

The process by which a writer reveals the
personality of a character.
Two methods:
◦ Direct characterization
◦ Indirect characterization
 1.
Physical description of the
character
 Example:
◦ “She wore a blue gingham dress,
rimmed at throat and shoulders
with a white edging that
accentuated her tan…she was
arrestingly beautiful.” (Description
of Judy in “Winter Dreams”)



2. Presentation of the character’s
own actions, words, thoughts, and
feelings
Example:
◦ “I’m more beautiful than anybody
else,…why can’t I be happy?” (Judy
in “Winter Dreams)


3. Presentation of the actions, words,
thoughts, and feelings of other characters
in relation to that person.
Example:
◦ “My God, she’s a good-looking girl!”
◦ “Good-looking! She always looks as if she
wanted to be kissed! Turning those big coweyes on every calf in town.” (Mr. Sandalwood
and Mr. Hedrick talking about Judy in “Winter
Dreams”)
 1.
The narrator’s own direct
comments about that character.
 Example:
◦ “Whatever Judy wanted, she went after
with the full pressure of her charm…She
simply made men conscious to the
highest degree of her physical loveliness.”
(Narrator’s comments about Judy in
“Winter Dreams”)

The chief was his son, stalwart
and strong, head man of the
tribesmen, and a mighty hunter.
1.
◦ “The Law of Life”
◦ p. 748

“Didn’t I ever tell you? I wrote a
novel once. I was just out of
college, and didn’t want to be a
doctor. No; I wanted to be a genius,
so I wrote a novel.”
2.
◦ (“April Showers” p. 800)
 3.
“I think Judy’s a nice girl and I
like her. I can’t understand how a
man like Lud Simms could fall madly
in love with her, but he did.” Then
he added, “Most of the women like
her.”
◦ “Winter Dreams”
◦ p. 957
 4.
Her eyes were blue with age. Her
skin had a pattern all its own of
numberless branching wrinkles and
as though a whole little tree stood
in the middle of her forehead…
◦ “A Worn Path”
◦ P. 1006
 Central
character
 usually the
hero
 Character
who opposes
the main
character
(antagonist)
 Usually the
villain
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
For a protagonist, create examples of
each of the four characterization types.
For an antagonist, create examples of
each of the four characterization types.
Write your examples on the supplied
paper.
When you are instructed, read your first
example to the group I assign to you
and have them guess which type it is
and if it is for a protagonist or
antagonist.
When instructed, repeat #3 until you
have shared each of your examples.