The book focuses on the category of character in fiction. It analyses characters in individual texts by authors ranging from Conrad to Coetzee considered from rhetorical, structural, functional and cognitive perspectives; in genre contexts from utopia and fantasy to campus fiction; and in extra-textual contexts from intertextuality to autobiography.

Jadwiga W?grodzka is Associate Professor at the Institute of British and American Studies, University of Gda?sk, and the Faculty of Modern Languages, Koszalin Technical University, Poland. She publishes on popular genres, children’s literature, fantastic fiction and fairy tales.

is likely to perform the role of a lucid and inspiring guide to the complexities of character in fiction. The volume offers fresh insights into the work of diverse authors. Additionally, it constitutes a comprehensive overview of contemporary and historical forms of narrative fiction. The impressive scope of approaches offered – from structuralism to cognitivism – will make this volume indispensable to anyone interested in literary studies and character analysis. (Wojciech Nowicki, Maria Curie-Sk?odowska University in Lublin)

Contents: Urszula Terentowicz-Fotyga/Jadwiga W?grodzka: From Character to Identity…and back? – Andrzej Zgorzelski: Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s «Sister Helen»: A functional approach to the literary character – Karolina Trapp: Joseph Conrad’s «The Partner»: Character and language – S?awomir Studniarz: Peter Straub’s : Character in the liminal space – Joanna Pasternak: Anita Desai’s fiction: Marginalisation as a technique of character creation – Magdalena Ku?niar: A. S. Byatt’s : The functions of flanks and ficelles – Andrzej S?awomir Kowalczyk: Charles Williams’s Cognitive aspects of character interpretation – Artur Blaim: «A Jew, and circumcised»: Constructing collective and individual characters in early modern utopian fictions – Grzegorz Tr?bicki: Recent Secondary World Fantasy: Farewell to the hero? – ?aneta Nalewajk: The realistic novel and the creation of literary characters: William Faulkner’s – Halszka Lele?: Character sketch and its fantastic transformations: H. G. Wells's «The Crystal Egg» – Marta Komsta: Reconstructing the Gothic villain: Shirley Jackson’s – El?bieta Perkowska-Gawlik: Character in the academic mystery novel: Joanne Dobson’s – Ludmi?a Gruszewska-Blaim: Possible men and women of science: Constru(ct)ing characters in academic fictions – Kamil Kara?: Terry Pratchett’s Lord Vetinari as a transtextual character – Katarzyna Pisarska: Breaking out and speaking: Old myths and narrative tensions in Ursula LeGuin’s – Patrycja Podgajna: Transtextual characters in literary adaptations: E.M. Forster’s and Zadie Smith’s – Barbara Klonowska: Irony as the principle of constructing a character: Beryl Bainbridge’s – Jadwiga W?grodzka: Characters in mythical and historical contexts: William Golding’s «The Scorpion God» – Dominika Szwajewska: Counterfactual model of the self: J.M. Coetzee’s .