Characterization

What is characterization?

• Character traits

• What a character says and thinks

• The process in which the author tells the personality of a character.

• What a character looks like and what are his actions

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Read the following passage: 
"We did it! We did it! We did it!" Mei boasted, slapping her hand against the table, scattering toast crumbs, knocking aside teaspoons and almost smearing the butter in her zeal. 
"Whoa!" her brohter exclaimed, startled. "Well congratulations!"
Mei stood up and triumphantly strutted around the kitchen, transforming her walk around the breakfast table into a victory parade. 
Her brother laughed, suprised and amused. "Who are you, and what have you done with me sister, Mei?" he teased. 
Based on the passage, what can you infer about the main character Mei? 

• Mei is outgoing and loud
• Mei is timid
• Mei is not very athletic
• Mei is not usually so boastful and energetic

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What character trait is revealed in this passage?
Jonathan looked at the homeless dog walking down the street of his neighborhood.  He approached the dog, slowly cautiously, with his hands stretched outward.  After gaining his trust, Jonathan took the dog home, gave him a warm bath, and big bowl of food.

• impulsive
• obsessed
• humble
• compassionate

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Tom is described as being very fit, healthy, tall, and strong. Based on this description, we can infer that Tom ___________________.

• eats junk food all day.
• possibly plays a sport -- maybe basketball -- to stay healthy.
• doesn't care about his health.
• likes to sleep in on the weekends.

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Character traits are adjectives that describe the qualities of a character.

A character’s traits are different from a character’s feelings. Characters’ feelings, or emotions, are a character’s emotional response to things that happen around them. Unlike character traits, feelings may come and go quickly.

Read the following passage from a story.

Mercy snorted. She should have known better than to challenge Victoria. Of all Mercy’s friends, Victoria talked loudest, ran fastest and took the most risks. She bragged about the time she convinced her older brothers to spend a weekend building her a fort. Mercy liked to call Victoria “Buster.” “Because you are always busting things up,” she laughed. Victoria wore the nickname with pride.

Based on the passage, which of the following is one of Victoria’s traits?

• forgetful

• confused

• bold

• shy

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Direct characterization is when the author tells us directly what the characters are like. The author may state the character’s traits: “Kareem was a polite, patient boy who always listened to his parents.”

Which of the following is an example of direct characterization?

• “Andy is such a jerk,” his sister sighed.

• Andy was rude and usually didn’t think of other people’s feelings.

• Andy knew he got to the line late but decided to skip ahead anyways.

• “I got here first!” Andy growled at the small child waiting in front of him.

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In indirect characterization, the author does not come out and tell us what the character is like. Instead, the author shows the character’s personality through things the character says, does, feels and thinks and the way other characters react to the character.

In the following passage from the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, the character Dorothy is talking to another character, the Scarecrow.

Read the passage and then answer the question below.

“No, indeed. I don’t know anything. You see, I am stuffed, so I have no brains at all," [the Scarecrow] answered sadly.

“Oh,” said Dorothy, “I'm awfully sorry for you.”

“Do you think,” he asked, “if I go to the Emerald City with you, that Oz would give me some brains?”

“I cannot tell,” she returned, “but you may come with me, if you like. If Oz will not give you any brains you will be no worse off than you are now.”

Which detail from the passage best shows us that Dorothy is caring and kind?

• “‘I cannot tell,’ she returned...”

• “‘I don’t know anything. You see, I am stuffed, so I have no brains at all,’ [the Scarecrow] answered sadly.”

• “‘Oh,’” said Dorothy, “‘I'm awfully sorry for you.’”

• “Do you think,” he asked, “if I go to the Emerald City with you, that Oz would give me some brains?”

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In indirect characterization, the author does not come out and tell us what the character is like. Instead, the author shows the character’s personality through things the character says, does, feels and thinks and the way other characters react to the character.

In the following passage from the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, the character Dorothy is talking to another character, the Scarecrow.

Read the passage and then answer the question below.

“No, indeed. I don’t know anything. You see, I am stuffed, so I have no brains at all," [the Scarecrow] answered sadly.

“Oh,” said Dorothy, “I'm awfully sorry for you.”

“Do you think,” he asked, “if I go to the Emerald City with you, that Oz would give me some brains?”

“I cannot tell,” she returned, “but you may come with me, if you like. If Oz will not give you any brains you will be no worse off than you are now.”

Which detail from the passage best shows us that Dorothy is caring and kind?

• “‘I cannot tell,’ she returned...”

• “‘I don’t know anything. You see, I am stuffed, so I have no brains at all,’ [the Scarecrow] answered sadly.”

• “‘Oh,’” said Dorothy, “‘I'm awfully sorry for you.’”

• “Do you think,” he asked, “if I go to the Emerald City with you, that Oz would give me some brains?”

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A character, Nicki, is friendly. The author shows this by having Nicki sit down at a lunch table with a group of kids she doesn’t know and introduce herself. What is the author using to show Nicki’s trait?

• Nicki’s thoughts

• Nicki’s feelings

• Nicki’s actions

• other characters’ reactions to Nicki

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A character, Flora, goes on a field trip to an amusement park. She tells her teacher she’s scared to go on the roller coasters. “No way I’m going on those!” she thinks. Flora’s classmates comment on how she’s shaking and looks pale. Based on this evidence, one trait that describes Flora is ________.

• fierce

• cowardly

• talented

• bold

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