methods of characterization

Methods of Characterization

When you first meet a real person or a character in a book, you form judgments about that person.

You might say something about the person such as “He’s nice,” or “She’s friendly.”

“Nice” and “friendly” are examples of character traits. They are words that we use to describe a person’s “character” or personality.

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

In indirect characterization the writer shows you what the character is like by revealing:appearanceactionswordsthoughts & feelings and the reactions of other characters.

Indirect Characterization

We often infer a lot about characters from the clothes they wear, their facial features, their body language, and their mannerisms.

Appearance

Erasto was the priest of his village. When he appeared before the commission, he towered above them, wearing his finest yellow hat and scarf, and his royal blue robes.

-respected-proud-dignified

You know the expression, “Actions speak louder than words”? Much of what we learn about characters is revealed to us through what they do.

Action

Denise picked up the slimy bull frog. She could hardly stand to hold it even for a moment. She held it out at arm’s length from her body and quickly carried it to her brother.

-squeamish-sensitive-nervous

We often get to know characters because of what they say to each other.

Words

Anita threw her arms around Tony and gave him a big hug. “Thank you so much for being there for me,” she said. “I don’t think I could have faced my parents without you.”

-thoughtful-compassionate-appreciative

When an author lets us get inside the mind of a character, we can often learn a great deal about him or her.

Thoughts and Feelings

Butch looked around the neighborhood. “This would be a safe place to play catch with Bobby,” he thought. “Why doesn’t Bobby throw the ball? He must be in a bad mood or something.”

-loyal-concerned-playful

Sometimes other characters will tell us something useful about the character we’re reading about.

Other Character’s Comments or Reactions

“You wouldn’t believe what Lisa did yesterday,” Sara said to her sister. “When we went into the bridal shop, she pushed all the women aside and demanded that the sales lady help us immediately. It was really something!”

-demanding-pushy-assertive

In direct characterization the writer tells you directly what the character is like.

Direct Characterization

Betsy was a determined three year old, who knew what she wanted and often got her way, if she cried loudly enough.

Comments by the Narrator

Jimmy was a mischievous boy and creative too. He could take a discarded box or old blanket and turn it into something adventurous. But sometimes his imagination got the better of him, and he’d find himself in big trouble.

-mischievous-creative-imaginative

Org the ugly was usually angry.

Which method of characterization is being used?

WordsActionsAppearanceThoughts and feelingsOther characters’ comments or reactionsDirect comments by narrator

He stood up stiffly and glared at the sky.



He raised his slimy fists and beat them against his huge, hairy chest.



“I feel just like a dark sky!” Org shouted.



“I haven’t seen him this angry in a long time,” said Org’s wife to the cook.



Org leaned against a tree trunk and thought about how mean and ugly and mad he felt.



Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around the tree. He pulled and tore at it until it ripped out of the earth, roots and all.



All the gentle woodland creatures in the forest shook their heads sadly at Org and his hateful ways.



Make a chart containing Scout, Jem, Dill, Atticus, and Maycomb. List characteristics of each.

Journal ExerciseName Direct

Characterization

Indirect Characterizatio

n

Character Trait

Scout

“Scout yonder’s been readin’ ever since she was born, and she ain’t even started school yet.”

Intelligence

Jem

Dill

Atticus

Maycomb

An urban legend is, “a modern story of obscure origin and with little or no supporting evidence that spreads spontaneously in varying forms and often has elements of humor, moralizing, or horror: Are there alligators living in the New York City sewer system, or is that just an urban legend?” (dictionary.com).

Despite its name, an urban legend does not necessarily originate in an urban area. Rather, the term is used to differentiate modern legend from traditional folklore in pre-industrial times. For this reason, sociologists and folklorists prefer the term contemporary legend.

Urban Legends

A young woman was about to get married, and she decided she wanted to hold the wedding in the backyard of the large farmhouse where she grew up. It was a beautiful wedding and everything went perfectly.

Afterwards the guests played some casual party games, and someone suggested hide-and-seek so they could get the children to play too. It wouldn't be hard to find a place to hide around the house.

The groom was "it," and the bride wanted to make sure that she won the game. When no one was looking she slipped inside the house. She ran up to the attic, found an old trunk and hid in it. No one could find her. Her new husband wasn't worried though, he figured she must have just gotten tired and went inside to rest. So everyone went home.

The groom looked around the house but he couldn't find her anywhere. He and her parents filed a missing persons case, but she was never found.

A few years later when her mother died, the woman's father went to go through his late wife's things that were collecting dust in the attic. He came to an old chest. The lid was closed and the old lock was rusted over and holding it closed. He opened the lid and was terrified to see his daughter's decaying body in the chest. When she hid there, the lid had closed and the rusty parts of the lock had latched together, trapping her there.

What are urban legends based on? Which emotions are typically evoked by these

types of legends? In the case of the Finch children, they alter

their behavior based on the legend of Boo. Have you ever encountered an urban legend

that caused you to change your behavior? `Do you have an example?

Analyze

SynthesizeIn the novel To Kill a

Mockingbird, Jem and Scout have collected many urban legend stories about Boo Radley. Now it’s time for you to create one!

Create your own urban legend as a pod using phrases at the left as inspiration.Fits the definition of an urban

legend (see above) – 5 pts.Complete storyline based on

phrase – 5 pts.Vivid descriptions and sensory

details to enhance story – 5 pts.

Coca-ColaBirthdayVampiresFossil FuelsSupernaturalContaminated foodHookComputer virusAmusement parkDinosaursBloody MaryGhostsApartmentRoad TripBirdHam sandwichesHalloween

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