With all that in mind: here are 70 fascinating character flaws to use in your story, with examples from literature to demonstrate each one. Example: Mr. Brocklehurst in Jane Eyre. This archetype usually follows a young or naive character who sees the world through rose-tinted glasses — until reality comes knocking. Neglectful – failing to give proper care or attention to someone or something. 2 @Hejazzman These structures are the bones of story. 10. 63. This example will help you. Absent-minded – Preoccupied to the extent of being unaware of one’s immediate surroundings. A long-winded character may be unpleasant to talk to, but they’d surely be much more pleasant than a character bent on murdering you. … Perhaps they even clean other people’s houses without permission, making them seem r… Remorseless – feeling no shame, regret, or sympathy when they’ve done something wrong. Her lust for power causes her to create the same problems as the previous leader, President Snow. Example: The narrator in Fight Club. Take a mom… It stands to reason that if you want your fictional characters to be as well-rounded and relatable as actual people, you’ll need to give them a few character flaws. Example: Kaz Brekker in Six of Crows. All humans are flawed in one way or another, and it is often easy to recognize character flaws in others. 56. Boring – dull, tedious, uninteresting (not to be confused with a flat character, who’s not even developed enough to be boring). Prideful – having a lofty opinion of oneself and rarely admitting to being wrong. While those might be the most common character flaw examples you come across in literature, it is far from a comprehensive list. Tragic Flaw Outside of Literature. 62. Example: Jack Torrance in The Shining. Without those flaws to make heroes and villains likable or relatable, you wouldn’t read a story. Being abusive is a character flaw many literary villains possess. Then maybe you’re not looking for a flaw, per se, but an unusual quirk or mannerism to bring your characters to life! 59. Think of Jar Jar Binks in the Star Wars series; he’s definitely incompetent in many ways but adds comedic relief nonetheless. 18. With their puffed-up chests, they don’t see exactly how weak they might be. Innocence is lost and children grow up: that’s entropy, and the only way this story goes. Example: Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables. Over 500,000 authors trust the professionals on Reedsy, come meet them. If you’re interested in learning more about common flaws and how to address them in peer review, sign up for our Publons Academy. 47. For example, being jealous of one’s significant other has even led some literary characters to commit murder. Meek – overly gentle and submissive. Rigid – utterly inflexible in one’s principles, even when presented with reason to change. Example: Arthur Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter. All Rights Reserved, Examples of Common Character Flaws in Literature. 33. Example: Wilbur in Charlotte’s Web. Example: Bob Ewell in To Kill a Mockingbird. Example: George Wickham in Pride and Prejudice. Mischievous – playfully troublesome; rascally or roguish. In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus' downfall is also caused by his own pride, and by ignoring the prophecy if the gods, he inadvertently married his own mother. – Posted on Nov 20, 2020. This is especially true when it comes to overcoming it. 16. Example: Patrick Bateman in American Psycho. Lastly, think about the reason for the character’s downfall. 30. So while we’ve attempted to divide up the following list by degrees of severity, remember that a seemingly innocuous flaw can turn fatal if not kept in check, and that even the grimmest of flaws may still be managed. But why not? A famous character in literature with incompetence is Peregrin (Pippin) Took in The Fellowship of the Rings. to. Example: Mary Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. 8. to. Ginevra tells Lucy: Spiders, frogs, worms, blood, dirt, corpses, disease. Now for the character flaws you’ll most often see in outright villains: cruelty, treachery, a total lack of remorse, and so on. An unreliable character might lose a job and the course of the story will change. In Greek Mythology and William Shakespeare works, this often leads to a character’s death. Do even these “mild” character flaws seem too extreme to you? Vengeful – seeking ramifications for others as a form of revenge. In Little Women, Jo March’s bluntness and stuborness cause conflict with her family. Violent – viciously, physically harmful to others. Gossipy – inclined to spread rumors or talk about others behind their backs. Example: Mrs. Jennings in Sense and Sensibility. Example: Lucy’s siblings (at first) in The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. In this character flaws list, here are some examples of good character flaws to consider: Pokes fun of everybody, but is an equal opportunity offender Tells entertaining but largely invented stories about her past Maxes out credit cards buying dinner and drinks for friends Examples Of Character Flaws In Fiction. 17. Example: John Proctor in The Crucible. Bigoted – harboring fierce, immovable prejudices about a certain group. But don’t say we didn’t warn you — and consider getting a sensitivity reader if you’re working with a flaw that involves a delicate issue, like bigotry or abuse. – Kys May 15 '17 at 18:48. blog. 7. You’ll be a Freytag expert in no time! If you want to use introversion as a character flaw, it has to harm a character’s wellbeing. Hypocritical – acting in opposition to one’s beliefs or proclamations about others, typically because one believes they are “above” them. Example: Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs. Example: Peter in Peter Pan. 18. Discipline Character building implies some degree of discipline whereby an individual makes sacrifices and faces hardship to solve a problem or achieve a goal. Example: Scarlett O’Hara (at first) in Gone With the Wind. In this post, we’re going to show you how to get the reader to emotionally connect with your characters—particularly your protagonist—by comparingamateur and pro character descriptionexamples. And while she should join the Abnegation faction like the rest of her family, she rebels to join Dauntless instead. Great post! That said, if you’re looking for a challenge (or aiming to create that once-in-a-blue moon egregious antihero who’s just sympathetic enough to work), have at it. The Child . After completion, you'll also be put in front of editors at elite journals in your field. Rebels can start a great story. Example: Lily Bart in The House of Mirth. Abusive – engaging in habitual and extreme cruelty or violence. 45. Stupid – showing little intelligence in one’s decisions or actions. Looking for creative writing classes to sharpen your skills? Look no further than Macbeth to see a character with excessive pride. If you read such sentences, the flaws are too easily recognized and I often get surprised how writers are still making them. Naïve – childlike, trusting, unworldly. Example: Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games. 38. Example: Gervaise Macquart in L'Assommoir. Become a member today to discover how we can help you publish a beautiful book. Your character could have intense feelings that hinder them, keeping them from interacting with something in a normal way. Incompetent – unable to perform basic tasks. In the world of literature, one famous greedy character is Ebenezer Scrooge from A Christmas Carol. However, Pooh is always there to calm him down. Our imperfections as humans are what make us unique, and the same is true of imperfections in our characters! Screenwriters often treat introversion as if it were always a character flaw. 44. Nearly all of Shakespeare's tragedies center on a character with a tragic flaw. Minor Flaws. 1. Weak-willed – timid and spineless. Nobody is perfect, but it’s actually your flaws that mold you. Example: Luna Lovegood in Harry Potter. Belligerent – hostile and aggressive, even when unprovoked. Take for instance, Mr. Collins from Pride and Prejudice. Vain – preoccupied with one’s physical appearance. This information could create conflict and might force them to act or react. He thinks he is completely invincible, but he has a weak spot-his ankle. Example: Mary Lennox (at first) in The Secret Garden. Stubborn – willful and headstrong; refusing to give up. Keep your character exploration going by looking at examples of personality traits. He plots with his wife to murder the … Example: Annie Wilkes in Misery. For example, if a character cannot stand dirt, they might obsessively clean their house until they drop from exhaustion. Other Common Character Flaw Examples. Looking for more character-building resources? 2. Paranoid – unusually suspicious, mistrustful, or nervous that something bad will happen to them. Discover the five acts of Freytag’s pyramid, with examples from the play 'Death of a Salesman'. 19 examples: The belief that depression was a character flaw was greater at baseline the… Cambridge Dictionary +Plus My profile Words. Example: Hermes in Circe. These are all things people have trouble dealing with. 70. 52. In classic literature, this was typically their pride. Murderous – desiring to kill; homicidal. With all that in mind: here are 70 fascinating character flaws to use in your story, with examples from literature to demonstrate each one. But, let's be honest: we can all improve how we present ourselves in our communications and interactions with family, friends, business associates, and others. Example: Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Each of these has certain expected consequences — but the beauty of flaws is that each will still present differently in different characters, depending on that character’s other traits, background, and circumstances. Stingy – mean and ungenerous. Example: Anna in Anna Karenina. Gullible – easily fooled or persuaded to believe something. 13. Clumsy – uncoordinated and fumbling; often accident-prone. Example: Valentine Michael Smith in Stranger in a Strange Land. Not to mention that there are so many complex and fascinating character flaws to choose from, you might even find yourself excited to “mess up” your characters! Major flaws tend to be more like hypocrisy and envy, and a fatal flaw would be something like the propensity to self-sabotage, or extreme hubris. Find the perfect editor for your book. Tragic flaw - Every tragic hero must have a tragic flaw or hamartia. what is success the crucible night christmas purpose of education discrimination satirical observation shakespeare environment personal experiences what it means to be an american translation south park depression. Example: Tom Sawyer in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Example: Iago in Othello. 42. 12. Hubristic – excessively self-confident in one’s ideas or abilities. Fanatical – extremely zealous to the point of delusion. A story must also have flesh. Words. Example: Javert in Les Misérables. Often this is accompanied by a list of personality traits and/or physical attributes, like so: These character description examples aren’t bad, but they’re not great either. Explore common character flaws found among literary heroes, villains, and sidekicks. 69. You can think of a minor flaw as an annoying habit, like a character chewing their nails or making every conversation about themselves. However, note that the outcome of a flaw depends entirely on the character’s handling of it! Learn how to use a character questionnaire, and put your character in the hot seat with our 50 juicy character development questions. Leave a comment. The right piece of book writing software can make all the difference. You’ll notice characters in books are full of flaws, even the seemingly flawless ones. other traits, background, and circumstances, Character Development 101: Writing Characters Readers Won’t Forget, Character Questionnaire: 50 Juicy Questions To Ask Your Characters, How to Write Character Descriptions in 3 Simple Steps. Some readers may be unable to forgive protagonists who demonstrate these flaws, even over the course of multi-book character arcs to show they’ve changed. "Although persistence might often be a moral virtue, in this case it proved to be a fatal flaw, because the man did not know when to just cut his losses and invest his resources in what would … Search Categories . Capricious – given to flights of fancy and impulsive behaviors. We’ve got you covered with this list of 150+ useful character quirks and this BONUS list of 150+ powerful mannerisms to help define your characters. Therefore, it’s good to give characters flaws in literature. There are three types of character flaws: minor, major, and fatal. In Macbeth, Macbeth's tragic flaw is his own ambition. Hedonistic – indulging completely in the pursuit of pleasure. From adultery to greed to pure stupidity, if you choose one of these flaws for your character, make sure you’ve carefully considered how it will shape their story — and indeed, whether that journey will end with them overcoming their limitations or atoning for their sins. 51. Far too often aspiring writers’ character descriptions involve mundane activities, unrelated to who they’re introducing. Example: Tom Ripley in The Talented Mr. Ripley. Inconsiderate – caring little for the feelings of others. 66. 26. In Reason to Breathe by Rebecca Donovan, Aunt Carol is abusive to Emma. Example: Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. Whatever flaws you invoke in your story, don’t be afraid to dive deep to create truly distinct, memorable characters — characters that readers will remember forever, even if they’re not always well-behaved. Macbeth. Example: Bella Swan in Twilight. Other common character flaws in literature real reviews with one-to-one support for your reference, here some. Willfully causing pain and suffering to others based on the spectrum of character flaws for your,! Flaws can be effectively balanced with other traits, take caution cruel – willfully causing pain and suffering to.. 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Neither good nor evil in a Strange Land with others Emma, but she ’ s life than... – Preoccupied to the person/entity to whom one has pledged their allegiance detailed guide, so you can learning! Your magnifying glass, and sidekicks we ’ ll be a Freytag expert in no time studies for hours... ; refusing to give characters flaws in literature, one famous greedy character is Ebenezer Scrooge from a list... Might lead to poor social skills for lack of practice a physical or! With one ’ s pyramid, with examples from the play 'Death of a experience! One Flew over the Cuckoo ’ s definitely incompetent in many ways but adds comedic nonetheless...