# Character Elements (cheat sheet)
**URL:** https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/character-elements-cheat-sheet/242
**Category:** Dramatica Theory
**Created:** [January 12, 2015, 11:18pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/character-elements-cheat-sheet/242 "2015-01-12T23:18:08Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Jerome](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/Jerome)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2015, 11:18pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/character-elements-cheat-sheet/242/1 "2015-01-12T23:18:08Z")
Hello,
Not sure if this will be of any value to anyone, but I found that making this “cheat sheet” of sorts has helped establish a bird’s eye view of all the character elements and their meanings.
I know the software already includes this and there’s also a GIF floating around, but I couldn’t anything that included all the definitions at once in a single page.
The definitions I’ve inserted are edits of the official ones, just using the bits that I felt were more illuminating than the “short definitions” which I always felt were cryptic. I think there might be one or two definitions that are more my own – mainly just trying to use language that “speaks” to me.
[Character Elements.pdf](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/uploads/dramatica/original/1X/3042959746a208c04bb5abed6675f8681683ee3d.pdf) (929.3 KB)
Anyways, I hope someone finds it useful like I do.
Peace. ✌
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### Author:  [@actingpower](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/actingpower)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2015, 1:25am UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/character-elements-cheat-sheet/242/2 "2015-01-13T01:25:50Z")
Hey, that’s really cool! I have most of them memorized (since they’re all pretty straightforward), but it can always help to have a guide to recheck it.
What is this GIF you were talking about? Sounds really interesting.
EDIT: Can we talk about some of the more confusing definitions as well? The ones I have trouble with are Thought, Expectation, and Determination.
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### Author:  [@Prish](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/Prish)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2015, 2:10am UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/character-elements-cheat-sheet/242/3 "2015-01-13T02:10:10Z")
A great mulling-over tool, it puts fun into writer’s block.
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### Author:  [@jhull](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/jhull)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2015, 9:33pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/character-elements-cheat-sheet/242/4 "2015-01-23T21:33:06Z")
I moved 11 posts to a new topic: [Motivation and Objective Story Characters](http://discuss.dramatica.com/t/motivation-and-objective-story-characters/263)
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### Author:  [@Jerome](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/Jerome)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2015, 2:21am UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/character-elements-cheat-sheet/242/5 "2015-01-13T02:21:54Z")
Ha! Yes, indeed. Great way to stay busy without actually writing. 😉
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### Author:  [@jhull](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/jhull)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2015, 11:29pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/character-elements-cheat-sheet/242/16 "2015-01-13T23:29:58Z")
Just wanted to say to @Jerome – nice worksheet! Very pretty, and we should probably find a place for user-generated stuff like this.
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### Author:  [@Jerome](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/Jerome)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2015, 6:05am UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/character-elements-cheat-sheet/242/17 "2015-01-14T06:05:12Z")
Glad you like the sheet. Here’s a color version that might be easier on the eyes.
[Character Elements (Color Version).pdf](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/uploads/dramatica/original/1X/d0e5ecd15946a72d4e7f3cf7a9d6933223df3b9c.pdf) (936.4 KB)
> [@jhull](#):
>
> As far as the back and forth about motivation and purpose … remember what context you’re looking at these in. For the most part this is within context of the Overall Story. Personally I always try to figure out their motivations/purposes/methodologies/evaluations in context of the actual Overall Story Goal (and the Domain). Dramatica doesn’t see these characters as living, breathing people – just pawns in a giant chess set (at least from the Overall Story Perspective).
Understood. So one should only focus on the function(s) each character plays and ignore motivations, backstory, etc. Got it.
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### Author:  [@jhull](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/jhull)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2015, 9:39pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/character-elements-cheat-sheet/242/25 "2015-01-23T21:39:41Z")
I moved 7 posts to a new topic: [Cheat Sheets for Relationships in the Dramatica Table of Story Elements](http://discuss.dramatica.com/t/cheat-sheets-for-relationships-in-the-dramatica-table-of-story-elements/264)
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### Author:  [@jhull](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/jhull)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2015, 9:43pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/character-elements-cheat-sheet/242/35 "2015-01-23T21:43:07Z")
I moved 3 posts to a new topic: [Why do the Build Character Elements match up with the Activity Domain?](http://discuss.dramatica.com/t/why-do-the-build-character-elements-match-up-with-the-activity-domain/265)
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### Author:  [@jhull](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/jhull)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2015, 9:48pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/character-elements-cheat-sheet/242/38 "2015-01-23T21:48:16Z")
I moved a post to an existing topic: [Why do the Build Character Elements match up with the Activity Domain?](http://discuss.dramatica.com/t/why-do-the-build-character-elements-match-up-with-the-activity-domain/265)
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### Author:  [@jmk2020](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/jmk2020)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2020, 10:46am UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/character-elements-cheat-sheet/242/41 "2020-01-29T10:46:41Z")
Just wanted to add my gratitude for this cheat sheet! Thank-you!
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### Author:  [@MWollaeger](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/MWollaeger)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2020, 12:36am UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/character-elements-cheat-sheet/242/42 "2020-01-30T00:36:53Z")
I’m just seeing this for the first time! Thanks @Jerome!
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### Author:  [@houtje](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/houtje)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2020, 12:09am UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/character-elements-cheat-sheet/242/43 "2020-03-04T00:09:09Z")
Hi, thanks for the sheet! You wouldn’t happen to have one of the variations? 🙂