CharacterizationBringing characters to life

Objective:

Students will be able to identify the two types of characterization used in literature and understand how they establish character traits.

Characterization

Definition: the process of conveying information about characters in fiction – their character traits.

What can readers learn through characterization?

Character

Behavior

AppearanceAge Gender

Education

Vocation

How are character traits presented?

Character Traits

Thoughts

Effect on Other

Characters

Actions

Looks(Description)

Speech(Dialogue)

Two Types of Characterization

Direct Characterization• the writer makes direct

statements about a character’s personality and tells what the character is like.

• Think adjectives.

Indirect Characterization• the writer reveals information

about a character and his/her personality through that character’s thoughts, words, and actions, along with how other characters respond to that character, including what they think and say about him/her.

• Think verbs.Descriptions Actions

Examples of Characterization

Direct Characterization• Gary is a nice and caring person.

• Gary can sometimes be very mean or rude.

Indirect Characterization• Gary watched his little brother for

two hours while their mother was ill, taking care of his every need. He did this without being asked and he did not ask for anything in return.

• “The next thing I know, Gary was tearing up my rose garden,” said Beatrice his elderly grandmother as she gave her statement to the police. She was still badly shaken after the attack.

Telling

Showing

What kind of person is Liz?

My friend Liz is a true best friend. She always supports me in everything I want to do. When I wanted to go up North, she said she thought it would be a great experience and that it would help me develop my sense of adventure. Liz is not only a great supporter. She also trusts me to give her my honest opinion and to say what I feel. When she was upset with her sister one time, she asked what I thought about it and I said she should wait and then she would find out the real reason why her sister was mad at her. And it happened that way. She knew she could trust me.

What kind of person is Liz?

My friend Liz is a true best friend. She always supports me in everything I want to do. When I wanted to go up North, she said she thought it would be a great experience and that it would help me develop my sense of adventure. Liz is not only a great supporter. She also trusts me to give her my honest opinion and to say what I feel. When she was upset with her sister one time, she asked what I thought about it and I said she should wait and then she would find out the real reason why her sister was mad at her. And it happened that way. She knew she could trust me.

What kind of person is Liz?

My friend Liz is a true best friend. She always supports me in everything I want to do. When I wanted to go up North, she said she thought it would be a great experience and that it would help me develop my sense of adventure. Liz is not only a great supporter. She also trusts me to give her my honest opinion and to say what I feel. When she was upset with her sister one time, she asked what I thought about it and I said she should wait and then she would find out the real reason why her sister was mad at her. And it happened that way. She knew she could trust me.

What kind of person is Liz?

My friend Liz is a true best friend. She always supports me in everything I want to do. When I wanted to go up North, she said she thought it would be a great experience and that it would help me develop my sense of adventure. Liz is not only a great supporter. She also trusts me to give her my honest opinion and to say what I feel. When she was upset with her sister one time, she asked what I thought about it and I said she should wait and then she would find out the real reason why her sister was mad at her. And it happened that way. She knew she could trust me.

What kind of person is Liz?

My friend Liz is a true best friend. She always supports me in everything I want to do. When I wanted to go up North, she said she thought it would be a great experience and that it would help me develop my sense of adventure. Liz is not only a great supporter. She also trusts me to give her my honest opinion and to say what I feel. When she was upset with her sister one time, she asked what I thought about it and I said she should wait and then she would find out the real reason why her sister was mad at her. And it happened that way. She knew she could trust me.

Your Turn!We will now read a short story by Langston Hughes entitled “Thank You, Ma’am”

Directions: 1. Using the graphic organizer, identify the character

traits of the two main characters.2. Give examples/quotes from the story to support

your claims.3. Identify the type of characterization as either direct

or indirect.