Types of Characters Every Reader Meets in Books

Get to know these common types of characterization in stories.

Literary characters help shape and maintain the momentum of the story’s plot and theme. Their behavior, perspective, unique characteristics, dialogue, and even fashion, bind readers to a strong attachment, mesmerizing them with their charm and personality. Such as characters in fiction, and whether these are non-human figure, adventurous boy, or a mysterious and clever man, they all play vital parts in every page of the book.

Characterization is actually the one that moves your story—reacting to conflict and creating a plot that greatly affects the story’s flow. In writing, authors have used different character types to build their stories. Here is a list of the common kinds of characters.

Protagonist “The Central Figure”

This is the main character of the story; either faced with conflict or the one that drives the whole story.

Antagonist “The Hero’s Adversary”

Not necessarily a villain, an antagonist keeps the story interesting, with a specific goal to achieve, striving against all odds to pursue his or her objectives for selfish gain or vengeance.

Mentor “The Companion”

Mentors are character types that carry the wisdom to help protagonists triumph over their adversaries. They give aid to achieve the protagonist’s objective. They are either in form of a friend, parent, teacher, mother, or lover.

Minion “The Villain’s Advocate”

They are recognized as the assistants of the antagonist, supporting him or her to the evil plan. Minions can be good at heart and are only manipulated by the antagonist, or their own intentions are purely ominous or unknowingly good.  

Foil “The Contrast Creator”

They are supporting characters—or can be protagonists—who show contrast with another character. They usually help give emphasis to the certain qualities of the other character. They are placed in the story to illuminate the main theme and different character types of the story.

Threshold Guardian “The Neutral Character”

These are literary character types that are either allies or villains. They can also create the conflict for the heroes to overcome, pushing them to test their abilities.

Ficelle “The Reader’s Comrade”

Ficelles help the reader through uncovering essential and valuable information in the story. Usually a secondary character, they are there to keep the readers at track of the story’s flow.

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