Name: _________________________________________ Hour: ___________________ Date: ____________________
A Wrinkle in Time Characterization Chart
In life we learn and make judgments about people based on the things they do and say, how they act and react. We
learn about characters in literature the same way.
Characterization is the way an author helps the reader to learn about the characters.
Direct Characterization—the author directly states the character’s traits.
Indirect Characterization—the author reveals characteristics of a character through various methods, leaving it up to
the reader to draw conclusions about the character based on this indirect information. Authors may indirectly
characterize though any of the following methods:
 what the character says (dialogue)
 what the character does (actions)
 what the character thinks (interior monologue)
 what other characters say about him or her
The character journal below contains evidence that reveals the character of Meg, inferences about her based on the
evidence, and commentary that explains how and/or why the evidence led to the inference.
1. Study the two examples; then fill in the character journal with one more piece of evidence, an inference and
commentary about Meg.
Evidence
Inference- Commentary
“…he’s supposed to have left your mother and gone off
Sensitive- Meg already knows what people say about her
with some dame.”
family, but she still has a quick emotional reaction to
Meg jerked up from the stone on which she was perched,
Calvin’s words.
but Calvin grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back
down.
Page 43
“You haven’t heard anything at all?”
“No,” Meg said. “Nothing.” Her voice was heavy with
misery.
Page 44
Again Meg leaped up, and again Calvin pulled her down.
“No! They’d have told us if he were dead! There’s always a
telegram or something! They always tell you!”
Page 45
2. Meg is characterized as ___________________________, ____________________________,
and _______________________________.
3. Complete the character journal for Calvin, adding two pieces of evidence with inferences and commentary.
Evidence
Inference- Commentary
“…he’s supposed to have left your mother and gone off
Persistent- Calvin brings up a touchy subject with Meg,
with some dame.”
but he isn’t willing to end the conversation even when she
Meg jerked up from the stone on which she was perched,
gets upset.
but Calvin grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back
down.
Page 43
“I suppose they think she’s pursuing him or something,”
Calvin said rather bitterly. “They can’t understand plain
ordinary love when they see it.”
Page 45
“Go ahead and cry. It’ll do you good.”
Page 46
4. Calvin is characterized as ___________________________, ____________________________,
and _______________________________.
5. While Meg’s relationship with Calvin can be described as ___________________, her relationship with her
father is __________________________.
6. Why does Calvin want to talk about Meg’s father with her?
7. Think about the characters in this excerpt. Which symbol would best represent each character? Justify your
answers. You may choose from the symbols below or draw your own
Character
Meg
Calvin
Meg’s Father
Symbol
Reason Justified