Fahrenheit 451
CHARACTERIZATION
I CAN IDENTIFY CHARACTERIZATION AND ANALYZE ITS EFFECT ON A
STORY.
Bellringer
•Based on what you know about Guy Montag, would
you be friends with him?
•Why?
•What about his personality attracts/detracts you to
him?
ADV- Reading Quiz #2
Agenda
1. Bellringer- Guy Montag and ADV- reading quiz
2. Announcements:
Turn in HW (personality traits/ACE paragraph)
LitCon is WEDNESDAY
+15 EC Points!
3. Vocabulary Introduction
4. F451 Recap… questions?
5. Characterization Notes and Examples
6. Characterization partner work and class discussion
7. Exit Slip
Vocabulary
Vocab Pt. 1:
The Hearth and the Salamander
Write down the following words on your vocabulary
organizer.
After you finish, make an educated guess as to what the
word means.
Refer to the page number referenced on your organizer if
you’d like to use context clues!
Vocab Words
1. minstrel
6. tamped
2. imperceptible
7. stratum
3. mausoleum
4. stolid
5. tallow
8. distill
9. cataract
10.thimble
Vocabulary Continued
Look up the definitions on your phone or in a dictionary.
You may work with a table partner.
Vocabulary Example
Now that you know the definitions, how does the definition add to the meaning of the novel?
In other words, look up the word in the book and apply the definition to the sentence the word
is in. How does the definition help you understand the text better? How does the definition
provide a deeper meaning to the text?
1. minstrel
p.2
person who
sings
This definition helps the reader
A performer in a
variety show made visualize what Montag looked
like in the moment, and how he
in blackface
characterizes himself.
Questions about F451?
Characterization Notes
Characterization
•Characterization is a literary device that is used step by step in literature
to highlight and explain the details about a character in a story.
•Characterization helps us make sense of the behavior of any character in a
story by helping us understand their thought processes.
•A good use of characterization always leads the readers or audience to
relate better to the events taking place in the story.
•Dialogues play a very important role in developing a character because it
gives us an opportunity to examine the motivations and actions of the
characters more deeply.
Stages of Characterization
1. In the initial stage, the writer introduces the character with
noticeable emergence and then following the introduction of
the character, the writer often talks about his behavior;
2. As the story progresses, so does the thought-process of the
character.
3. The next stage, the character expresses his opinions and ideas
and gets into conversations with the rest of the characters.
4. The final part shows how others in the story respond to the
character’s personality.
Types of Characterization
•Direct characterization
• Basically, direct characterization is when the author TELLS the
audience what the personality of the character is.
•Indirect characterization
• Basically, indirect characterization is when the author SHOWS
things that reveal the personality of the character.
Indirect Characterization
STEAL method
Types of Characterization
•Indirect characterization
• There are FIVE different methods of indirect characterization:
• Speech: What does the character say? How does the character speak?
• Thoughts: What is revealed through the character’s thoughts and
feelings?
• Effect on other characters: What is revealed through the character’s
effect on other people? How do other characters feel or behave in
reaction to the character?
• Actions: What does the character do? How does the character
behave?
• Looks: What does the character look like? How does the character
dress?
Types of Characterization
• Watch the following video. Write down at least TWO examples of
direct characterization and TWO examples of indirect
characterization.
Characterization Example
Now, how can we apply what we know about
characterization to F451?
1. Skim through and review your assigned pages.
2. Briefly summarize and give the context of the passage.
3. Explain who is primarily being characterized in the passage.
3. In your passage, identify examples of indirect and direct characterization
4. In the passage you read, which quote is most significant to the overall
meaning of the work so far?
5. What insight do you gain about the characters in your passage?
6. How does the characterization in your passage contribute a theme in
Fahrenheit 451?
Fahrenheit 451 Partner assignment
Group 1: 3-6 (Abe & Yasuo)
Group 8: 32-34 (Anna & Jake C.)
Group 2: 7-10 (Duncan & Adam)
Group 9: 35-37 (Beth Anne & Tav)
Group 3: 11-14 (Connor & Serena)
Group 10: 37-39 (Marco & Jayk)
Group 4: 18-21 (Keithen & Evan C.)
Group 11: 39-41 (Nas, Evan S., & Will)
Group 5: 22-24 (Nick & Samaan)
Group 13: 41-43 (Emily & Isobel)
Group 6: 24 -26 (Mansi & Trish)
Group 14: 43-45
Group 7: 26-28 (Patrick & Yash)
Group 16: 46-48
Group 15:28-32 (Keaton & Evan)
Exit Slip
•For each of the following, determine whether direct or indirect
characterization is being used and explain WHY.
1. “Her face was slender and milk-white, and in it was a kind of gentle
hunger that touched over everything with tireless curiosity. It was a
look, almost, of pale surprise; the dark eyes were so fixed to the
world that no move escaped them. Her dress was white and it
whispered.”
2. “‘You are an odd one,’ [Montag] said, looking at [Clarisse].”