Indirect and Direct Characterization

Characterization

Let's talk about direct & Indirect characterization

​Can anyone guess what the difference is?

Watch this video and notice the difference. ​

Multiple Choice

What is direct characterization?

• How the author (or narrator) describes a character

• What the character says or does within a text

Multiple Choice

What is indirect characterization?

• How the author (or narrator) describes a character

• What the character says, does, or thinks within a text

Multiple Choice

Read the following passage and decide if it is direct or indirect characterization:

Peter wasn't interested in the TV show that was playing, but the remote control was all the way across the room, so he just watched it anyway. Jan would be home soon, and she could fetch it for him then.

• direct

• indirect

Multiple Choice

Read the following passage and decide if it is direct or indirect characterization:

Because Joe is an honest guy, he decided to return the chocolate bar he did not pay for.

• direct

• indirect

Multiple Choice

What can you infer about this character through indirect characterization? Whenever anyone tries to speak to Diana, she says, "You don't know me," rolls her eyes, and walks away.

• Dee has a difficult home life.

• Dee has eye problems.

• Dee is rude and thinks she is better than everyone else.

• Dee has a lot of friends.

Multiple Select

Which types of indirect characterization are at play in the passage below? (Hint: there are 2 correct answers!)

Amanda arrived early to the meeting with her hair in a pristine ballerina bun and a Montblanc pen tucked behind her ear. Before she sat down, she smoothed out her pinstriped pencil skirt.

• Speech

• Effect on others

• Looks

• Thoughts

• Actions

Now, Let's talk about Static vs. Dynamic characters

​Dynamic Characters go through changes during a story. ​

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​Static Characters remain the same during a story and don't change.

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Multiple Choice

Static characters...

• do not change during the story

• have lots of detail

• have little or no detail

• change during the story

Multiple Choice

Dynamic characters...

• do not change during the story

• have lots of detail

• have little or no detail

• change during the story

Multiple Choice

Travis began the school year the same as always. He never studied or completed his homework. Each report card showed the same poor grades. Although his parents encouraged him, by the end of the year, he was still doing poorly.

What type of character is he?

• static

• dynamic

Multiple Choice

 

Even though she loved to dance, Shannon was nervous about joining the dance team. She tried out and made it, but never said a word to anyone. At each dance practice, Shannon got a little more comfortable with her team. By the end of the season, not only did she make friends, but she even taught the team a few dance moves.

What type of character is she?

• static

• dynamic

Moving on to Flat vs. round characters

Flat characters are less-developed characters that we know very little about. We only know a few traits. ​

Round characters are well-developed and we know much more about them from the many traits we learn.

Multiple Choice

What type of character is given many character traits and considered well-developed?

• flat

• round

Multiple Choice

What type of character is given only a few traits and is not considered well-developed?

• flat

• round

Multiple Choice

Gru from "Despicable Me" is a ______ character because we see many sides of him and he reveals a change in his emotions.

• flat

• round

Multiple Choice

In "Shrek", Donkey is a ______ character because we don't learn very much about him.

• flat

• round

Poll

How confident do you feel in your knowledge about characterization?

• Very confident

• Confident

• Unconfident

• Very unconfident