Flat Character

A flat character, in E.M. Forster's framework, is defined by one or two dominant traits and lacks the internal complexity of a round character. Flat characters are predictable: once you understand their defining quality, you can anticipate their behavior in any situation. This is not inherently a flaw; flat characters serve important narrative functions.

Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice is flat: he is obsequious and self-important, and every scene confirms this. He is hilarious precisely because he never deviates from type. In contrast, a flat character used poorly becomes a cardboard cutout. Many action movie henchmen are flat characters who add nothing because their flatness serves no purpose.

Flat characters work best as supporting cast members, comic relief, or embodiments of a theme. Problems arise when protagonists are flat, because readers need psychological complexity to sustain investment over an entire novel. The distinction between flat and round is not a value judgment but a tool: use flat characters intentionally where simplicity serves the story.