Characterization

Characterization

The act of creating and developing a character

A person or an animal that takes part in the action of a literary work

Characters

Types of Characters

Protagonist: The major character who is the most important character in a story, poem, or plays

Also known as the main character

Types of Characters

Antagonist: The principal character in opposition to the protagonist or hero of a story.

“The Bad Guy”

Types of Characters

Minor Character: The character who takes part in the action, but is not the focus of attention

Types of Characters

Flat Character: One-sided character and often stereo-typical

SHAPE: Sheet of paper

Flat Character

• EXAMPLE: In a story about a friendly teacher named Sandra Smith, Louis Drud is a janitor in her building. Louis is always tired and grumpy whenever Sandra runs across him and says hello.

In this example Louis Drud is a flat character.

Types of Characters

Round Character: Opposite of a flat character

Is fully developed and exhibits many traits (often both faults and virtues)

SHAPE: Ball

Round Character

Example: A character in a story named Elaine never cuts anybody a break. She tells her friends and coworkers that charity and compassion have no place in society. On the other hand, Elaine can never pass up feeding a stray kitten or puppy, and always tries to find a good home for lost or abandoned pets.

In this example Elaine is a round character.

Types of Characters

Dynamic Character: A character who changes or grows during the course of the work

SHAPE: Butterfly

Dynamic Character

Example: Ebenezer Scrooge, in “A Christmas Carol” by Dickens, was very stingy with his money. He worked his employees very, very hard for little pay. After his experiences with the ghosts that visited him, he changed his ways, paying his employees a more than fair wage, providing days off work and actually giving gifts.

Types of Characters

Static Character: A character who does not change

SHAPE: Rock

Static Character

EXAMPLE: Bert, a bumbling salesman, never takes the time to organize his files, properly record his sales, or follow up with customers. Finally, his boss gets fed up and fires him. Bert struggles for two months to find a new sales position. During that time, his car is repossessed for nonpayment and he maxes out his credit cards. Bert finally finds a new sales position but, before a week passes, he is called into a conference with his new boss. Bert is informed he must get organized or he’ll be fired. A week later the new boss fires Bert after he fails to follow up with an important customer.

How Authors Reveal Character

A writer can reveal a character in the following ways:

Letting the reader hear the character speak“I can’t go to the movies,” she said, “I have to finish my report.”

Describing how the character looks and dressesShe slung her purse over her shoulder and walked away, her stride made uneven by broken sandal thongs, thin elbows showing through holes in the oversized sweater, her

jeans faded and baggy.

How Authors Reveal Character

Letting the reader listen to the character’s inner thoughts and feelings

Jasmine’s heart raced when she saw all the people sitting in the audience. She was nervous, but she just kept telling herself, “You can do this. You know your lines. You’ll do fine.”

Revealing what other people in the story think or sayabout the character

There was just something about Thomas that made me feel comfortable. I knew I could tell him anything, and he wouldn’t judge me.

How Authors Reveal Character

Showing the reader what the character does—how he or she acts

David got up from the bench and offered his seat to the man holding a sleeping toddler with one arm and a bag of groceries in his other hand.

Telling the reader directly what the character’s personality is like (cruel, kind, sneaky, brave, and so on)

Although Mrs. Flint often frowned at our “uncivilized” behavior, she was a kind and generous woman.

What Have You Learned?

Are the following statements true or false?

____________— A character in a story can be an animal.

____________— An author may reveal a character by describing how the character looks or dresses.

____________— Authors never directly reveal what the character’s personality is like.

True

True

False