Who do they think they are? Characterization Who do they think they are?

Character Categories Protagonist: The main character whom the plot revolves around. The protagonist is often faced with a conflict. Example: Stanley Yelnats in Holes Antagonist: The person who causes the conflict--usually labeled as the villain or bad guy. Example: Scar in the Lion King Major: Important characters directly connected to the protagonist Minor: Nonessential characters who are “extras” in the plot

Character Types Dynamic OR Round : a character who develops, grows, or changes in personality and/or attitude during the story. This person is usually the protagonist. Static OR Flat: a character who remains the same during the story

What kind of major characters do good short stories have? A Character that is likeable and believable. A Character that must overcome a real problem. A Character that solves the problem on his/her own. (This is where we learn a lot about what the character is thinking and feeling.)

Character Techniques Writers Use to Develop Characters (Also known as Characterization) Appearance: physical description and body language (movement/gestures) Action/Behavior: what a character does Speech/Interaction: what a character says and how he/she says it Thoughts/Feelings: personal thoughts and emotions a character has Other’s Viewpoint: what do other characters say or think about the character

Text Examples “He studied Mr. Smith. The man was hard to describe. He looked as though he’d been manufactured to fit his name. Average height, brownish hair, pale white skin, medium build. Middle age. He was the sort of person you began to forget the minute you met him. Even his clothes had no particular style. They merely covered his body.” From “Future Tense”

Text Examples “Calpurnia was something else again. She was all angles and bones; she was nearsighted; she squinted; her hand was wide as a bed slat and twice as hard. She was always ordering me out of the kitchen, asking me why I couldn’t behave as well as Jem when she knew he was older, and calling me home when I wasn’t ready to come. Our battles were epic and one-sided. Calpurnia always won, mainly because Atticus always took her side. She had been with us ever since Jem was born, and I had felt her tyrannical presence as long as I could remember.” From “To Kill a Mockingbird”

Character Map/Web Speech/Dialogue Appearance Character’s Name Action/Behavior What others think about the character Thoughts & Feelings

Summary Types Categories Dynamic OR Round Static OR Flat Protagonist Antagonist Major Characters Minor Characters

Techniques Writers Use: Summary Good short stories have characters that are: Likable Trying to Overcome a Real Problem Able to Solve the Problem on his/her own. Techniques Writers Use: Appearance Action Speech/Interaction Thoughts/Feelings