In short, a character arc is how a character grows or changes through a story. It's all about internal growth, and not about aging or getting taller.
According to Editor, Writer and Instructor September C. Fawkes, there are four types of character arcs: change positively, change negatively, remain steadfast positively, or remain steadfast negatively. These can also be described as moral ascending, moral descending, transformational, and flat.
"Usually, the plot should have stakes, costs, and crises powerful enough that they push the character to his or her limits--they push the character to change or grow," explains Fawkes, adding that there are a couple of rare exceptions. How the character proceeds will put a value on a worldview or belief system, he says.
"In How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the Grinch changes his worldview of Christmas when he realizes that Christmas doesn't come from a store. In Wonder Woman, Diana believes we should fight for the world we believe in and proves this true at the climax of the movie," says Fawkes.
"In Star Wars: A New Hope, Luke comes to rely on faith (the force) instead of technology. In Harry Potter, Harry learns that love is the most powerful magic in the world," adds the expert.
So why do characters need an arc? It's all about evoking emotion, or feeling, in the viewer or reader, and getting them invested in the story.
"A character arc makes characters relatable, interesting, and vulnerable," notes Dabble, an online platform for writers. "A fantastic character arc can bring tears to our eyes, drown us in dread, or cause us to cheer in triumph."
Dabble's experts go on to say arcs make characters meaningful, and help to hold the attention of the audience. "If people don't understand, relate to, or care about your characters then no amount of action, romance, or terror will keep them engaged," the site explains.
Many film afficionados agree that Michael Corleone (played by Al Pacino) in The Godfather trilogy had a brilliant character arc.
At the beginning of the book and film, he's a decorated war hero who tells his girlfriend that his family's violent 'business,' aka the mafia, is not him. By the end of The Godfather, Corleone has taken over New York to become the most powerful mob boss in the country.
There's a difference between character arcs and narrative arcs. While the character arc is about the internal journey, the narrative arc focuses on the external journey, or the path of the plot. "It's another way to refer to the story as a whole," says Fawkes.
He uses The Lion King as an example. "Simba's character arc is about upholding the Circle of Life. The Lion King's narrative arc is everything that happens in the plot from Simba's birth to the birth of his cub," explains the writing expert.
In some books and movies, the plot arc plays a bigger role than the character arc. "All of the older James Bond movies are a good example where a character has very little growth – we ALWAYS know that Bond is going to stop the bad guy and get the girl," says Sally Hamer, a teacher of memoir, beginning and advanced creative fiction writing, and screenwriting at Louisiana State University.
Hamer notes that more recently, the franchise has begun to let Bond have an arc. But she adds that certain genres don’t really need a character arc. These are usually more action/adventure, thriller-style films.
