My appearance and body language tells
you I am one mean person. That is
characterization. Hey, somebody
break this guy’s legs.
What is a Character?
Character: a person or animal (or even robot,
these days) that takes part in the action of a
piece of fiction
Protagonist and Antagonist


Protagonist: Major character of the work, action
revolves around them
Antagonist: The character or force the protagonist is
fighting
You characterize someone in 3
ways, based on:
1. Their role in the story
• Protagonist OR
• Antagonist
2. Their personal development throughout
the story
• Dynamic OR
• Static
3. How much of their personality is shown
• Round OR
• Flat
Dynamic
The character changes as a person.
This can be a change in:
1. Their understanding
2. Their commitment
3. Their values
*changes in circumstances or physical
appearance don’t count unless it changed
their insides too!
Static
The character doesn’t change!
Why do we have static characters? To
help dynamic characters stand out!
Ex: Sidekicks and supporting characters
Round and Flat
Round--Character has multiple traits
Ex. Shrek
Most main characters
Flat—Character has only 1 or 2 traits
(“what you see is what you get”)
Ex. Donkey
Gollum (LOTR)
Through characterization, writers
reveal their characters’ traits, or
special qualities, in what they
write about them
What they say
What they do
Mannerisms
What others say about them
Insights
Who AM I?
Effective characterization
provides “insights” into
a character
What they are like as a
person
 What is their character
 “Who are they”?
 Not “what they look like”
or shallow, simple
observations

General vs In the Moment
Characterizations mostly
build an overall picture of a
character
Don’t be tricked…


Example: Anger in one
scene does not necessarily
make that character an
angry person
Look for the big picture of a
character
Two Types of
Characterization
2
Direct
Indirect
Direct vs Indirect
TELL vs SHOW
Direct characterization TELLS the reader
what the character is like

The author simply TELLS the reader what the
character’s traits are
“They were the laziest couple
on the block. Most of their
days were spent sitting on the
couch, watching television
and eating themselves into
oblivion.”
Direct vs Indirect / TELL vs SHOW
Indirect characterization SHOWS the reader
what the character is like


The author uses descriptive language to show what
the character’s traits are
More subtle than direct characterization, but usually
more powerful
“Ralph and Zelda sat like
zombies, staring at the
television. This was the 20th
hour they had been sitting on
the couch in the last 2 days,
doing nothing but eating and
gazing at the screen.”
Direct Characterization
The writer simply
tells us what the
character is like
“Billy was painfully shy. He
suffered from the
insecurities of his small size
and could not imagine
himself as someone people
would like.”
Direct Characterization
“Sandra was the smartest person in
the school, but her intelligence was
surpassed only by her poor
judgment. She knew instantly what a
situation called for, but often made
the dumb choice anyway.”
Indirect Characterization
S–T–E–A-L
“S-T-E-A-L” Method
S – The character’s speech, what they say
T – The character’s thoughts
E – The character’s effect on other characters
A - The character’s actions
L - The character’s looks, or appearance
Speech – What a Character Says
“Hey Joey, want to come to the movies
with us tonight?” his friend Mike
asked.
“No way,” he replied. “The movie’s
lame. I don’t feel like doing anything,
and the popcorn will probably make
me sick anyway. It would probably be
a disaster.”
Be Careful!
Not ALL dialogue will tell us something
about the character
The dialogue must show a characteristic
of the character in question come to life
very clearly
Again…look for the “big picture” over the
course of the story
Thoughts – What a Character Thinks
“Why can’t I be like the
other kids?” Jasmine
thought, despondently.
“Why can’t I just be
accepted? I just want
to belong.”
E
The ffects of the
Character’s
Actions on Others
“The gunman strode into the bar. Immediately, the place
seemed to shrink from itself. Everyone subconsciously
moved a step away from the door or subtly shifted their
chairs. Most looked away. The bartender continued to
polish the bar, but moving slowly away from the shooter
as he polished. Animated conversations stopped
instantly. No one breathed. The gunman stopped,
watched this happen, a tiny smile slowly appearing at
the corners of his mouth.”
A Character’s Actions
“Normally as he made dinner he would read, or
listen to the news, but now he just sat still and
watched the broth lightly boiling in the pot. For
almost an hour he stared into the fire.”
Character’s Looks (Appearance)
“The old man stared
into the camera, a
cigar dangling
uselessly from his
mouth. A driver’s
cap was perched
atop his bald, aging
head. His bloodshot
eyes looked with
sorrow into the
photographer’s lens.”
What Does it Say?
The importance of characterization
lies in what the characterization
says about the character.
What does it tell us about the
character?