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Understanding Characterization in Literature: Types, Methods, and Analysis

Explore the various aspects of character portrayal in literature, including actions, words, thoughts, appearance, and expressions. Learn about different types of characters like protagonist, antagonist, round, flat, and dynamic. Discover methods of characterization through physical descriptions, direct and indirect presentations. Analyze characters by examining their traits, changes, and growth in the story with supporting evidence.

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Understanding Characterization in Literature: Types, Methods, and Analysis

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  1. Characterization

  2. What defines a character? • Actions (What do they do?) • Words (What do they say?) • Thoughts (What are their opinions? Feelings?) • Physical appearance • Expressions

  3. Types of Characters • Protagonist: the central character in the conflict even if the reader cannot sympathize with him/her • Antagonist: the force(s) against the protagonist • Round: complex and many-sided; numerous traits • Flat: simple; only one or two traits • Stock: stereotyped figure appearing frequently in fiction (mad scientist, the big bad wolf)

  4. Types of Characters cont’d • Dynamic: one who changes (a significant, permanent change in character, personality or outlook) • Static: a character that stays the same • Foil: a person who sets off or enhances another character by contrast (Batman and Robin; Sherlock Holmes and Watson; a boring character beside a funny one makes the funny one seem more funny)

  5. Methods of Characterization • Physical description • Direct presentation • Indirect presentation

  6. Physical Description • What does the character look like? Style of dress? • How old is the character? • Is the character male or female? • Does the character have any distinguishing features? • What can these attributes tell us about the character?

  7. Direct Presentation • In third person point of view, the narrator describes each character’s appearance, thoughts, feelings and actions . • In first person point of view, the character describes his/her own appearance, thoughts, feelings and actions.

  8. Indirect Presentation • Readers/viewers draw their own conclusions by making inferences based on • Revealing dialogue: • What does a character say? What does that tell us? • What do others say about the character? What does that tell us about that character? • Dramatic or revealing action: • “Actions speak louder than words.” • How does a particular character act? • How others act towards that character? • What do these actions tell us about the character?

  9. Analyzing Character • How can the character be described? What examples support this descriptions? • Is the character round with many characteristics? • Is the character flat with only one or two traits? • Does the character change (dynamic) or stay the same (static)? • What adjectives can you use to describe the character? Evidence from the text? • How does the character grow and change? Does the character experience any epiphanies (major insights)?

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