Character Arc
Story Arc (Previous Assignment)
You need to have completed: Story Arc Practice.
If you have not completed it yet, make sure to do that first.
Copy the Google Doc
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Click "Make a Copy"
Learn about Character Arcs
A character arc is how your main character changes over the course of your story.
When you plan out your story arc, you should create it with one thought in mind: how is this going to affect my main character’s inner world?
The best stories have an intimately intertwined story arc and character arc that feed off each other.
How to Create a Character Arc
Reflect:
Who is your main character at the start of the story, and what are they like?
What do you want your character to be like at the end of your story?
What events need to happen to make this change come about?
Knowing where your main character starts out and where you want him to be by the resolution will dictate the character arc you choose.
Character Arc Types
Which character arc type will your character have?
The Change Arc (aka the Hero’s Journey)
By the end of the tale, the main character has conquered and becomes a usually unlikely hero.
The Growth Arc
This is where your main character becomes a better version of who he or she really is. Another version of the Growth Arc is a Shift Arc where the main character shifts his opinion or perspective about a certain situation or a group of people.
The Negative or Fall Arc (aka the Tragedy)
Our main character fails, he or she is doomed, or death occurs.
Review Example: Little Red Riding Hood
The Change Arc (aka the Hero's Journey).
Little Red Riding Hood starts as an innocent and obedient girl but gradually becomes more independent, resourceful, and capable of making her own decisions. She displays traits of bravery, critical thinking, and self-reliance as she faces and overcomes challenges. By the end of the story, she emerges as a stronger and more confident character, having learned important lessons about caution and trust in herself.
Story Arc
Setup
Introduce Little Red Riding Hood, a kind and curious girl who lives in a village near the woods.
Establish her loving relationship with her grandmother and the importance of their bond.
Little Red Riding Hood's mother warns her about the dangers of the forest and advises her to stay on the path.
Inciting Incident
Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother falls ill and asks her to bring a basket of goodies to her house.
Rising Action
Despite her mother's warnings, Little Red Riding Hood decides to venture into the woods to deliver the basket to her grandmother.
She encounters various animals along the way, demonstrating her kind and compassionate nature.
The Big Bad Wolf notices Little Red Riding Hood and becomes fixated on her and the basket of goodies.
The Wolf devises a plan to trick and devour both Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother.
Climax
Little Red Riding Hood encounters the Big Bad Wolf, who pretends to be friendly and suggests a shortcut to her grandmother's house.
However, she starts to grow suspicious and remembers her mother's warnings.
Instead of following the Wolf's suggestion, she chooses to stick to the path, showing her growing awareness and critical thinking.
Falling Action
Little Red Riding Hood arrives at her grandmother's house and discovers the Wolf disguised as her grandmother.
She cleverly engages the Wolf in conversation, buying time and allowing her grandmother to hide.
With her resourcefulness, Little Red Riding Hood outwits the Wolf and manages to capture him in a makeshift trap.
Resolution
A passing woodcutter hears the commotion and comes to investigate.
Little Red Riding Hood explains the situation and the woodcutter helps her secure the Wolf and ensures her grandmother's safety.
Little Red Riding Hood learns the importance of listening to her instincts and the consequences of straying from the path.
The story ends with Little Red Riding Hood's strengthened bond with her grandmother and her newfound confidence and wisdom.
Character Arc
Who is your main character at the start of the story, and what are they like?
Little Red Riding Hood starts as an innocent and obedient girl who follows her mother's instructions.
What do you want your character to be like at the end of your story?
Throughout her journey, she encounters challenges and dangers that test her bravery and decision-making skills.
She begins to question authority and develops a sense of independence, choosing her own path instead of following the Wolf's suggestions.
Little Red Riding Hood learns to trust her instincts and becomes resourceful, using her wit to outsmart the Wolf and protect her grandmother.
What do you want your character to be like at the end of your story?
By the end of the story, she emerges as a stronger and more confident young girl, having learned valuable lessons about caution and the importance of critical thinking.
With this story arc and character arc, Little Red Riding Hood's journey becomes an empowering tale of a young girl who faces adversity, learns from her experiences, and emerges victorious.
Write Your Character Arc
In the copied Google Doc, fill in your story arc and answer the questions about the Character Arc.
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Submit on Canvas
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