Methods of Characterization

1. Methods of Characterization

2. Character Traits • When you first meet a real person or a character in a book, you form judgments about that person. • You might say something about the person such as “He’s nice,” or “She’s friendly.” • “Nice” and “friendly” are examples of character traits. They are words that we use to describe a person’s “character” or personality.

3. Analyzing Character Traits • We try to figure out what a character in a book is like by paying attention to the clues the author gives us. • This is called “making inferences.” • The writer can let us know what a character is like through direct and indirect characterization.

4. Indirect Characterization • In indirect characterization the writer shows you what the character is like by revealing: • appearance • actions • words • thoughts & feelings and the • reactions of other characters.

5. Appearance • We often infer a lot about characters from the clothes they wear, their facial features, their body language, and their mannerisms. Erasto was the priest of his village. When he appeared before the commission, he towered above them, wearing his finest yellow hat and scarf, and his royal blue robes. -respected-proud-dignified

6. Action • You know the expression, “Actions speak louder than words”? Much of what we learn about characters is revealed to us through what they do. Denise picked up the slimy bull frog. She could hardly stand to hold it even for a moment. She held it out at arm’s length from her body and quickly carried it to her brother. -squeamish-sensitive-nervous

7. Words • We often get to know characters because of what they say to each other. Anita threw her arms around Tony and gave him a big hug. “Thank you so much for being there for me,” she said. “I don’t think I could have faced my parents without you.” -thoughtful-compassionate-appreciative

8. Thoughts and Feelings • When an author lets us get inside the mind of a character, we can often learn a great deal about him or her. Butch looked around the neighborhood. “This would be a safe place to play catch with Bobby,” he thought. “Why doesn’t Bobby throw the ball? He must be in a bad mood or something.” -loyal-concerned-playful

9. Other Character’s Comments or Reactions • Sometimes other characters will tell us something useful about the character we’re reading about. “You wouldn’t believe what Lisa did yesterday,” Sara said to her sister. “When we went into the bridal shop, she pushed all the women aside and demanded that the sales lady help us immediately. It was really something!” -demanding-pushy-assertive

10. Direct Characterization • In direct characterization the writer tells you directly what the character is like. Betsy was a determined three year old, who knew what she wanted and often got her way, if she cried loudly enough.

11. Comments by the Narrator Jimmy was a mischievous boy and creative too. He could take a discarded box or old blanket and turn it into something adventurous. But sometimes his imagination got the better of him, and he’d find himself in big trouble. -mischievous-creative-imaginative

12. Which method of characterization is being used? Org the ugly was usually angry. • Words • Actions • Appearance • Thoughts and feelings • Other characters’ comments or reactions • Direct comments by narrator

13. Which method of characterization is being used? He stood up stiffly and glared at the sky. • Words • Actions • Appearance • Thoughts and feelings • Other characters’ comments or reactions • Direct comments by narrator

14. Which method of characterization is being used? He raised his slimy fists and beat them against his huge, hairy chest. • Words • Actions • Appearance • Thoughts and feelings • Other characters’ comments or reactions • Direct comments by narrator

15. Which method of characterization is being used? “I feel just like a dark sky!” Org shouted. • Words • Actions • Appearance • Thoughts and feelings • Other characters’ comments or reactions • Direct comments by narrator

16. Which method of characterization is being used? “I haven’t seen him this angry in a long time,” said Org’s wife to the cook. • Words • Actions • Appearance • Thoughts and feelings • Other characters’ comments or reactions • Direct comments by narrator

17. Which method of characterization is being used? Org leaned against a tree trunk and thought about how mean and ugly and mad he felt. • Words • Actions • Appearance • Thoughts and feelings • Other characters’ comments or reactions • Direct comments by narrator

18. Which method of characterization is being used? Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around the tree. He pulled and tore at it until it ripped out of the earth, roots and all. • Words • Actions • Appearance • Thoughts and feelings • Other characters’ comments or reactions • Direct comments by narrator

19. Which method of characterization is being used? All the gentle woodland creatures in the forest shook their heads sadly at Org and his hateful ways. • Words • Actions • Appearance • Thoughts and feelings • Other characters’ comments or reactions • Direct comments by narrator

20. Journal Exercise Make a chart containing Scout, Jem, Dill, Atticus, and Maycomb. List characteristics of each.

21. Urban Legends • An urban legend is, “a modern story of obscure origin and with little or no supporting evidence that spreads spontaneously in varying forms and often has elements of humor, moralizing, or horror: Are there alligators living in the New York City sewer system, or is that just an urban legend?” (dictionary.com). • Despite its name, an urban legend does not necessarily originate in an urban area. Rather, the term is used to differentiate modern legend from traditional folklore in pre-industrial times. For this reason, sociologists and folklorists prefer the term contemporary legend.

22. A young woman was about to get married, and she decided she wanted to hold the wedding in the backyard of the large farmhouse where she grew up. It was a beautiful wedding and everything went perfectly. Afterwards the guests played some casual party games, and someone suggested hide-and-seek so they could get the children to play too. It wouldn't be hard to find a place to hide around the house.

23. The groom was "it," and the bride wanted to make sure that she won the game. When no one was looking she slipped inside the house. She ran up to the attic, found an old trunk and hid in it. No one could find her. Her new husband wasn't worried though, he figured she must have just gotten tired and went inside to rest. So everyone went home. • The groom looked around the house but he couldn't find her anywhere. He and her parents filed a missing persons case, but she was never found.

24. A few years later when her mother died, the woman's father went to go through his late wife's things that were collecting dust in the attic. He came to an old chest. The lid was closed and the old lock was rusted over and holding it closed. He opened the lid and was terrified to see his daughter's decaying body in the chest. When she hid there, the lid had closed and the rusty parts of the lock had latched together, trapping her there.

25. Analyze • What are urban legends based on? • Which emotions are typically evoked by these types of legends? • In the case of the Finch children, they alter their behavior based on the legend of Boo. • Have you ever encountered an urban legend that caused you to change your behavior? `Do you have an example?

26. Synthesize • In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem and Scout have collected many urban legend stories about Boo Radley. Now it’s time for you to create one! • Create your own urban legend as a pod using phrases at the left as inspiration. • Fits the definition of an urban legend (see above) – 5 pts. • Complete storyline based on phrase – 5 pts. • Vivid descriptions and sensory details to enhance story – 5 pts. • Coca-Cola • Birthday • Vampires • Fossil Fuels • Supernatural • Contaminated food • Hook • Computer virus • Amusement park • Dinosaurs • Bloody Mary • Ghosts • Apartment • Road Trip • Bird • Ham sandwiches • Halloween