1. 8 Different Ways of Looking at a Character
Characterization
8 Different Ways of Looking at a Character

2. Physical Description Most common way of describing a character
Identifies anything physical about the character
Can include
Height
Skin
Hair and eye color
Short/tall
How they walk or stand
Physical Description

3. Analyzing a character’s name is looking more closely to it’s meaning (if there is one) and describing it
Not all characters have a name with significance to the story
Remember though…
Authors don’t do things on accident! Many times they choose character’s names to represent something
Name Analysis

4. This method of characterization is the reader’s description of the character’s attitude
The character’s attitude is how the character appears to feel about what is happening to him or her in the story
This is similar to how you may describe your attitude if you were in a similar situation
Attitude/Appearance

5. When you first meet a real person, you form judgments about that person
You might say “he’s nice,” or “She’s friendly.”
Nice and Friendly are examples of character traits. The are words that we use to describe a person’s “character” or personality
Character Traits

6. Dialogue The way in which a character talks
Includes choice of words, tone and syntax
Is the character shy? Sarcastic? Serious? Obnoxious?
All these qualities (and more) can be conveyed through the characters’ dialogue
Dialogue

7. The thoughts of a character can only be analyzed if we are inside the head of that character
We can only include an analysis of a character’s thoughts if you are told what the character is thinking
Thoughts

8. When analyzing the reactions of others, you are looking closely at how other characters in the story react to or treat the character that you are characterizing
Reactions include verbal responses, and physical or emotional treatment
Character reactions can tell if you the character you are analyzing is liked or disliked, popular, honest, trustworthy, etc
Reactions of Others

9. A character can be analyzed by looking at an action or incident and how it affected them or how they reacted to it
What action did the character take when confronted with a certain situation?
Is there an incident in the character’s past that has shaped them and affected the way they look at their life?
An important action or incident determines the way the character develops as the story goes on
Action or Incident

10. Characterize one of the greasers
Use each of the 8 methods of characterization to describe your character! Make your list first, then visually represent them!
1. For appearance, you will draw your character
2. For the other 7, you will make a list on a separate sheet of paper as a group
3. Find a quote from the first 4 chapters to describe your character and write it somewhere on your poster.
*Be sure to use specific textual evidence to support your characterization*
Your mission…

11. Setting affects the character’s development as well as the plot
Can be Physical and Emotional
Emotional
The series of emotions that the character deals with in the story
Physical
Where the story is taking place
Setting

12. 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. The writer can let us know what a character is like through direct and indirect characterization.
Analyzing Character Traits

13. Character Development
Dynamic Characters
Static characters
Characters who change throughout the store
They develop
They discover something about themselves and their world?
They remain the same
They do not develop
Character Development