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character

By Ginny Wiehardt, About.com

Definition: A character is a person depicted in a narrative or drama. Characters may be flat, minor characters; or round, and major. The main character in a story is generally known as the protagonist; the character who opposes him or her is the antagonist. Character is revealed by how a character responds to conflict, by his or her dialogue, and through descriptions. For help in developing characters, see "Questions for Creating Believable Characters," or read mystery novelist Gayle Trent's "Adding Dimension to Your Characters."
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