In Mandarin literature, it’s really important to see how characters change.

Writers use special words, like 了 (le) and 过 (guò), to show us what characters have done and how they’ve grown.

Tense and Aspect Markers:

1. 了 (le): This word shows that an action is finished.

   • For example: 他吃了苹果。 (Tā chīle píngguǒ.) - "He has eaten an apple."
   • This lets us know what the character did. It can also show that something about them has changed.

2. 过 (guò): This word talks about things that happened in the past.

   • For example: 我去过北京。 (Wǒ qùguò Běijīng.) - "I have been to Beijing."
   • Using this word shows us that past experiences can change how a character thinks and acts now.

When writers use these special words, it makes the stories richer. They help us understand how a character’s past affects their growth and the choices they make in Mandarin stories.