SECONDARY character: definition, characteristics and examples

When we are analyzing a novel or a short story it is important to learn to spot the characters that can come out throughout history. And it is that in any fictional story, in addition to having the protagonist or main character, Also of great importance is the secondary character who is in charge of accompanying and complementing the story. And what would Don Quixote be without his faithful squire Sancho Panza?

In this lesson from a teacher we are going to discover definition of secondary character and examples of them that are easily recognizable by all of us. We will also look at the characteristics that make a child really a child. We started!

To understand this lesson well, it is important that we start at the beginning, that is, by knowing what the definition of a secondary character is.

A Secondary character is a character that accompany the protagonist in a literary story and that usually appears recurrently throughout the plot. His appearance is essential for the development of the story or for the evolution of the character; In addition, it helps us to better understand the psyche of the protagonist, the narrative context or other perspectives that complement the plot.

The secondary characters have name, surname and a story behind them; that is to say, they are characters that the author has worked conscientiously and that their participation in the plot is essential. The work would not be the same without the intervention of this character.

It may be that the secondary character we meet is good or evil; both options are possible. His participation in the plot does not always have to be positive for the protagonist: he can be a element that causes obstacles at all times and that prevent the main character from carrying out his task.

Character types

At this point, it is important that we set aside to learn about the different types of characters that appear in a fictional text. The classification of the different characters can depend on different factors, however, here we are going to analyze the existing typology depending on the presence it has throughout the story.

• Main characters. They are the protagonists of the story. The action of the narrative falls on themselves and they are the engine of the plot. These are the characters who get all the action and who have to overcome obstacles in order to reach their mission. These characters undergo an evolution from the beginning of the story until it ends. The main characters can also be antagonists, that is, the most prominent character in the plot who is opposed at all times to the wishes of the protagonist and, therefore, from there arises the main conflict.
• Secondary characters. As we have already indicated above, these characters accompany the protagonist at different moments in the story. They are the support of the main character and serve to complement and expand the information regarding the same character or the plot. There are different types of secondary and, although they include all, the truth is that there are some that have more weight than others (it is not the The same Ron from Harry Potter as Luna from Harry Potter, they are both secondary, but Ron is much more important than Luna because of his weight in the plot).
• Framework or tertiary characters. Throughout a plot we can also find that there are some characters whose presence is not as important as that of the secondary ones, but which also help to contextualize or better understand the story. They are the "frame" or tertiary characters and have a less relevant weight than the previous ones.

As we have seen, a secondary character is one that complements the plot and the protagonist. It helps us better understand the story and contextualize the plot that takes place. Therefore, when creating this type of character, the authors usually take into account important elements. Here we leave you some of the characteristics of a secondary character.

• They are important to the plot. A supporting character will never appear in the story "just because." Its role is defined and has to be very clear. These characters can help us better understand the character, that the plot progresses, that there is a conflict and, therefore, more action is generated, and so on. But they are there for a reason.
• They are defined. The secondary characters also have a good definition. We know their names and they have a past and a history behind them. It is important to know that there are "frame" characters, that is, characters that only help us understand or make up the story better, but these are NOT secondary. The secondary ones have personality and are defined.
• Interaction with the principal. It is also important to determine that a supporting character will always relate to the protagonist in one way or another. His presence is not to contextualize, but rather influences the character in a certain way.
• They usually have dialogue. Depending on the character we meet and his weight in the story, the author may or may not give him a text. But it is usual that the secondary does appear constantly and, therefore, that we know how he speaks, how he expresses himself, what his psyche is like, etc.
• They appear constantly. For a character to be secondary it is important that it appear on a recurring basis, otherwise, the narrative will become lame and the role of the character will be diluted. This character has to have weight in the narrative and, therefore, his presence has to be maintained throughout the plot.

Now that we know what a secondary character is and its most outstanding characteristics, we are going to mention some clear examples of this type of character that will help us see their importance in a more practical way narrative. We will put examples of secondary characters that are easy for everyone to recognize so that you can better understand this lesson.

• Hagrid in Harry Potter. He is a minor and important character in the story of the three friends.
• Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings. This is another example of an important supporting character in the series. In this sense, the character acts as the protagonist's mentor.
• Ron and Hermione in Harry Potter. They are two secondary characters who act as friends of the protagonist and, therefore, as his assistants. Thanks to them, the main character can resolve his conflicts.
• The rabbit of Alice in Wonderland. This character is of great importance because he is responsible for the protagonist falling into the den and arriving in Wonderland.
• Sancho Panza of Don Quixote. This secondary character is also vital for the protagonist because, thanks to him, Don Quixote can perform his feats.