“The unity of plot does not, as some persons think, consist in the unity of the hero. For
infinitely various are the incidents in one man’s life which cannot be reduced to unity”
(Aristotle, Poetics, 2008). Here, Aristotle is conveying his ideas that a story, whilst about a
protagonist, doesn’t just focus on their life as a whole, but at the specific events that make up
the story.
I also think that Aristotle is a key philosopher for me to look at as he set the foundation for
the understanding of characters, (Charles H. Reeves, The Aristotelian Concept of the Tragic
Hero, 1952), for example he said, “Character is that which reveals moral purpose, showing
what kind of things a man chooses or avoids.” (Aristotle, Poetics, 2008). Here, Aristotle is
outlining how important a character’s morals are when thinking about the decisions that they
make and this is something that easily be brought forwards when thinking about modern day
examples, such as Norma from Bates Motel, (Bates Motel, A&E Network, 2013). Through
each series, Norma is presented with situations where if the truth would come to light, her
son would be hurt so she continually makes decisions that she knows are wrong but will
protect her son from harm which she seems as the most important factor.
Furthermore, Aristotle then defined the characteristics of an antihero as: be virtuous, be
flawed and suffer a reversal of fortune. (Hartman E, Aristotle on Character Formation,
2013). His theories of characters, specifically in regards to the antihero, then lead the way for
Western writers to further and evolve his ideas