Characterization Indirect and Direct

CHARACTER TYPES: Most stories have both main and minor characters. The main character, or protagonist, is the most important character. The action of the plot revolves around him or her. Often the antagonist, the person or thing working against the protagonist, is also a main character.

The protagonist is the “good guy.”

The antagonist is the “bad guy” working against the protagonist.

What is characterization? Characterization is the way writers create and describe a character for the reader. There are two types of characterization:  Direct characterization  Indirect characterization

Direct Characterization Narrator explicitly describes a character. They tell us what type of character we are reading about. Ex: Kat was popular but snobby. Tim was a nice, honest boy. Explicit= clearly stated…so, it would be direct characterization.

For the character that corresponds to your number, provide a detail of him or her using direct characterization

Indirect Characterization Writers most often use indirect characterization to show (not tell) things that reveal the personality of a character:  The character’s speech,  The character’s thoughts,  The effect the character has on others,  The character’s actions,  The physical “looks” of the character

Ex: Jess left the pizza crust on the floor. What can we infer about Jess? Tim helped Ms. Jones with her bags. What can we infer about Tim? Indirect characterizations are implicit. Implicit: not clearly stated, but implied (so we need to infer). Think “show not tell.” More on Indirect Characterization

Indirect characterization It is more like the way we learn about people in real life because we naturally observe people and characters in films, etc. to figure out his/her/its personality. Remember the word, STEAL…

“ S TEAL ” The letters in the word “STEAL” can help you remember the five different ways writers use indirect characterization to create characters: “S” stands for SPEECH. Writers help readers learn about a character by giving the character something to say and a unique way to say it. This brings out the personality of characters

“T” stands for THOUGHTS. What can we learn about the character through reading his/her/its private thoughts? Writers allow readers to learn the private thoughts of characters to learn the personality of characters.

“E” stands for EFFECT ON OTHERS What can be learned about the character by reading how other characters f ff feel or act around the him/her/it? Writers create relationships for characters to help readers learn the personality of characters.

“A” stands for ACTIONS. What does the character do? How does the character behave? Writers create actions for characters to help readers learn the personality of characters.

“ STEA L ” “L” stands for LOOKS. What does the character look like? How does the character dress? Writers use descriptions of characters’ physical attributes to help readers learn the personality of characters.

For the character that corresponds to your number, provide a detail of him or her using one STEAL indirect characterization strategy

Quick Review Direct characterization: the narrator explicitly describes the character. Indirect characterization: character’s traits are implicitly revealed through their speech, thoughts, effect on others, actions, and looks (show not tell).

Practice 1.Read the passage. 2.Determine a character trait and whether it is direct or indirect.

Example Mr. Morton was teaching the students about characterizations. Kyle let out a big yawn. “Indirect Characterizations are implied, not explicitly stated,” said Mr. Morton. 1. Kyle is bored or tired. Ex: Indirect - he yawned, which shows he’s either bored or tired.

1 Before class, Debbie asked Dana a question, “I’m sorry, Dana, but I my little brother was sick and my parents made me stay home and watch him yesterday. Will you tell me what we had for homework?” Debbie huffed and rolled her eyes. She replied to Dana, “Uh, I don’t know where my agenda is right now.”

2 While playing football with his friends, Evan overthrew the ball and accidently broke his mom’s picture window. Nobody was home, but all of the other boys soon found excuses to leave. When Evan’s mom came home, she asked what had happened. Evan looked her in the face and said, “A bird smashed into the window, Mom.”

3 John was in excruciating pain from football practice. He had been getting terrible sleep ever since training started. He could hardly sleep ten minutes before the pain caused him to roll around. His body was telling him to quit the team, but John was determined. “I will make the team,” he repeated over and over as he tried to sleep.