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PRESENCE Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

PRESENCE Synonyms: 46 Similar Words | Merriam-Webster Thesaurus

Presence Of | Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

18 minutes ago, drpaladin said:

Cats have the presence to dominate a room.

That nine to one feeling?

The word presence comes from Old French as presence (Modern French présence), and Latin praesentia ("a being present"), which comes from praesentem and the verb praeesse ("to be before"), formed by combining prae ("before") and esse ("to be").  It was borrowed into English during the mid-14th century to mean the "fact of being present" or the space around a person.  

According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the noun presence was first used in English during the Middle English period (1150-1500) (specifically before 1325 in the Statutes of the Realm).  It expanded usage to describe being face-to-face with a person of high rank or nobility in the mid-14th century.  It was adopted to mean personal carriage, physical demeanor, or impressive bearing 1570s and used to describe the feeling of a divine, spiritual, or incorporeal entity in the 1660s. 

A character’s strong presence in storytelling is vital because they drive the plot, create emotional connections, and anchor the theme.  Without a clear and active presence, a story loses its heart and direction.  

Driving the Plot:  
Making Choices: Characters take action and make decisions that change the direction of the story.  
Creating Conflict: Their personal goals clash with outside forces, which builds tension.  
Avoiding Flatness: An active presence keeps a character from feeling like simple background decoration.  

Building Emotion:  
Sparking Empathy: Readers care about people and their struggles long before they care about events.  
Showing Growth: Watching a person change, fail, and overcome flaws makes the journey rewarding.  
Raising Stakes: When we know what a character stands to lose, every moment feels important.  

Delivering Meaning: 
Sharing Perspective: Characters act as the eyes and ears through which the audience experiences the world.  
Revealing Truths: Their ultimate choices show us the core message or lesson of the tale.