Lesson: Direct/Indirect Characterization

Literary

Characterization

Characterization

• How an author reveals a character's physical, mental, or emotional traits (inside and outside)

• They do this by TELLING us DIRECTLY or SHOWING us INDIRECTLY.

• Studying characterization gives us a deeper understanding of the story

Is there a difference between an emotion and a character trait?

Emotions are temporary and can change quickly; they show who or how someone is feeling at the moment.

Character traits are always present but can change over time. They reveal who or how the character is as an individual.

Categorize

Options (16)

stubborn

scared

honest

brave

kind

curious

loyal

patient

generous

happy

excited

anxious

frustrated

relieved

surprised

sad

Organize these options into the right categories

character trait

emotion

Characterization is the method authors use
to reveal the personality traits of the characters in their stories.

Characterization can be DIRECT or INDIRECT.

​NOTES

Direct Characterization (telling) The narrator or another character DIRECTLY STATES what a character is like.


Indirect Characterization (showing) Events in the story and character interactions HINT at a character’s traits.

* THE READER MUST MAKE INFERENCES TO IDENTIFY THE CHARACTER'S TRAITS.

Multiple Choice

What does it mean to make an INFERENCE?

• Take what you've read and combine it with what you know to create a new idea (an educated guess)

• Hide the truth

• Read what the text tells you directly and don't think any deeper about it

• Write a narrative with a surprise ending

Multiple Choice

Characterization is

• the central message in a story

• the problem in a story

• the process by which a writer reveals a character's personality and qualities

Multiple Choice

The author directly tells the reader about a character's personality traits

• Direct Characterization

• Indirect Characterization

Multiple Choice

The author shows the reader hints about a character's personality traits

• Direct Characterization

• Indirect Characterization

Multiple Choice

He glanced at her face - her eyes were honey brown and her nose crinkled when she smiled.

• Direct characterization

  (TELLING)

• Indirect characterization

  (SHOWING)

Multiple Choice

Mark stomped to his room and slammed the door. Everything seemed so unfair.

• Direct characterization

  (TELLING)

• Indirect characterization

  (SHOWING)

Multiple Choice

Kevin texted back to his friends, “Yeah, I will be right over to the field as soon as I finish my algebra homework.”

• Direct Characterization

  (TELLING)

• Indirect Characterization

  (SHOWING)

Multiple Choice

Susan is very creative.

• Direct Characterization

• Indirect Characterization

Multiple Choice

"But I am so much more than that! I am a musician, and a swimmer, and a person able to make my own decisions."

• Direct characterization

• Indirect characterization

Multiple Choice

Whenever Martha is around a lot of people, she gets very quiet and finds it hard to start a conversation.

• Direct Characterization

• Indirect Characterization

Multiple Choice

Whenever anyone tries to speak to Maddie, she says, "You don't know me," rolls her eyes, and walks away.

• Direct Characterization

• Indirect Characterization

Match

Match the following

• The author SHOWS the reader character traits.
• The author TELLS the reader about character traits.

• The way an author reveals a character's traits

Indirect characterization

Direct characterization

Characterization

• Indirect characterization
• Direct characterization

• Characterization

Teacher Model

Example

Character Trait

Direct or Indirect

Kelly was a funny girl.

Kelly was known for always making
people laugh wherever she went.

Teacher Model

Example

Character Trait

Direct or Indirect

Kelly was a funny girl.

funny

Kelly was known for always making
people laugh wherever she went.

Teacher Model

Example

Character Trait

Direct or Indirect

Kelly was a funny girl.

funny

Direct

Kelly was known for always making
people laugh wherever she went.

​The text directly TELLS us the character trait

Teacher Model

Example

Character Trait

Direct or Indirect

Kelly was a funny girl.

funny

Direct

Kelly was known for always making
people laugh wherever she went.

funny

Teacher Model

Example

Character Trait

Direct or Indirect

Kelly was a funny girl.

funny

Direct

Kelly was known for always making
people laugh wherever she went.

funny

Indirect

The text SHOWS us how Kelly is and does NOT directly state the character trait

​​The example shows how Kelly affects other characters (by making them laugh)

Multiple Choice

Joshua was a smart and intelligent boy. He always did his homework and studied hard. It showed up each time he took a test and aced it.

When he arrived at school each day, he would ask his teachers if they needed him to take the chairs down or make copies. He enjoyed going to each class and doing little jobs for his teachers.

Which statement is an example of direct characterization of Joshua?

• He was a smart and intelligent boy.

• He would ask his teachers if they needed him to take chairs down or make copies.

• He enjoyed going to each class.

• Each time he took a test and aced it.

Multiple Choice

Michael stormed out of the room and slammed his books on the desk. He thought that he'd for sure made an A on his test. He studied all night, but when he looked at the test, he realized that he studied the wrong chapters.

Michael was a great athlete. He really needed that A so that he could play the game on Friday. Luckily for him, it was Tuesday, and his teacher was going to allow him to retake it on Thursday.

Which indirect characterization from the story suggests that Michael is frustrated?

• He was a great athlete

• Michael stormed out of the room and slammed his books on the desk.

• He thought he forsure made an A.

• He studied all night

Multiple Select

Choose all of the examples of DIRECT Characterization below

• Mike was extremely wealthy.

• Is anyone even listening to me? she wondered.

• The grumpy girl doesnt like her calm mom.

• Her smile would light up the room.

• She was a cheery, always upbeat person.

Multiple Select

Choose all of the examples of INDIRECT Characterization below

• Wealth never knocked on Mike's door.

• Raheem is always distracted, but one thing he always pays attention to is PIZZA.

• Mike was extremely wealthy.

• She had anger issues.

• "Are you feeling ok?" Jessica looked at her friend with concern in her eyes.