CharacterCreating CharactersCharacter DevelopmentSpeechAppearancePrivate ThoughtsHow Other Characters FeelActionsDirect and Indirect CharacterizationPracticeFeature Menu

Creating CharactersCreating characterstelling what human beings are likeis the whole point of writing stories.[End of Section]

Character DevelopmentWriters build characters by revealing

Character DevelopmentWhich methods of character development are being used?What do you think of the man based on this excerpt? Quick CheckKeep still, you little devil, or Ill cut your throat!A fearful man, all in coarse grey, with a great iron on his leg. A man with no hat, and with broken shoes, and with an old rag tied round his head. A man who had been soaked in water, and smothered in mud, and lamed by stones, and cut by flints . . . ; who limped, and shivered, and glared and growled; and whose teeth chattered in his head as he seized me by the chin.from Great Expectations by Charles Dickens[End of Section]

Character DevelopmentSpeechActionsDescriptionQuick CheckWhich methods of character development are being used?Keep still, you little devil, or Ill cut your throat!A fearful man, all in coarse grey, with a great iron on his leg. A man with no hat, and with broken shoes, and with an old rag tied round his head. A man who had been soaked in water, and smothered in mud, and lamed by stones, and cut by flints . . . ; who limped, and shivered, and glared and growled; and whose teeth chattered in his head as he seized me by the chin.from Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Character DevelopmentHes dangerous and desperate. He seems to be an escaped prisoner on the run.What do you think of the man based on this excerpt? Quick CheckKeep still, you little devil, or Ill cut your throat!A fearful man, all in coarse grey, with a great iron on his leg. A man with no hat, and with broken shoes, and with an old rag tied round his head. A man who had been soaked in water, and smothered in mud, and lamed by stones, and cut by flints . . . ; who limped, and shivered, and glared and growled; and whose teeth chattered in his head as he seized me by the chin.from Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

SpeechFirst-person narrators reveal their personal traits as theytell us what they think and feelBe aware that some first-person narrators mislead or lie to the audience.tell their own stories (using pronouns like I, me, and we)SoliloquyDramatic Monologue

Speechwhat characters say and dont sayDialogue can reveal a lot about characters and their relationships with each other. Pay attention tohow characters respond to each other[End of Section]

AppearancePay attention to language the writer uses to describe the characters looks, clothes, and demeanor. Does the description give you a positive or negative impression of the character? [End of Section]Which words contribute to this impression?The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shriveled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue. . . .from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Private ThoughtsWriters can take us into the characters minds to reveal their thoughts and feelings. As you read, note whether the characters thoughts and feelings match their speech and actions.[End of Section]

How Other Characters FeelWatch how other characters in the story react to the character. Note [End of Section]how the others feel about the characterwhat the others say about the character

ActionsWhat characters do and how they treat each other often reveal the most about them. Observe characters actions to determinewhat their personality is likewhat motivates themhow they deal with conflict [End of Section]

Direct and Indirect CharacterizationDirect CharacterizationWriters tell us directly what characters are like or what their motives are. Oh, but he was a tightfisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!from A Christmas Carol by Charles DickensIndirect CharacterizationWriters show us characters (through speech, appearance, private thoughts, other characters reactions, and actions) but allow us to decide what characters are like.

Direct and Indirect CharacterizationQuick CheckMy sister, Mrs. Joe, with black hair and eyes, had such a prevailing redness of skin that I sometimes used to wonder whether it was possible she washed herself with a nutmeg-grater instead of soap. She was tall and bony, and almost always wore a coarse apron, fastened over her figure behind with two loops, and having a square impregnable bib in front, that was stuck full of pins and needles. from Great Expectations by Charles DickensIs this an example of direct or indirect characterization?What kind of person do you think this character is?[End of Section]

Direct and Indirect CharacterizationIndirect. The writer is describing the characters appearance.Quick CheckIs this an example of direct or indirect characterization?My sister, Mrs. Joe, with black hair and eyes, had such a prevailing redness of skin that I sometimes used to wonder whether it was possible she washed herself with a nutmeg-grater instead of soap. She was tall and bony, and almost always wore a coarse apron, fastened over her figure behind with two loops, and having a square impregnable bib in front, that was stuck full of pins and needles. from Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Direct and Indirect CharacterizationI think shes strict and unfriendly.What kind of person do you think this character is?Quick CheckMy sister, Mrs. Joe, with black hair and eyes, had such a prevailing redness of skin that I sometimes used to wonder whether it was possible she washed herself with a nutmeg-grater instead of soap. She was tall and bony, and almost always wore a coarse apron, fastened over her figure behind with two loops, and having a square impregnable bib in front, that was stuck full of pins and needles. from Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Practice Who is the most unforgettable character youve ever met in a story? Write a few sentences about why you find the character so memorable. Before you begin, jot down your ideas on a chart like this one.[End of Section]

Most memorable characterMost outstanding characterCharacters appearanceImportant statementsImportant thoughtsImportant actionsReactions of other characters

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SpeechDramatic monologuea type of poem in which a speaker addresses one or more silent listeners.often dicusses a specific problem or situationmay tell us about his or her life and valuesmay reveal his or her relationship with the listener(s)The narrator of a dramatic monologue

SpeechSoliloquya long speech in which a character who is onstage alone expresses his or her thoughts aloud.discuss a specific problem or situationreveal his or her deepest private thoughts to the audienceThe character may