Answer to Question #263960 in English for Zanele

Question

So characters in a novel act like real people in real life

Answer 1

The most evident distinction between fictional characters and real-life humans is that fictional characters are usually driven. When the characters in a narrative are highly motivated, the history becomes more captivating. In life, our desires, aspirations, and perceived requirements are rarely as evident and compelling as they are for characters in novels. Our real lives tend to drift rather than head in a precise direction; we typically ascribe direction in hindsight when we try to comprehend our lives by putting them into narratives. Biographies of historical figures who appear to be driven and purposeful are more interesting than biographies of people whose motivations were less intense.