After the quiz… Turn your quiz into the basket on my desk. Read either “Character Sketch” or “Girl” For a class discussion, think about the following questions: What do you know about the characters? What elements of fiction are used to help characterization? What is the point of view of the text? How do you know?

Literary Elements Characterization and Character Types

Characterization The way writers create characters in a story. Direct Characterization Indirect Characterization

Direct Characterization Presented directly to our sight and hearing as a reader Appearance Highly developed means of perception Speech/Dialogue Action Capable of causing action and being changed by it Thought

Indirect Characterization Character is described in summarized, abstract, or judgmental terms Authorial Interpretation Narrator “tells” us the character’s background, motivations, values, virtues, and the like. Advantages: Conveys a great deal of information in a short time. Disadvantages: Distances the reader Presentation by another character Descriptions and how other people respond to the character through speech, action, and thought

Character Types Protagonist Antagonist Subordinate Flat Round Dynamic Static

Protagonist The main character(s) in a story Westley Buttercup

Antagonist The character that the main character(s) (protagonist) struggles against. Prince Humperdinck

Subordinate Minor (supporting) characters in the story Vizzini Inigo Fezzik Count Rugen

Flat A character who is not fully developed in the story. A flat character is almost never the main character. Albino The Impressive Clergyman Miracle Max & Valerie

Round A character who is fully developed, just as a person in actual life is. Westley & Buttercup

Dynamic A character who changes during the story. The change might involve recognition of some truth about life. Inigo Westley

Static A character who does not change during the story. Vizzini Prince Humperdinck

Read “The Necklace” pg. 536 Guy de Maupassant (1850 – 1893) Realistic stories Raised in northern France Served in the Franco-Prussian War Worked as a government clerk after the war Wrote in his spare time