When Characters Feel More Real Than People

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN DE MODE

Article Published on: 01ST SEP 2025 | www.demodemagazine.com

One of literature’s greatest achievements is its ability to create characters so vivid, so intricately drawn, that they feel more real than the people we meet in our everyday lives. These characters leap off the page, living in our imaginations long after the book is closed, influencing the way we see ourselves and others.

What makes a character feel alive often goes beyond physical description. It’s their inner world—their fears, dreams, flaws, and contradictions—that draws us in. Skilled authors craft characters with a depth of emotion and complexity that mirrors real human nature. Through carefully chosen dialogue, subtle actions, and glimpses into their thoughts, these figures become fully formed, as if we’ve known them all our lives.

Another reason literary characters can feel so real is the intimacy of reading itself. Unlike brief conversations in the real world, books offer us unfettered access to a character’s inner life. We witness their vulnerabilities, hear their thoughts, and experience their private struggles in ways that make them deeply relatable. This connection creates empathy, sometimes making us feel closer to fictional people than those around us.

The best stories also reflect universal truths, and characters often serve as mirrors of our own emotions and experiences. Readers may find pieces of themselves in these fictional figures, strengthening the illusion of reality. Authors like Jane Austen, Toni Morrison, and Haruki Murakami, among many others, have mastered this art, creating characters who stay with readers for years, even decades.

When characters feel more real than people, it is a testament to the transformative power of storytelling. These figures become companions, teachers, and friends, guiding us through life’s complexities and proving that fiction, while imagined, can reveal truths about humanity more vividly than reality itself.