What is the purpose of "character development"?

The purpose of character development in a narrative is to depict the growth and transformation that characters undergo throughout the story. This process helps to create multi-dimensional characters who respond to events, challenges, and relationships in ways that reveal their complexities and inner struggles. By illustrating how characters evolve, authors provide a deeper understanding of human experiences and emotional journeys. The audience becomes invested in the characters' arcs, leading to a more engaging and relatable narrative.

While other options touch on different aspects of storytelling, they do not directly capture the essence of character development. For instance, ensuring plot unpredictability does not necessarily relate to how characters grow; enhancing the setting pertains more to the backdrop against which the story plays out, and introducing themes is more focused on the underlying messages of the narrative rather than individual character evolution. Understanding character development is essential to analyzing how stories reflect personal and societal changes, making option C the most accurate representation of its purpose.