Jester in the Court

Any novel, without fail, will contain some elements of humor. That means there'll be at least one character playing the role of a court jester in the story, consciously or unknowingly. Readers who have been following my posts would have guess who that person might be.

The advantages of including such a character in the narrative are obvious. It changes the tone and tempo of the story at some point to afford a moment of respite, as well as to give an otherwise somber or dry spell a much needed refreshing shower. For an apt writer, the jesting character may even be instrumental in enhancing the other characters' development, or provide a bridge to link events in the story.

So never underestimate the value of such a character, even if it seems like a joke.