Question

What is unique about the way characters in a novel develop, compared to characters in a poem or short story?

Answer 1

Short stories contain problems and developments that are resolvable quickly. They usually focus on one aspect of a character's life, or one aspect of an issue or relationship in a character's life. In a novel, the issues and conflict tend to be deeper, and ideas can expand in more than one direction.

Answer 2

You get to visualize and really feel the character development, where with poems, it's kind of a guessing game on how or what might have developed them, when or why, unless it clearly stated.