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| A '''token character''' is a character in a story, myth, or legend, that only exists to achieve the minimum compliance with assumed normality for the environment described in the story. For example, a ''token wife'' is a wife who has no depth of character, or identity of her own, but only exists because the character, that she is married to, is expected to have a wife. | |||
| A token character can also be used by writers to pay ] to rules or standards, when they otherwise have no intention of doing so, such as by obeying anti-] policies by including a ''token black'' character, who, despite being present a large amount, nethertheless does nothing, and has no function in the ]. In this situation the creation of such characters is referred to as ]. | |||
| Token characters may represent various groups, which vary from the norm (usually white/heterosexual/physically atrractive, frequently male), and are otherwise excluded from the story. They can be based on ] (black, as well as Hispanic, Asian or Jewish), ] (overweight or otherwise conventionally unattractive), ] (non-heterosexual) or ] (female character in a male-dominated cast). Token characters will either be relegated to the background or exhibit ] behavior, usually to render them inoffensive to readers or viewers. Such a character may also be disposed off relatively early in the story (either by being killed or voted off in a ] show) in order to enhance the drama while "conserving" the normal characters. | |||
| The "token black" character is ridiculed in the movie ]. In the movie, one character, when asked a question, answered: ''"I'm just the token black guy! I'm just to stand here, stay out of the conversation, and say things like "shit!", "damn!" and "that is whacked!""''. Later, he does just that. | |||
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