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Characterization From ' Roman Fever ' Essay

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Characterization from “Roman Fever”

The wicked witch, the stepmother, the damsel in distress, the fair maiden, the prince. All these stock characters are well known. Flat and shallow, they are only either evil, repressive, distressed, fair, or kind. They are known because they are seen everywhere. But what do they teach or show about human nature. Do these “people” make provoke thought or do they fill a role for a plot? Emphasizing who they are, not what they do, “literary fiction writers are more concerned with complex characters then the mechanics of plot” (Arp 161). Characterization in a literary fiction book explores human nature and psychology, allowing not only the analysis of the characters in the book but the people in real life.
In order to be a true to life literary fiction character, a character must allow the reader to observe and understand true to life characteristics and actions applicable to the real life characteristics of people. A character must act consistently to his character or character’s behavior; their words and actions must have logical motivations; and a character must be plausible or lifelike (Arp 163). It is essential to understand as a reader that no character in literary fiction is “perfect”, just as no real human being is perfect. Characters possess both good and evil traits (Arp 162), traits simultaneously seen in humans. The two main characters in “Roman Fever” are round characters, “complex and many-sided, they have the three

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