Character Traits and Characterization

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

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.

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?”

Making an inference means using clues from the story to figure out something that the author doesn’t directly tell you.

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 brother 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, surprised and amused. “Who are you, and what have you done with my sister, Mei?” he teased.

Based on the passage, what can you infer about the main character Mei?

• Mei is always outgoing and loud.

• Mei is timid.

• Mei is not very athletic.

• Mei is not usually so boastful and energetic.

What are traits?

• the struggles in the plot of a story

• descriptive adjectives that tell you what a character is like

• all of the events that happen in a story

• the places where a story happens

What can you use to figure out what a character’s traits are?

• what the character says

• what the character thinks

• how other characters react to the character

• all of the above

True or False: Characters can only be humans.

• True

• False

An author writes, “The girl was very patient.” This is an example of ________.

• the author telling you directly what a character is like

• the author showing you indirectly what a character is like

An author reveals that a character is courageous through the character’s words, actions and thoughts. This is an example of ________.

• the author telling you directly what a character is like

• the author showing you indirectly what a character is like

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