Character arc

Lore & Background

Throughout the trajectory of narratives with a tripartite structure, character arcs often unfold beside the narrative arc. During the first act, the character arc is established or re-established for at least one character, the main character, within the exposition of the environment including relationships to other characters. Later in the first act, a dynamic, on-screen incident, known as the inciting incident, or catalyst occurs that confronts the protagonist, whose attempts to deal with this incident lead to a second and more dramatic situation, known as the first turning point. After the first turning point, life will never be the same for the protagonist and raises a dramatic question that will be answered in the climax of the story.

Reader's Guide

Character arcs are a driving element of the plots of many stories. The main character often seems initially unable to overcome opposing forces, possibly because they lack skills or knowledge or resources or friends. To overcome such obstacles, the main character must change, possibly by learning new skills, to arrive at a higher sense of self-awareness or capability. Main characters can achieve such self-awareness by interacting with their environment, by enlisting the help of mentors, by changing their viewpoint, or by some other method. In most stories, lead characters and protagonists are the characters most likely to experience character arcs, although lesser characters often change as well. During the second act, the character arc develops as the protagonist attempts to resolve the problem initiated by the first turning point, only to discover ever-worsening situations, which often lead to the learning of new skills, the discovery of capabilities, and the raising of self-awareness. During the third act, including the climax, falling action and resolution, the narrative arc is completed although the character arc typically is not. During the climax, a character arc reaches a place where the character gains a new sense of who they are becoming. As the plot and its subplots resolve, the character arc's emphasis shifts from the learning of any new skills or the discovery of dormant capabilities to the awakening of a higher level of self-awareness, which in turn changes who the character is becoming.

Did You Know?

• The term 'arc' is used because the change is often substantive and leads from one personality trait to a diametrically opposite trait.
• In episodic TV series, the character arc functions as a narrative hook that writers often use to ensure viewers continue watching.
• Examples of character arcs appear in literature such as Shakespeare's Hamlet, Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, and Victor Hugo's Les Misérables.
• In film, examples include Tootsie, The Godfather, and The Lion King.