Featuring: The characters of The Hunger Games

TYPES OF CHARACTERS

The protagonist is a character in a work of fiction whose intentions are the primary focus of the story. The antagonist is a character (or sometimes an institution) against whom the protagonist(s) must fight. PROTAGONIST ANTAGONIST

Static characters do not undergo substantial emotional change or growth, remaining essentially the same in the end as he or she was in the beginning. Dynamic characters undergo important changes in the course of the story. The changes are within the characters (ex: changes in insight or understanding, changes in beliefs of values). STATIC CHARACTER DYNAMIC CHARACTER

FOIL CHARACTER Foil characters make the characteristics and personality of the protagonist stand out. A foil character may be an enemy of a friend. A foil character reflects the attributes of another character.

CHARACTERIZATION Characterization is the process by which the writer reveals the personality of the character. Characterization is revealed through direct characterization and indirect characterization.

DIRECT CHARACTERIZATION Direct characterization tells the audience what the personality of the character is. Example: “He’s good-looking, he’s strong enough to handle the work in the mines, and he can hunt. Explanation: Suzanne Collins, the author of The Hunger Games, tells us directly about Gale. He’s good-looking, strong, and a good hunter.

INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION By using indirect characterization, the author shows the reader things that reveal the personality of the character. Example: “I reach her just as she is about to mount the steps. With one sweep of my arm, I push her behind me. ‘I volunteer’ I gasp. ‘I volunteer as tribute!’” Explanation: Through Katniss volunteering to participate in the Hunger Games to save Prim, we see that she is compassionate, generous, protective, and brave.

S peech What does the character say? How does the character speak? T houghts What is revealed through the character’s private thoughts and feelings? E ffect on others 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 the character behave? L ooks What does the character look like? How does the character dress?