Eihahmojen

Eihahmojen is a Finnish neologism used in literary and media criticism to refer to elements in a narrative that are not traditional characters, yet still influence the story, its mood, or its themes. The term is often deployed in discussions of how a work creates meaning beyond the actions of personified figures.

The word is formed from ei- (negation) and hahmo (character) with the plural genitive suffix -jen, literally meaning “of non-characters.” In practice, eihahmojen can encompass settings, atmospheres, institutions, objects, or abstract forces that shape events without being persons or animals that speak or act. They can function as narrative engines by directing choices, constraining options, or signaling thematic concerns.

Usage tends to appear in Finnish-language criticism, essays, and online discourse about storytelling, world-building, and game design. It is not an official category, but a heuristic to analyze how non-figurative elements participate in storytelling. Example uses include describing a city as an eihahmojen when its architecture and geography steer plot developments, or treating social rules, technology, or fate as non-characters that exert agency over characters’ decisions.

Eihahmojen complements traditional character-focused analysis and highlights how atmosphere, structure, and systemic forces contribute to narrative impact. Related concepts include hahto (character), narratology, and world-building.