ENGLISH 12 | OUTCOME 1.1
CHARACTERIZATION – is the process by which the writer reveals the personality of
a character. Characterization is revealed through direct characterization and
indirect characterization. Source: http://www.readwritethink.org
Speech - What does the character say? How does the character speak?
Eg. She announced she was a manic depressive before we were done our
appetizers.
Thoughts - What is revealed through the character’s private thoughts and feelings?
Eg. My girlfriend Lindsay had no allergies, no frailties. No need for alcohol, ever. My
mother has called her, in a strangely wary voice, forward looking.
Effect – What is revealed through the character’s effect on other people? How do
other characters feel or behave in reaction to the character?
Eg. “Oh No,” Samantha said, those wonderful pouty lips kissing the air in front of
me…. She was suddenly leaning conspiratorial, leaning toward me.
Actions - What does the character do? How does the character behave?
Eg. My father was the co-owner of a successful, indoor Putt ‘n Play and drank a lot
Johnnie Walker, and my mother was manager of a thriving lingerie store uptown.
She like wine; the colour didn’t matter. They did fight all the time … When they did
start in on each other I just retreated to my bedroom and watched a movie with
the volume turned high.
Looks - What does the character look like? How does the character dress?
Eg. … her mascara was streaked in a clownish way that I found
attractive – she’s a shorter version of a young Audrey Hepburn.
You know, all eyes and mouth and this terribly fragile look.
ENGLISH 12 | OUTCOME 1.1
1. The author asks how well do you know yourself. How would you answer this question?
2. Talk about a time when someone made an observation about you that was true but you hadn't
realized it before.
3. The author does a good job of describing the guest at dinner. How would you describe the
character of Samantha - we meet at the beginning of the short story?
4. Samantha talks about the alpha wolf. Who would you say is the alpha wolf in your family?
Reason?
5. The narrator's girlfriend Lindsay is quite different than Samantha provide one of these
differences.
6. Summarize what the narrators family do for a living. Weaklings?
ENGLISH 12 | OUTCOME 1.1
7. Midway through the story we need Lindsay the girlfriend of the narrator. What did she have to
say about his family when he asks?
8. How did you feel about the narrator? Did you relate?
9. The story is about identity and search of self. How does this apply to the narrator?