NYSTCE 221 – Childhood Literacy Practice Test

Characters built with only a handful of traits, often relying on stereotypes, are flat characters. This term describes a two-dimensional portrayal: the character has a limited number of qualities, so they feel predictable and one-note. Because of this narrow portrayal, flat characters usually don’t undergo much change or reveal deeper complexities as the story progresses. They can still serve important roles, such as moving the plot forward or highlighting a theme, but they stay essentially the same from beginning to end.

In contrast, round characters are depicted with many traits, contradictions, and internal conflicts, making them feel more like real people who can grow or change. Static characters stay the same throughout the story, while dynamic characters undergo meaningful development.

So, when a character is defined primarily by stereotypes and a small set of traits, the best term is flat characters.