What is true character development?

You know I lukred around in the Korra thread and I learned somehtng interesting. To paraphrase, "character development is not simply getting rid of your negative traits" but if cahracter development isn't simply getting rid of negative traits than what is true character development?

I think that the problem with viewing character development in terms of removal of negative traits is twofold: first, that it views the character as a simple collection of traits, and second, that it implies that no new traits are gained, leaving the character presumably flatter than they were before.

To my mind, character development is change and growth; it's the character taking in experiences and growing as a result of them. (Note, however: growth isn't necessarily in a positive direction. For example, a character might have development that prompts them to grown more bitter and violent.)

Character development is change in response to the environment.

Well, I suppose if you want to put it succinctly... :P

edited 8th Aug '14 11:18:17 AM by ArsThaumaturgis

Well, I really hate it when people use "growth" or terms like that, because going retrograde is valid character development.

I think the point of character development, generally, is to describe a psychological process of change in such a way that it becomes meaningful to the reader. 'Getting rid of your negative traits' can work as a straightforward, edifying approach, provided you give it enough substance. I want to stress, though, that how and if you choose to execute your character development should depend entirely on your intentions. One of my all time favourite novels is about an obsessive, narcissistic misanthropist who over the course of the book learns absolutely nothing and doesn't change in the least.

My apologies if I offended—either in using the term "growth" or in my joke below your post. For what it's worth—since I get the feeling that this wasn't conveyed—my joke was intended to indicate that I thought your description better than mine, not to disparage it.

Regarding my use of the term "growth", in my defence I did note that the growth may not be in a positive direction: a character might grow into a worse person.

However, I do acknowledge that the term does tend to carry a connotation that the growth is positive.

Thinking about it further, I suppose that "growth" isn't quite right for cases in which the character loses (positive) traits, as the term "growth" implies gaining something.

edited 8th Aug '14 7:21:50 PM by ArsThaumaturgis

I guess those are fair points but what if a character who undergoes character development becomes a villain, does that still make it character development? Or how about a character who does change but regress back to their old selves.

I think that we covered both of those points: Ninth mentioned retrograde development, and I mentioned "growth in a non-positive direction".

edited 8th Aug '14 8:08:04 PM by ArsThaumaturgis