Characterization
Characterization
The act of creating and developing a
character
Characters
A person or an animal that takes part in
the action of a literary work
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 dresses
She 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 say
about 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?
True
____________—
A character in a story can be an animal.
True
____________—
An author may reveal a character by
describing how the character looks or
dresses.
____________—
False
Authors never directly reveal what the
character’s personality is like.