Understanding Characterization

Let’s Start with some definitions. character noun. a person in a novel, play, or film. The author’s compassionate identification with his characters. characterize verb. describe the distinct nature or features of: She characterized the period as the decade of revolution. characterization noun. the act of describing the character or qualities of someone or something. The reporter was criticized for his characterization of the people of the town as poor and uneducated.

Character Types In fictional literature, authors use many different types of characters to tell their stories. These different types of characters fulfill different roles in the story.

Types of Characters Protagonist – The protagonist is a character in a work of fiction whose intentions are the primary focus of a story. Famous Protagonists: - Huck Finn ~ Harry Potter ~ Katniss Everdeen (from the Hunger Games)

Types of Characters Antagonist – The antagonist is a character (or sometimes an institution) who stands in opposition to the protagonist. Famous Antagonists: ~ The Queen of Hearts (from Alice in wonderland) ~ Voldemort (in The Harry Potter Series) ~ The Stepmother (from Cinderella) ~Captain Hook (In Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie)

Types of Characters Flat character – Flat characters are minor characters in a work of fiction who do not tend to undergo substantial emotional change or growth.

Types of Characters Round Character – Round characters are major characters in a work of fiction who encounter conflict and are changed by it. Round characters tend to be more fully developed and described than flat characters.

Types of Characters Archetypes – archetypes are fictional characters who have become stereotypical through repeated use in stories. Examples ~The Damsel in Distress ~ The Mad Scientist ~ The Wise Old Man

Types of Characters Static Character – Static do not undergo substantial emotional change or growth, remaining essentially the same in the end as he or she was at the beginning.

Types of Characters Static Character—a character who remains the same over the course of the entire story; his or her personality does not transform or evolve. Ex: Cinderella’s stepmother is mean in the beginning of the fairytale and mean at the end. She never changes.

Types of Characters Dynamic Character – A dynamic character is one who undergoes an important change in the course of the story. The changes are not changes in circumstance, but changes in some sense within the character – changes in insight or understanding, changes in beliefs or values, etc.

Character Change Dynamic Character—a character that develops and changes over the course of a story due to a conflict or newfound understanding. Ex: Scrooge is selfish and mean in the beginning of A Christmas Carol, but later becomes generous and selfless when he realizes his sins. He changes because of what happens to him in the story.

Characterization Characterization is the way in which a writer reveals the personality of a character. There are two types of characterization: Direct Characterization Indirect Characterization

Analyzing Character Traits We try to figure out what a character in a book is like by paying attention to the clues the author gives us. This is called “making inferences.” Example: What can you infer? “No, Honey, I don’t want you to spend a lot of money on my birthday present. Just having you for a husband is the only gift I need. In fact, I’ll just drive my old rusty bucket of bolts down to the mall and buy myself a little present. And if the poor old car doesn't break down, I’ll be back soon.”

Indirect Characterization The writer SHOWS you exactly what the character is like. S = Speech T = Thoughts E = Effects on others A = Actions L = Looks

Appearance jovial proud dedicated You can infer a lot about characters from the clothes they wear, their facial features, their body language, and their mannerisms. Tex was the head rancher on the farm. When he rounds up the horses, he can be easily spotted with his beige hat and vest. Tex’s smile is a mile wild, even with his bushy mustache. jovial proud dedicated

Actions – Much of what we learn about characters is revealed to us through what they do. Denise picked up the slimy bull frog. She could hardly stand to hold it even for a moment. She held it out at arm’s length from her body and quickly carried it to her brother. squeamish sensitive nervous

Words – We often get to know characters because of what they say to each other. Anita threw her arms around Tony and gave him a big hug. “Thank you so much for being there for me,” she said. “I don’t think I could have faced my parents without you.” thoughtful compassionate appreciative

Thoughts and feelings – When an author lets us get inside the mind of a character, we can often learn a great deal about him or her. Butch looked around the neighborhood. “This would be a safe place to play catch with Bobby,” he thought. “Why doesn’t Bobby throw the ball?” He must be in a bad mood or something.” loyal concerned playful

Other character’s comments or reactions – sometimes other characters will tell us something useful about the character we’re reading about. “You wouldn’t believe what Lisa did yesterday,” Sara said to her sister. “When we went into the bridal shop, she pushed all the women aside and demanded that the sales lady help us immediately. It was really something!” Demanding pushy assertive

Direct Characterization The writer tells you exactly (directly) what the character is like. Betsy was a determined three year old, who knew what she wanted and often got her way, if she cried loud enough. The teacher has an obnoxiously loud voice which he uses to intimidate his students. Did you eat your stupid chips for lunch today?

Key Concepts – Let’s Review ! direct characterization indirect characterization foil character archetype character motivation static character round character dynamic character flat character persona dialect