characterand

Characterand is a term used in narrative theory to describe the dynamic interaction between how a fictional character is presented within a text and how readers interpret that presentation. It refers to the way a character's depicted traits, stated intentions, and actions are shaped by the story's narration, perspective, and dramatic context, as well as by the reader's prior knowledge and assumptions. In this view, character meaning does not reside in a fixed set of attributes but arises from the ongoing conversation between character portrayal and reader interpretation.

The term is used to analyze phenomena such as unreliable narration, shifting focalization, dramatic irony, and conflicting character voices. By tracking how readers update their sense of a character as new information becomes available, scholars use characterand to describe the evolving construction of character in a text.

Applications include literary fiction, film and television, where visual and verbal cues may diverge, producing a gap between a character's self-presentation and audience perception. The concept highlights the role of narrative form in shaping character and emphasizes reader response as part of meaning-making.

See also: unreliable narrator, point of view, narration theory, character development.