'What is a Flat Character vs a Round Character?': A Literary Guide for English Students and Teachers

What is a flat character and a round character in literature? Senior Lecturer Gilad Elbom answers this question using examples from Star Wars and Flannery O'Connor's Wise Blood. The short video is designed to help high school and college English students to not only identify flat and round characters in stories and films but also to analyze their structure and purpose.

This video now includes Spanish as well as English subtitles. To switch between languages, click on the "settings" button in the video.

Thanks to Soner Uzun for suggesting that we create this video!

Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
0:30 Flat Character Examples
2:05 Rounds Character Examples
4:10 How Narratives Combine These Characters

Below are a few more videos in the series. Please drop us a comment letting us know what literary terms you would like us to explore in future videos!

[SWLF]

Please drop us a comment to let us know what you thought of our video! Doing so will help us to build a rich digital learning environment around the topic of literary characters.

[Ziaullah-bkut]

In simple words...
Dynamic character changes in the story.but it is not necessary for round character to change in the story.(only the story is revolving around him)
..
Static character doesn't change but they have some sort of conflicts.
While flat character work as backup character having no conflicts in the story.
Correct me if Iam wrong 👌

[salomisnehalatha]

Was glued to the video and absolutely love the explanation by Gilad Elbom. Gonna watch all of them. Thank you.

[Yoshsterpalooza]

So when we talk about flat characters is it just personality? Because luke skywalker is a flat character in episode 4, but he has a character arc of reluctance to acceptance of both the force and rebellion. His personality doesn’t change, but he’s developed in the sense we know his strengths and weaknesses, where he’s from, and how he acts. Would he also be a static character?

[talhaali]

Thank you :)
Ever since I discovered your channel, I enjoy literature ten times more.

[pieter]

Never really considered the value of flat characters before. Thanks for that new insight.

[itsbelle]

Can you please make a video explaining the difference between static characters to flat characters, I'm quite confused.

[itsbelle]

Thank you for this profound explanation, I've been able to answer my activity easily.

[Khatoon]

Round character is deep layered character in story . Round characters are interesting to audience because they feel like real people, audiences often feel invested in these characters goals , success, failure, strength, weaknesses. Flat characters are two dimensional in that they are relatively uncomplicated and don’t change throughout course of work . By contrast round characters are complex and undergo development, sometimes sufficiently to surprise readers, flat and round characters. Round characters often shows emotional development and personality growth throughout story . For example walter white in breaking bad . Both round and dynamic character. Flat character is two dimensional character lacking real personality. Usually have just one or two perfunctory traits . For example flat character crush, turtle, crabbe, goyle in Harry Potter. Thank you for your wonderful educational literary channel.

[maryangalunsina]

So flat characters fill the roles in the story. (Some kind of props, then?) While the round characters are "humans." They showed a lot of sides depending on the situation. They're gray, neither good or bad. They confused us. Is that right?

[chris.]

This fine gentleman helped me in my exam, thanks Mr. Gilad.

[DakshNegi-ds]

thank you so much sir ...your pronounces is too simple and easy to understanding..

[teerna]

Thank you so much for this video. I now know everything about flat and round characters. Thanks again!

[abdullahsaif]

What is the difference between round and dynamic character? Please.

[awesomebird]

Delson Rowe from infamous second son, what you think of this guy ?


Could captain america and superman fall as flat or round character arcs ?

[ghostofdeath]

One question, are plot device characters good and compelling characters or bad characters

[eivor]

I'd love your opinion on rebirth wonder woman

[talhaali]

What about 'static' and 'dynamic' characters? Are these just another name for round and flat characters?

[nicole-ophh]

Is it a round character when the characters emotions are fully seen and they have second thoughts of changing as a person . Please let me know if I'm wrong

[hemalakshmi]

Wow sir, clearly explained 👏
In Sons and Lovers by D. H. Lawrence, Leonard and Beatrice are flat characters.
Paul Morel and Mrs. Morel are round characters, and even Baxter Dawes, a bad man also an round character.