We know them by what the storyteller says about them, by other characters' responses to them, their words and thoughts, by their descriptions of themselves, and their personal actions.
In a narrative, characters are understood as universal. They represent humanity and carry a burden of meaning larger than themselves.
(The Origin of the Bible: Newly Updated by F. F. Bruce, J. I. Packer, Philip W. Comfort, and Carl F. H. Henry, 2020. The Bible as Literature by Leland Ryken, Page 129)
List
- Antagonist
- Hero
- Protagonist
- Supporting character