without purpose.
Good New Year’s thoughts, thanks Heather.
Thanks, Don. I couldn’t agree more. Change must be evident in deed and not just internally or the path for the protagonist will remain the same and their goals won’t be fully realized.
Thanks for this great overview of character arcs, motivation and conflict. I guess if I had to choose, I would lean toward the internal growth arc, but I don’t like to get boxed in as a writer when developing my main characters. One of the most important aspects of creating genuine characters, as you point out, is motivation. A character’s motivation must tie to the story’s central theme. Your post provides some great examples from contemporary fiction and movies. And your last line really resonates with me: “Growth and renewal is painful, sometimes even brutal, but there’s nothing more beautiful.” Well-said, Heather. Best wishes and congratulations on publication of your new book.
Thanks you, CG. In my debut, I illustrate an internal arc, but my current work in progress shows a tragic arc for my protagonist. I, too, don’t like to be boxed in–that seems to be a theme for us Unboxers. Ha! :)
Congratulations on the publication of your book! Thank you for this post. I, along with others it seems, love to write about internal growth and change. Looking back on the books I’ve written, every woman has had to deal with an emotional upheaval of some sort and grow through it.
Thank you.
Patti
Thanks, Patricia. Who can resist writing about a good emotional upheaval?
I really appreciated your use of Peter Parker as an example. In my opinion, Spiderman is one of the most brilliant – and quintessentially human – characters created in the twentieth century. Not only is his story a classic representation of the revolutionary character arc, he is constantly subjected to conflicts, both internal and external, that have kept his continued development compelling throughout many renditions.
My son agrees with you, Lori. He is obsessed with Spiderman. I couldn’t resist, because as you mentioned, he’s a brilliant character.
Hi, I’ve just read your post and wanted to say how interesting I found it. I’ve been working on a story with these types of character arcs and it was really great to read about them.
So thanks and have a great 2014!
Thanks, Tara. I wish you luck with your story!
Great post! Very good, clear examples. Thank you!
Thanks for your comment, Natasha.
Heather, I learned a great deal from your column. In addition to its clarity, I especially appreciated the inclusion of specific examples supporting the text. I’m keeping the column in my files for those times when something’s happening with a character and I’m not sure what it is: your column offers the language and concepts for analysis.
Becoming Josephine: Among life’s exciting events, a book launch has to be near the top. Here’s to a successful debut and many more books!
Thank you so much for helping fellow writers.
From another military brat and author,
Elle Thornton
Another military brat! Ahh, so you know what I’m talking about. :) Mostly good experiences and a life I would not trade for anything, but it had its challenges.
I’m happy the examples were helpful to you. As a former teacher, I can’t help myself. I find that most often that’s the best way for us to grasp a new concept.
Thank you for your kind words about my book!
Great points, Heather! I especially like what you have to say about being hard on your characters and creating the yearning to change. A reader who meets a character not just in trouble, but with the desire to get out of it, is quite likely to root for them (even if it’s about their demise).
Absolutely. And if there isn’t something to yearn for, one a dull book (life?) it would be.
Oo, goody, goody, as a writer and a reader, I gravitate towards revolutionary and internal arcs most of the time. Durzo Blint and Viridiana Sovari are three of my FAVORITEESTEST characters from the Night Angel Trilogy who went through dramatic revolutionary and internal arcs. I didn’t think about until I read your post, but their arcs were pivotal to the arc of the protagonist. Wow, now that I think about it, what a frickin beautiful idea.
Crap! Your post is frickin awesome Master Jedi Webb. Oo Lucas missed a cool Jedi Name.
Ahh, strong with you the force is.
HAHA! Thanks, Brian. I like the sound of that…Master Jedi Webb
Love this, Heather. I like how you’ve presented these character arcs. The flow you’ve described reminds me of Freytag’s pyramid for dramatic structure for plot and story arcs (situation, rising action, climax, falling action, denouement). Your description of these different character arcs seem a nice complement to Freytag’s pyramid as a useful side-by-side pinup above my desk. So, if I were to create a pyramid for your character arcs, it would have: character’s situation, motivation, conflict/climax, motivation, resolution? Do you think? Thanks!
Absolutely, Paul. Freytag’s pyramid is a great reference as well. Thank you for your comment. Happy writing!
As a writer, I’ve experimented with most of these character arcs. And even though I’d describe myself as a positive, uplifting author, writing the tragic fall character arc was one of the most enjoyable. As in, what am I going to do to her now (evil laugh).
And now I’m going to promote this article on Google +.
Thank you for the promotion, Leanne! I’m working on a novel right now that follows the tragic fall arc. It’s trickier than the others, in my opinion, as I’m finding it challenging to ensure the protagonist remains relatable and sympathetic throughout. It’s been fun, though, as you said.
Heather
It’s interesting you have analysed and categorised characters in this amazing way.
They have to be active to show change. Inactive characters do not take the reader anywhere. Examples given were carefully selected to suit the concept being presented.
I like characters displaying internal growth and/or motivation. They make the whole drama full of events and thrills. Situations sound real and believable.
I have liked the post, Heather. Congratulations on the publication of the new book.
Thanks, Benson. So true–characters MUST act to change or they remain stagnant and the book, ultimately, goes nowhere.
Thanks for reminding me of this key element of characterization. I am editing a story and this was the right information at the right time.
Fantastic! Isn’t in serendipitous the way that happens sometimes?
Great stuff, Heather! The examples are really helpful–you make it look so easy. Best of luck with Becoming Josephine and can’t wait to read it!
I’m glad you found the examples helpful, Hallie. :) And thank you so much for your kind words about my novel!
I can’t quite say which arc I would gravitate more towards, because I’ve never thought about it in that way before, but I very much liked your points, Heather! Definitely a useful article, thanks!
I tweeted/forwarded to my Critique group. I’ve always thought it interesting that I like reading all the arcs you mentioned, but I always write the internal/perspective. I can’t imagine it otherwise. :) @thewritinghabit
Robyn, I hope your group can make use of the information. Thanks for commenting!
I love reading about the different kinds of character journeys, arcs, and conflicts. Every time I read them, something new tends to strike a chord, which then helps with a story I’m working on. Thank you, Heather. Truly, you’re a great editor, and I can’t wait to read your new Becoming Josephine! Congrats!
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