We’ve been discussing the creation of compelling characters and in the process have been parsing the question of complexity. We turned to Forster’s foundational dichotomy between flat characters and round characters, a supremely useful heuristic for understanding the character types that appear in fiction and which we ourselves will deploy (and in the process of these discussions, derived a surprisingly handy definition of character complexity).
Dickens has many brilliant flat characters. But he also has characters who can suddenly surprise us. I'm thinking of Lord and Lady Dedlock (because i just read Bleak House) who in their moment of crisis act in ways that surprise, but are believable. Maybe they are like a painting that hides another painting underneath it.
Inspired observations and inspiration for both adding and removing forces that evolve form “like a painting that hides another painting underneath it” which David Roberts describes beautifully, a haunting visual quality that lives on in the reader’s imagination.
Dickens has many brilliant flat characters. But he also has characters who can suddenly surprise us. I'm thinking of Lord and Lady Dedlock (because i just read Bleak House) who in their moment of crisis act in ways that surprise, but are believable. Maybe they are like a painting that hides another painting underneath it.
Inspired observations and inspiration for both adding and removing forces that evolve form “like a painting that hides another painting underneath it” which David Roberts describes beautifully, a haunting visual quality that lives on in the reader’s imagination.