π What is Direct Characterization?
Direct characterization is when the author directly tells you what a character is like. Think of it as the narrator spelling it out for you. There's no guesswork involved!
- πββοΈ Example: 'Sarah was a kind and generous girl.' The author is telling us directly that Sarah has these qualities.
- βοΈ How to spot it: Look for sentences that describe a character's personality traits explicitly.
- π Benefit: It's straightforward and easy to understand.
π What is Indirect Characterization?
Indirect characterization is when the author shows you what a character is like through their actions, thoughts, speech, appearance, and how other characters react to them. You have to infer, or figure out, the character's personality based on these clues.
- π£οΈ Speech: What does the character say? How do they say it?
- π Thoughts: What does the character think about? What are their beliefs?
- effect: π€ Effect on others: How do other characters react to them?
- πͺ Actions: What does the character do? How do they behave?
- π Looks: What does the character look like? What is their appearance?
π Direct vs. Indirect Characterization: A Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature |
Direct Characterization |
Indirect Characterization |
| Definition |
Author directly tells the reader about the character. |
Author shows the reader about the character through actions, thoughts, speech, etc. |
| How it works |
Stating the character's traits. |
Revealing traits through STEAL (Speech, Thoughts, Effect on others, Actions, Looks). |
| Reader's role |
Passive; the reader is told. |
Active; the reader infers. |
| Example |
'He was a brave knight.' |
He charged into the dragon's lair without hesitation.' |
π‘ Key Takeaways
- π Direct characterization tells; indirect characterization shows.
- π Authors often use a combination of both techniques.
- π§ Understanding both helps you better understand the characters and the story.