Characterization

							  Elements
    of
Characterization
Standard 3.4 requires you to determine
characters' traits by what the characters
say about themselves in narration,
dialogue, and other literary elements.
What is a CHARACTER?
 In a work of fiction,
    a CHARACTER is a
         person,
     animal,
         or other figure
that keeps the action moving
What is characterization?
Characterization
 is the way a CHARACTER
                   is
                 portrayed
                   in a work of
                         fiction
Why is characterization important?
It allows you to

         understand,
               interpret,

                   and think critically
      about characters
There are two types
   of characterization
Direct characterization
occurs when a narrator
tells us “directly” what a
character is like.
 Next, she removed her glasses,
Just then Mrs. Pinewood
 and all and so help me God,
smiled, I saw were these two
 blood-red eyes zeroing in
she had the sharpest teethon
 me like telescopic reminded
I’ve everaseen. They rifle.
me of razorblades.
This form of behavior is unacceptable,
Max is a really smart and creative
and He just needs to focus his
boy. if Max doesn’t modify his childish
              A few days ago I bent down to
attention ontoo cluttered, at his parents.
ways, I will be forced to callhand.
His mind is the material and andspends
              pick up a pencil, he I noticed
way too much time fantasizing about me.
              Max staring at my behind.
There are FIVE methods of indirect characterization
Speech
What does a character say?

How does he or she speak?
                               Sometimes I’d feel the
                               cool darkness sweep over
                               my body, and I’d hear the
                               sound of other inmates
                               snorin’ or talkin’ in their
I lived a peaceful prison life. I
                               sleep, and it’s like the
even did a little preachin’, and
                 I spent a lotta time prison
       Actually, preachin’, I’dwhole starin’ would be
when I wasn’t
       outta my bunk, smoke suspended in time and
just lie on this window, ’specially at night,
                               space, kinda like
       ’cause that’s when I could see the sky The
cigarettes, or stare outta this
                               Twilight Zone.
       and window in the moon.
barred-upthe stars andmy cell.
The character’s speech is. . .

  (A) Dull and repetitive

    (B) Full of prison slang

        (C) Descriptive and thoughtful

   (D) Wordy and hard to understand
Thoughts
               What is revealed
           through a character’s
                thoughts
                   and
                  feelings?
For of a first timehe wanted
  His heart was beating life,
All the sudden, in his so
Jake wasback into his
to climb scared. He became
  fast that he thought it
dizzy, he womb, His legs
  might explode. where he
mother’s started sweating,
 Jake Monroe from this
and hisbe safe was in the
  were hands vision
would stiff, histrembled.
 presence of God (or at least
  was blurry, and he
strange Force and this
 some Godlike figure).
  almost wet his pants.
terrifying Otherness.
The character’s two feelings are. . .

      (A) Love and happiness

     (B) Fear and anxiety

  (C) Rage and vengefulness

            (D) Boredom and apathy
Effect
  on
Others
 What effect does the character have on other people?
          What do they say about him or her?
Your mom would rest her head on my
shoulder, and sometimes she would
whisper strange words in my ear.
                     Esther was the most
                     beautiful woman who
                     ever walked a
              She was gentle as the streets
                     of Bakersfield,
              mouse and tender asand I still
                     don’t know could
              the night, and shewhat she saw
                     in me. I with her
              hypnotize you treated the poor
                     woman like her
              crystal-blue eyes, garbage.
              snow-white hair, and
              her apple-red lips.
The character remembers his wife as. . .

     (A) An ugly old witch

   (B) A distant and strange being

 (C) A grumpy housewife he could barely stand

      (D) A deeply attractive and loving woman
Actions
       What does the character do?

    How does the character behave?
 I placed the I ate a on cracker for
This morning crackerRitzmy tongue. It
 Normally,there, waiting a Ritz cracker, but
 lingered I only eat It was crispy and golden
breakfast—just one. halfto be consumed. a
 whole Igobbled it up, and . tasted in I
 Then still Pure the way Tomorrow
brown.Ione? recall insanity. I.itregret thatmy will
 moment salty and anything. It was a
mouth, allmore than loaded with calories. It
 eat nothing for breakfast.
 moment me of a large, edible coin.
reminded of weakness. I’ll never do it again.
The character is probably. . .

      (A) A big fan of Ritz crackers

    (B) A super-thin fashion model

  (C) Suffering from an eating disorder

        (D) Recovering from manic depression
            What
               does
          the character
                 look like?




Physical Appearance
The character’s physical
appearance suggests that he is. . .

     (A) Immature

   (B) Often judged because of how he looks

         (C) Going to wind up in jail

     (D) Ready to drop out of high school
A protagonist is the main character of a story

      An antagonist is the villain or opposing force
       And Knight, Batman is the protagonist
In The Dark the Joker is the antagonist
A flat character
 has only one or two
    character traits (or qualities)
A round character
has many sides to
his or her personality
A static character does not change or grow.
The Joker is a static character because he
never really changes. He is a psychopathic
killer from beginning to end.
A dynamic character changes or grows.
   Whether characters are in books or
   movies, remember that they all embody
They represent the BEST and are YOU of us.
So which characters WORST in alllike?
   qualities that many of us possess.