Recap
A dynamic character develops over a narrative; a static character remains largely unchanged. Change may be external (health, wealth, position) or internal (attitude, self-knowledge). Show change by comparing early and late details and naming the turning point. A dynamic character’s choices often affect the climax or resolution. A static character may measure others’ change or represent a value.
Key relationships
| Idea | What it means | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Dynamic character | Changes over the work | Early and late details differ |
| Static character | Remains largely the same | Repeated manner, words, values |
| External change | Visible change of circumstance | Wealth, health, position |
| Internal change | Change of understanding or feeling | Speech, self-judgement |
| Turning point | Where change becomes visible | An event or realisation |
| Function | What change or constancy does | Affects climax; measures change |
What you may assume
- Change can be for better or worse.
- External and internal change may be linked in either direction.
- A text may show change gradually, with one scene making it clear.
Mistakes to avoid
- Claiming change without quoting an early and a late detail.
- Not saying whether the change is internal or external.
- Treating constancy as a weakness of the writing.
- Naming a turning point without saying what changed.
- Ignoring the effect on the plot.
Key terms
- Dynamic character: one who changes significantly over the work.
- Static character: one who remains largely unchanged.
- Internal / external change: a change of understanding or feeling / a change of circumstance or position.
- Turning point: the event or recognition where change becomes visible.
Sentence frames
- “At first [character] …; by the end, … , which shows a change from … to ….”
- “The turning point is …, after which ….”
- “[Static character]’s unchanged … makes [other character]’s change visible.”
Mini-example
Early: “Tomasz studied his boots.” Late: “I will speak for the new workers.” Kind of change: internal and external. Effect: his choice changes the scene.
How questions ask about this
- “Between the early and late passages, [character] changes from … to …”: find the pair of details that differ.
- “The change is best described as …”: decide internal, external or both.
- “The function of [character]’s remaining unchanged is to …”: say what the constancy measures or represents.
- Constructed response: quote an early and a late detail, name the turning point and say what the change does to the plot.
Quick self-check
- What two details do you need to show a character has changed?
- Is Elizabeth’s “Till this moment, I never knew myself” an external or an internal change? Why?
- What does Aunt Hester’s unchanged rule do in the paired extracts?
Answers.
- An early detail and a later detail of the same kind, such as speech or response.
- Internal: it is a change in her self-understanding, expressed in words rather than circumstances.
- It measures Leo’s change: the same sentence is met differently.
Full explanations are in the study guide. Try the practice questions next.