...Defining Characterization Characterization is the process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character. Characterization is revealed through direct characterization and indirect characterization. Direct Characterization tells the audience what the personality of the character is. Example: “The patient boy and quiet girl were both well mannered and did not disobey their mother.” Explanation: The author is directly telling the audience the personality of these two children. The boy is “patient” and the girl is “quiet.” Indirect Characterization shows things that reveal the personality of a character. There are five different methods of indirect characterization: Speech Thoughts Effect on others toward the character. What does the character say? How does the character speak? What is revealed through the character’s private thoughts and feelings? What is revealed through the character’s effect on other people? How do other characters feel or behave in reaction to the character? What does the character do? How does the character behave? What does the character look like? How does the character dress? Actions Looks TIP #1: TIP #2: Use the mnemonic device of STEAL to remember the five types of indirect characterization Use indirect characterization to analyze visual media: Film: Look at how the character dresses and moves. Note the facial expressions when the director moves in for a close-up shot. Drama: Pay attention to the way that the characters reveal...
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...the ones she loves and treasures most. Finally, Addie is also loving because she cares immensely for the ones closest to her and is willing to climb mountains, cross rivers, or to simply say, do anything for them. She doesn’t care what she has to do to help her loved ones. Overall, Addie is a clear example of the astrological sign, Taurus, because of her greedy, possessive, and loving personality. “I shifted my gaze. That’s still less than ten dollars,” (Myracle, 228) Indirect Characterization This shows that Addie is greedy because upon receiving the heart...
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...many characters are involved in the story? Who are they – and what do we learn about them (age, appearance, family situation, background, education, job language, thoughts and opinions)? Who are the main characters and who are supporting characters? Are they all introduced at once? Do the characters remain the same throughout the story – or do they develop? Are they flat (a certain character described from one point of view – and not in any complex descriptions) or are they round/complex (described from different point of views – both the good and bad qualities – and they are nuanced described)? What causes development or change? Direct or indirect characterization: direct is when the text describes in many details what the character is like – here you form an objective opinion. An indirect characterization is when you have to fill out the blanks in what the text does not tell you – you have to form...
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...Brennen O’Reilly 5 Fitzgerald´s Imagery According to Coolin Powell ”There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure”(BrainyQuote). Scott Fitzgerald paints a vivid picture of life during the roaring 20s in his novel, The Great Gatsby. From Fitzgerald's novel readers gain an understanding of the setting and life during the 1920s. Along with the history of that time period, Fitzgerald also develops a magnificent story with great literary devices. The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald is an excellent novel developed with superb characterization, beautiful imagery, vivid figurative language, and great themes. First, Fitzgerald´s characterization is fascinating. Characterization is the author´s...
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...despite his fears, change is inevitable . After reading the novel through a new literary criticism lens it is argued that author J.D. Salinger is informing his readers to avoid being overly attached to childhood because growing up is natural. Salinger engraves this message in his audience’s minds through the use of stylistic devices such as hyperbole, symbolism as well as indirect characterization. Salinger’s message of clinging onto childhood and resisting change is enforced on many occasions throughout the novel. Using hyperbole, in the first chapter of the novel, Holden emphasizes how tall he is and how he has gray hair, yet he admits that he still acts young for his age. “It’s really ironical, because I’m six foot two and half and have gray hair...The one side of my head...is full of millions of gray hairs...And yet I still act sometimes like I was only twelve.” (Salinger, 9) Salinger uses this hyperbole to really highlight to his readers that even though Holden might look like he is getting older on the outside, on the inside he still acts young and immature like a child. A second example of hyperbole that Salinger uses focuses more heavily on not liking change. In chapter 25 there is an instance in the novel where Holden is approaching a carousel which he used to often ride as a kid. He reflects on how he loves how the carousel keeps playing the same song forever and never changes. “...We kept getting closer and...
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...“If there is no struggle, there is no progress” (Douglass). At the heart of this statement is that there will be no progress without effort, there must be a struggle. In addition, the individual who undergoes this struggle is inevitably shaped, for better, or for worse, through the experience. Sue Monk Kidd does just that in her novel, The Secret Life of Bees, incorporating literary devices, such as indirect characterization, symbolism, and allusions, which shape not only the main character Lily, but those she interacts with as well. Throughout the novel, these literary devices create a lasting image within the reader of the struggles of racism and one girl’s quest to find the truth about her mother. Early on in the novel, Kidd employs indirect characterization to portray Rosaleen as a rash person, contributing to the atmosphere of...
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...devices. Arthur Miller’s novel The Crucible is great literature because it has descriptive characterization, colorful imagery, powerful themes, and flowing figurative language. To begin, Arthur Miller’s characterization is detailed. Characterization...
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...Throughout Sense and Sensibility, characterization was evident. Characterization, as defined above, allowed the reader to receive either direct information about the character, or indirectly told about the character. Austen described Colonel Brandon as, “He was silent and grave. His appearance however was not unpleasing, in spite of his being in the opinion of Marianne and Margaret an absolute old bachelor, for he was on the wrong side of five and thirty; but though his face was not handsome his countenance was sensible, and he address was particularly gentlemanlike” (Sense and Sensibility 22). This described Colonel Brandon as kind and simple. Austen also used more indirect characterization in Sense and Sensibility than in Pride and Prejudice. Marianne was constantly talking about her life and how bad it was. Therefore, readers could conclude that she did not like to hide what she was feeling or thinking. Marianne was melodramatic about her life. Austen also, was careful when she gave each of her characters names. Although not all of them have an appeal when the name was said, when ‘Dashwood’ was said, it left a calm feeling, while ‘Lucy Steele’ was a harsh name just as she was pretty harsh herself. By looking just at the names of her characters, readers would know a little about each one. Characterization was used to enhance the characters, and allowed the reader to connect them to themselves. No matter what piece of work it was, conflicts exist; without conflicts the story...
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...Reporter: Rubelle Hope T. Bantayan BSED-III ENGLISH Glen Serrano Topic: Types of Characters in Fiction In fictional literature, authors use many different types of characters to tell their stories. Different types of characters fulfill different roles in the narrative process, and with a little bit of analysis, you can usually detect some or all of the types below. * Major or central characters are vital to the development and resolution of the conflict. In other words, the plot and resolution of conflict revolves around these characters. * Minor characters serve to complement the major characters and help move the plot events forward. * Dynamic - A dynamic character is a person who changes over time, usually as a result of resolving a central conflict or facing a major crisis. Most dynamic characters tend to be central rather than peripheral characters, because resolving the conflict is the major role of central characters. * Static - A static character is someone who does not change over time; his or her personality does not transform or evolve. * Round - A rounded character is anyone who has a complex personality; he or she is often portrayed as a conflicted and contradictory person. * Flat - A flat character is the opposite of a round character. This literary personality is notable for one kind of personality trait or characteristic. * Stock - Stock characters are those types of characters who have become conventional or stereotypical through repeated...
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...crush on Willadean Wills. He is described through indirect characterization by showing his actions, such as when he tries to steal the watermelon in a bright night knowing that Mr. Wills, Willadean’s father, is patrolling it, in order to fit in on the new group. By this we get to know that he is a brave and consistent boy who does whatever to get what he wants. Mr. Wills, was the best farmer, he transmitted fear and imposed respect. He raised excellent watermelons. He was possessive and protective, selfish and competitive, which is shown through his actions, by indirect characterization, such as when he stays with the watermelons seeds, without lending not even one to his neighbours, in order to save the best ones only for him. Or through description, direct characterization, such as shown in this statement: “Mr. Wills was a big man. He had bright, fierce eyes under heavy brows and when he looked down at you, you just withered”. The narrator wants to steal the best watermelon in order to challenge himself, for approval and integration, and to conquer Willadean, a slim and tall girl of which everyone is in love with. She is described in a direct and indirect way, by description and retelling. The story has a direct type of opening due to setting and situation details are described in the beginning. Setting takes place in the countryside, where a bunch of farmers live. It is set in the states because of the language used. For example ‘golly’ and ‘gosh’. It is set in around the 1970s...
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...In The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien uses indirect characterization to shine a light on the way soldiers view the idea of bravery in the Vietnam War. In the chapters “The Things They Carried,” and “Speaking of Courage,” the author describes how the soldiers had come to fear the idea of not being courageous, perhaps because, if one was not brave enough, they would perish in the strange and foreign land of Vietnam. However, a more plausible reason for them acting in this manner could be because they were expected, as both men and soldiers, to not show fear when times got hard, even if they’re terrified. The soldiers were expected to put on a strong front and be unshaken by the horrors of Vietnam. Moreover, the extent of this practice is shown in how they were expected to not...
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...In the book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone the author J. K. Rowling uses the literary element of indirect characterization to help the reader understand the reasons behind their actions. In the book, Harry's cousin Dudley is always mean to Harry and others around him. According to the text, “I… don't … want… him… t-t-to come!”[...] “He always spoils everything” (Rowling 23). This quote shows an example of indirect characterization because it both shows through his speech that he is bratty and that he has a negative effect on others. In this particular part in the story and later on, Dudley always makes Harry stay home and not allow him to do anything. From this we can conclude that he feels jealousy over Harry because he is used to being...
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...In the film, Odyssey, the directors utilize characterization, setting, and music to enhance the audience’s experience and portray the theme of Homer’s epic tale. Characterization is one of the most significant tools that the directors used. It compelled the audience to feel sympathy towards the characters and stressed the most prominent theme, vengeance. The directors used emotional scenes in which the characters appeared to the audience as relatable. In the film, the directors redid the part of the text where it said, “Then throwing his arms around this marvel of a father Telemachus began to weep. Salt tears rose from the wells of longing in both men”. Instead of using narration, the directors used indirect characterization to convey the...
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...Adriana Obiols Roca ‘16 / Swarthmore College Spring 2014 a project completed for Prof. Peter Schmidt’s English 71D, “The Short Story in the U.S.” Swarthmore College, Fall 2014 Objectives: students will… * Understand the differences between direct and indirect characterization and be able to identify examples of each. * Understand the uses of irony and foreshadowing in the story as well as more generally in literature. * Become acquainted with Flannery O’Connor and her writing style, particularly with her use of the grotesque. * Explore the complexity of the themes present in the story and the characters O’Connor has created, especially the Misfit and the grandmother. * Exercise a variety of critical thinking and analytical skills in order to form ideas and opinions about O’Connor’s story and her writing strategies. * Practice reading comprehension and summarization. * Employ and practice writing skills in an essay assignment. Necessary preparation: The teacher should have familiarized him or herself with Flannery O’Connor’s life and work before the lesson by using the links provided below. It is also important that the teacher review definitions of the terms characterization, irony, and foreshadowing (see below). Students are expected to have read Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find” as well as her essay “Some Aspects of the Grotesque in Southern Fiction” (1960). This lesson plan is designed to be split into two days of class...
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...Bueller felt at one moment and how Victor feels. The author mainly focuses on Victor, though, as he is the subject of the story. By presenting the story through this perspective, the author is able to show how Victor’s actions were once the same as Mr. Buellers and helps the audience understand exactly why Mr. Bueller decided to act in this way for Victor on the first day of school. This short story is structured in a story format and tells the events as they go along, there is no major foreshadowing that hints at the future and tells about the characters and they go along. There is an equal mix of direct and indirect characterization giving you space to make an inference about the characters in the story, but still telling you about the more minor characters to make sure the focus is on the protagonists. The dialogue contributes to the indirect characterization of Victor and how he tries to figure out how he wants to socialize with various people. In conclusion, the short story “Seventh Grade” by Gary Soto ends on a very hopeful and happy moment and concludes a very detailed story that many people can relate...
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