Some of the greatest movies and books are based on gripping character arcs. Someone stumbles, struggles, learns a lesson and gets back up to conquer the world. The writing is well thought-out, creative, and captivating. Think The Godfather, Schindler’s List, Gone Girl, and even Toy Story.

But character arcs aren’t only reserved for entertainment. They’re playing out every day, all around us, in real life, too. Unlike fictional characters, real human beings don’t get the luxury of a well-scripted story. Some endings are victorious, others are messy, and a few are absolutely tragic.

There’s an online community that showcases “character arcs in a photo.” The page is a wall of screenshots that perfectly encapsulate what it means to be human, how each of us has our own unique story to tell, and how our opinions or attitudes can change over time. Bored Panda has put together a list of some of the best posts from r/characterarcs for you to scroll through while you contemplate your own personal development.

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#1 This Is What A Perfect Character Arc Looks Like

#2 Man Did A Full 180

#3 Gotta Make Him Go Back And Get Some

In short, a character arc is how a character grows or changes through a story. It’s all about internal growth, and not about aging or getting taller.

According to Editor, Writer and Instructor September C. Fawkes, there are four types of character arcs: change positively, change negatively, remain steadfast positively, or remain steadfast negatively. These can also be described as moral ascending, moral descending, transformational, and flat.

“Usually, the plot should have stakes, costs, and crises powerful enough that they push the character to his or her limits–they push the character to change or grow,” explains Fawkes, adding that there are a couple of rare exceptions. How the character proceeds will put a value on a worldview or belief system, he says.

#4 AI Artisn’t

#5 Parents

#6 On A Video About Borderline Personality Disorder (Bpd)

“In How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the Grinch changes his worldview of Christmas when he realizes that Christmas doesn’t come from a store. In Wonder Woman, Diana believes we should fight for the world we believe in and proves this true at the climax of the movie,” says Fawkes.

“In Star Wars: A New Hope, Luke comes to rely on faith (the force) instead of technology. In Harry Potter, Harry learns that love is the most powerful magic in the world,” adds the expert.

#7 Choices Were Made

#8 Billionaire President

#9 Females

So why do characters need an arc? It’s all about evoking emotion, or feeling, in the viewer or reader, and getting them invested in the story.

“A character arc makes characters relatable, interesting, and vulnerable,” notes Dabble, an online platform for writers. “A fantastic character arc can bring tears to our eyes, drown us in dread, or cause us to cheer in triumph.”

Dabble‘s experts go on to say arcs make characters meaningful, and help to hold the attention of the audience. “If people don’t understand, relate to, or care about your characters then no amount of action, romance, or terror will keep them engaged,” the site explains.

#10 Teenager

#11 Makeup

#12 Dishonorable Discharge

Many film afficionados agree that Michael Corleone (played by Al Pacino) in The Godfather trilogy had a brilliant character arc.

At the beginning of the book and film, he’s a decorated war hero who tells his girlfriend that his family’s violent ‘business,’ aka the mafia, is not him. By the end of The Godfather, Corleone has taken over New York to become the most powerful mob boss in the country.

#13 Bro Won

#14 The Banana Company That Also Commits War Crimes

#15 A Twitter User Actually Admitting To Being Wrong Upon Being Presented With New Information

There’s a difference between character arcs and narrative arcs. While the character arc is about the internal journey, the narrative arc focuses on the external journey, or the path of the plot. “It’s another way to refer to the story as a whole,” says Fawkes.

He uses The Lion King as an example. “Simba’s character arc is about upholding the Circle of Life. The Lion King’s narrative arc is everything that happens in the plot from Simba’s birth to the birth of his cub,” explains the writing expert.

#16 🥹

#17 Notvotingarc

#18 Obvious Lie To Unexpected Reveal

In some books and movies, the plot arc plays a bigger role than the character arc. “All of the older James Bond movies are a good example where a character has very little growth – we ALWAYS know that Bond is going to stop the bad guy and get the girl,” says Sally Hamer, a teacher of memoir, beginning and advanced creative fiction writing, and screenwriting at Louisiana State University.

Hamer notes that more recently, the franchise has begun to let Bond have an arc. But she adds that certain genres don’t really need a character arc. These are usually more action/adventure, thriller-style films.

#19 I’m Sorry

#20 Was Looking At Comments For That “Please Don’t Go To School” Song And Found This Gem

#21 Goth Baddie

When it comes to real life, our world view, opinions or attitudes can change. Our emotions and beliefs are formed through experiences, education, and social influences. They can remain the same, or change when we’re faced with new information or social pressures.

#22 Lactosemaxxing

#23 Not Very Excited Anymore

#24 This Has To Count Right?

Sometimes, our attitudes or opinions change as a result of cognitive dissonance, a phenomenon in which a person experiences psychological distress due to conflicting beliefs and behaviors.

“In some cases, people may alter their attitudes to better align them with their current behaviors,” explains the VeryWell Mind site, adding that to reduce inner conflict, some people change their behavior to be more congruent with their beliefs.

#25 Oh, No

#26 Turkey Supports Ukraine

#27 Yep, He’s A Vibe Alr

#28 Your Baby Is An Abomination / Gift From God

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