CharacterReceives

Characterreceives is a term used in narrative analysis and in some interactive systems to denote an event in which a character is the recipient of an input, object, or message. The form may appear as a compound label, such as characterreceives, or as a capitalized label like CharacterReceives in schematic or data-annotation contexts. It is not a universal literary category but a functional label used to describe recipient-oriented actions within a sequence of events.

In literary analysis, characterreceives helps describe how plot progression depends on what a character gains or learns from external sources. The event highlights the flow of information, objects, or permissions into a character’s agency, and it can interact with related event types such as charactergives or charactergains. Annotators may record a series of characterreceives events to examine how knowledge, objects, or social power influence decisions, conflicts, and character development.

In software, especially interactive fiction, game engines, or chat-based interfaces, characterreceives can serve as a defined event type that triggers state changes. For example, when a characterreceives a letter, inventory item, or command, the system may update inventory, alter status, or unlock subsequent milestones. This usage emphasizes input reception over production or action, aligning with event-driven design and narrative scripting.

Related terms include recipient action, input event, and illocutionary act in discourse analysis. While not a fixed theory, characterreceives provides a concise framing for documenting and analyzing the moment a character becomes the recipient within a sequence of interactions.