Dynamic Character Examples

A dynamic character is a character that changes throughout the story, often as a results of the experiences he or she endures during the story. Dynamic characters are the opposite of static characters, who do not change from the beginning to the end of the story.

Examples of Dynamic Characters from Literature and Film:

Han Solo in the Star Wars films goes from a cocky loner to someone who does feel called to help with the rebellion and join the fight between good and evil.

In Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Belle goes from fearing and loathing the Beast to recognizing that he is kind-hearted and she learns to love him for the person he is underneath his frightening exterior.

From the beginning of the series to the end, Harry Potter changes dramatically. Harry goes from a boy unsure of himself, his powers, and his strange connection to Voldemort (could he be evil, too), to a confident young man who leads the resistance to Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout and Jem change over the course of the book as they experience racism and injustice in their small southern town.

In The Outsiders, Ponyboy changes over the course of the play as he lives through violence between his friends and the kids from the opposite side of town, and the death of a good friend who was burned saving children from a fire. He comes to understand the importance of trying to remain good in a world that is harsh.

Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare's Macbeth changes during the course of the play, as she is overcome with guilt for her part in the murder of the king.