allornothingkarakteren

Allornothingkarakteren is a term used in narrative theory to describe a fictional character who interprets the world in binary terms and acts with uncompromising certainty. Such a character tends to adopt moral absolutism, categorizing people, motives, and outcomes as either entirely good or entirely evil, and pursuing goals through decisive, high-stakes actions with little tolerance for compromise or ambiguity.

Key traits include a rigid worldview, high intensity, a strict code of conduct, willingness to sacrifice relationships for a perceived higher purpose, and a propensity for dramatic escalations that propel conflict. The character may display charisma or zeal, yet their certainty can make nuance and doubt seem untenable.

Role in narrative: The allornothingkarakteren can drive plot by creating incentives for other characters to adapt or challenge the stance. They may function as a foil to more nuanced figures, highlight thematic questions about ethics and complexity, or serve as a catalyst for the protagonist’s development. Their arc can end in catastrophe, transformation, or hard-won compromise, depending on the story’s aims.

Development guidelines: For believability, ground rigid beliefs in a backstory, show moments of doubt or past harms that shape the absolutism, and reveal the consequences of inflexibility. Use dialogue and scene design to reveal their logic and its limits, and allow other characters to test or critique the stance without simply defeating them through force.

Related concepts: moral absolutism, zealot archetype, hardliner, binary thinking. This character type appears across genres, from political thrillers to fantasy, often as a mirror for readers’ or viewers’ judgments about right and wrong.