Characterization and Point of View

Characterization The method used by a writer to develop a character Show the character’s appearance Display the character’s actions Reveal the character’s thoughts Let the character speak Get the reactions of others

Types of Characterization

Examples… (from Harry Potter) Direct Characterization: “A giant of a man was standing in the doorway. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair.” Indirect Characterization: “Ah, shut up. Dursley, yeh great prune," said the giant. He reached over the back of the sofa, jerked the gun out of Uncle Vernon's hands, bent it into a knot as easily as if it had been made of rubber, and threw it into a corner of the room.”

Types of Characters

Definition Characters: the people in the story Characterization: the process by which the writer makes the character seem real to the reader

Character Types: Flat and Round Flat character Embodies 1 or 2 qualities, easily summarized; Not psychologically complex and thus easily accessible to the reader; Can be stock or stereotype a character who possesses the expected traits of a group rather than being an individual

Character Types: Flat and Round Round characters-- Complex and multi- dimensional Inconsistent and unpredictable Hard to summarize and understand Display internal conflicts found in real people

Character Behavior—Do They Change or Not? Static character Doesn’t change as a result of what happens to him in the story; The reader’s knowledge of him does not grow. Dynamic character Undergoes some kind of change as a result of action in the plot; Must be a substantive change rather than a mood change.

Change or No Change. . . A character must be Motivated Plausible Reader is offered reasons for how the characters behave, what they say, and what decisions they make; Plausible Action by a character that seems reasonable, given the motivations presented

Point-of-view! Closely allied to the concept of voice is point of view. Point of view as a literary technique is a complex and specific concept, dealing with vantage point and addressing the question: Who is standing whereto watch the scene? The answer will involve the voice of the teller, the intended listener, and the distance or closeness of both the action and the diction. An author’s view of the world, as it is and as it ought to be, will ultimately be revealed by manipulation of the point of view, but not vice versa. First Person- “I” (Examples… A Long Way Gone) Second Person – “You” (Poem – War Widow) Third Person- “He, She, etc…” (Today is Costa Rica)

Third Person Point of View- Objective

Third Person Point of View- Limited

Third Person Omniscient