Characterization

Definition: The process by which the author/writer reveals the personality(other traits) of a character. This happens DIRECTLY or INDIRECTLY.

Two ways… Direct The author tells the reader exactly what the character is like directly. Indirect The author tells the reader what the character is like through the following: actions thoughts words said/thought beliefs how other characters speak to and about him or her

Example: Direct “Our Good Day” “Rachel shouts, You got quite a load there too. She is very sassy.” (pg 16) What does this tell us about the character of Rachel? Indirect “Laughter” “But me and Nenny, we are more alike then you would know. Our laughter for example...And other things I can’t explain.” What does this tell us about the character of Esperanza?

INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION S peech What does the character say? How does he or she speak? T houghts What is revealed through the character’s private thoughts and feelings? E ffect on others toward the character. What is revealed through the character’s effect on other people? How do other characters feel or behave in reaction to the character? A ctions What does the character do? How does he or she behave? L ooks What does the character look like? What do others say she/he looks like? How does she/he dress? Indirect Characterization SHOWS things that reveal the personality of a character. Here are some different modes of indirect characterization.

Speech What does the character say? How does he or she speak?

Thoughts What is revealed through the character’s private thoughts and feelings?

Effect What is revealed through the character’s effect on other people? How do other characters feel or behave in reaction to the character?

Actions What does the character do? How does he or she behave? Happy Feet

Looks What does the character look like? What do others say she/he looks like? How does she/he dress?

FLAT/ROUND/STATIC/DYNAMIC Four primary ways characters are presented in stories – Flat – Round – Static – Dynamic

FLAT CHARACTERS A character who reveals only one, maybe two, personality traits in a story or novel, and the trait(s) do not change. Example: Mr. Benny or Gil the furniture store owner. What do we know about them? Another flat character is…..

FLAT

ROUND CHARACTERS A well developed character who demonstrates varied and sometimes contradictory traits. Round characters are usually dynamic (change in some way over the course of a story). How is Esperanza a round character?

STATIC CHARACTERS A character that remains primarily the same throughout a story or novel. Events in the story do not alter a static character’s outlook, personality, motivation, perception, habits, etc. Example: Bert, a bumbling salesman, never takes the time to organize his files, properly record his sales, or follow up with customers. Finally, his boss gets fed up and fires him. Bert struggles for two months to find a new sales position. During that time, his car is repossessed for nonpayment and he maxes out his credit cards. Bert finally finds a new sales position but, before a week passes, he is called into a conference with his new boss. Bert is informed he must get organized or he’ll be fired. A week later the new boss fires Bert after he fails to follow up with an important customer. In this example Bert is a static character.

STATIC CHARACTER

DYNAMIC CHARACTERS A character who changes during the course of a story or novel. The change in outlook or character is permanent. Sometimes a dynamic character is called a developing character. Example: Ebenezer Scrooge, in A Christmas Carol by Dickens, was very stingy with his money. He worked his employees very very hard for little pay. After his experiences with the ghosts that visited him, he changed his ways, paying his employees a more than fair wage, providing days off work and actually giving gifts. In this example Ebenezer Scrooge is a dynamic character. As is…

Dynamic

Think about your Time at TCIS Activity: Have you changed during your time here at TCIS? How?

Questions to ask about characters? If you were to eliminate a character from this text, which character would you choose? Why? How would eliminating that character change the text? If this text were to be made into a movie, which movie stars would you cast to play the roles? Why? What does this text tell us about the relationship between ________ and _______?