1. Character Analysis

2. Direct vs. Indirect Characterization
Direct Characterization: the writer makes direct statements about a character’s personality and tells what the character is like.
Example: “The patient boy and quiet girl were both well mannered and did not disobey their mother.”
Direct example: The author is directly telling the audience the personality fo these two children. The boy is “patient” and the girl is “quiet”.

3. Direct vs. Indirect Characterization
Indirect Characterization: the writer reveals information about a character and his or her personality through that character’s thoughts, words, and actions, along with how other characters respond to that character, including what they think or say about him or her.
STEAL: Speech, thoughts, effect on others, actions, looks.
Indirect characterization lends itself to a video analysis. We are going to watch a clip from

4.
S.T.E.A.L.
Write short responses to the five different methods of indirect characterization.
Speech: What does the character say? How does the character speak?
Thoughts: What is revealed through the characters private thoughts and feelings?
Effect on others toward the character: What is revealed through the character’s private thoughts and feelings?
Actions: What does the character do? How does the character behave?
Looks: What does the character look like? How does the character dress?
Think-pair-share

5. Protagonist
The most important or leading character; usually the hero or heroine, but not always.
The central character in a story often referred to as the stories main character. He or she or they are faced with a conflict that must be resolved. The protagonist may not always be admirable, nevertheless they must command involvement on the part of th reader, or better yet, empathy.
Who is the protagonist in OMAM?

6. Antagonist
The character pitted against the protagonist. An evil or cruel antagonist is a villain but the antagonist is not always a villain.
The character(s) or situation that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend. The antagonist is an obstacle that the protagonist must overcome.

7. Round Characters
Fully developed like real people with full-blown personalities.
Katness Everdeen: Character has hobbies/skills, a distinct past, close relationships with family/friends, clear motivation for the actions she takes over the course of the series
Like onions with multiple layers
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).
Many traits that make up a complex character. (you and I are round characters)

8. Flat Characters
Two dimensional, relatively uncomplicated and do not change throughout the course of a work.
Lennie is flat character: least dynamic, he undergoes no significant changes or growth throughout the novel. He loves to pet soft things, blindly devoted to George and their vision and possess incredible strength.
a character who reveals only one, maybe two, personality traits in a story or novel, and the trait(s) do not change.

9. Round/Flat
Let's begin by thinking about round and flat characterization like a painting. If you are an artist, you must decide how much detail to put into a painting. Do you want many lines and many colors or just an outline and only black and white?

10. Static Characters
Do not change significantly during the course of a work.
Lennie
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.

11. Dynamic Characters
Do change (for better or worse) in response to circumstances
Lennie is the least dynamic. George is a dynamic character.
a character which 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.
The key word when dealing with the difference between static and dynamic characters is "change."
The type of change, though, is specific. We are only concerned with internal changes—changes which occur within the character. These would include a major change in his/her personality or a change in his/her outlook on life. Another important change that a character may undergo is a change in values, or it could be an overall change in the nature of the character.
Hand out assignment sheets

12. Character Profile a Assignment 10 points
Must include comments along with profile pictures based on Myers direct and indirect characterization.
Can work with a partner or small groups, but if one character comments to another, then all other papers must reflect the same comment and profile picture
Pictures should be in full color for full credit
The comments and info need to show an understanding of the character from the text
Quotes and conversations can either be direct quotes and conversations from the text OR made up, text-talk and modern abbreviations – must be appropriate

13. Characters Scout Jem Atticus Calpurnia Dill Boo Radley
Miss Maudie Atkinson
Mr. & Mrs. Radley
Miss Stephanie Crawford
Mr. Nathan Radley

14. Character Analysis Assignment
EXAMPLE:
1. The Boss
Quality – organized, suspicious, assertive
Flat Character
Textual proof:
“He pulled his time book out of his pocket and opened it where a pencil was struck between the leaves… The boss licked his pencil” (Steinbeck 21).
Explanation:
The boss has just arrived and met Lennie and George. He is checking on his new men. Here he enters their names into his book. He makes sure that he writes down exactly what time the men will start working. He listens to why they have missed their ride to the field. He keeps track of who is working for him and when in his book. These actions show that he is an organized man as he has record of who is working for him and when.