The interest in a novel spring from the reactions of characters to circumstances. It is more important for characters to be true to themselves (integrity) than to what is expected of them (consistency). (A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds—Emerson.)

It is a fact that the backbone of any given novel. The plot, storyline and the events all roll around the characters. So it is very essential for the characters to be true to their integrity. If they aren’t true to their own integrity, then they will lose their luster and become flat characters. There are basically two types of characters. Round characters and flat characters in any novel. Flat characters are those who remain consistent in their behaviour all through the plot. No incident changes them. Nothing has an impact on them. But round characters are those that constantly keep changing or rather say developing themselves throughout the storyline. They help the keep the reader glued to the novel and helps the reader understand the motive of the plot.

If every character is stuck to ‘what should be done’ rather than being true to their own character trait, the novel will become a straight line and lose its charm. Hence it is mandatory for the characters to stick to their integrity rather than doing what is expected.