When somebody or something IS in a story

Question

What is the better word than "is" when somebody or something IS in a story. Maybe "figure(s)"?
For e.g.: Polonius figures(?) in the Hamlet.
A letter also figures(?) in the Hamlet. (Or: Let me mention the letter figuring(?) in the story.)

Clive · Accepted Answer

There's really nothing wrong with 'is', eg Polonius is a character in Hamlet.

Much depends on the wording of the particular sentence..
eg When the Ghost appears, the sentries are terrified.

Not the Hamlet.

Clive

KaaJee · Answer

Thanks, and OK, I knew that I can word in this way, but I'm almost sure there is a special word for this case, something like plays a role. I don't know.
Or "be" is really the only one? Then: Let me mention the letter/ghost being in Hamlet?
Not to mention that if I say, There is a ghost in Hamlet, it sounds as if a ghost has gone into Hamlet.

Enoon · Answer

As Clive pointed out, much depends on the particular sentence. You can say that Ophelia appears in Hamlet, and that she first appears in scene 3 of act 1. "Figure" implies that the character is instrumental in a plot element.

Clive · Answer

eg
There is a ghost in 'Hamlet'.
A ghost appears in the play.
A ghost is one of he characters in the play.

Clive

Anonymous · Answer

KaaJeeMaybe "figure(s)"?

You might be thinking of "feature(s)".

KaaJee · Answer

OK, but my particular sentence is this:
Let me mention the letter/ship/skull/ghost …ing in the story.

Well, “to appear” may be good, I don’t know how it sounds,
Let me mention the letter appearing in the story.

Or other particular sentences:
The ship appearing in ‘Hamlet’ is a sailing boat.
The dragons appearing in folk-tales are evil.
A great fire appears in the movie entitled ‘The Towering Inferno.”
Many plotting/intrigues appear in ‘Hamlet.’

These all are correct? They may be better than with “figure/figuring,” although I don’t really understand what you said about the word “to figure,” when should be used, so would you write a sentence with that?

Enoon · Answer

KaaJeeThe ship appearing in ‘Hamlet’ is a sailing boat.

The ship in Hamlet is a sailing ship.

KaaJeeThe dragons appearing in folk-tales are evil.

The dragons that appear in folk tales are evil.

KaaJeeA great fire appears in the movie entitled ‘The Towering Inferno.”

A great fire figures in the movie The Towering Inferno.

KaaJeeMany plotting/intrigues appear in ‘Hamlet.’

No simple verb will work here, especially "appear", which is for objects and characters. "Much plotting and intrigue are woven into the play."

KaaJee · Answer

It's perfect, thanks very much!
Only one question remained, but it has nothing to do with my original question. Would you tell me what is the difference between "the dragons appearing..." and "the dragons that appear..."? I hope both is good, maybe your version is better in this particular case, or is it so also generally?

Enoon · Answer

KaaJeeIt's perfect, thanks very much!Only one question remained, but it has nothing to do with my original question. Would you tell me what is the difference between "the dragons appearing..." and "the dragons that appear..."? I hope both is good, maybe your version is better in this particular case, or is it so also generally?

It's a judgment call. "Appearing" felt too immediate and active for the meaning I had in mind. With "appearing", the sentence is slightly liable to be misread "The dragons who come out from wherever they were ...." There are undoubtedly contexts where "appearing" would be better with the same grammar.

KaaJee · Answer

Thanks for the whole, but especially for the remark that not IN THE but IN ‘Hamlet.’ However, I don’t know why it is so. It seems to me that there are titles before which “in the”, and before others only “in” is preferred. Is it only “in” when the title is a name or begins with a name?
And not to go far from Shakespeare, there are much more google-search results of “in ‘a midsummer night’s dream” than “in the ‘a midsummer night’s dream,” although there are many results also for the latter one. It may be because the title begins with “A”. I suppose the “in the “The …'” is even less correct.
If I type a title with no definite/indefinite article or name, then “in the” seems to be preferred. At least much more results for “in the ‘Crime and Punishment’ then with simple “in.” Just like for “in the ‘Odyssey’” than “in ‘Odyssey'”. Is it so in every case? What would you say, for e.g. taking “One Flew On the Cuckoo’s Nest”? And is there any rule at all?

When somebody or something IS in a story

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