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Characterization

This document discusses various methods of character development in stories, including direct and indirect characterization, protagonists and antagonists, round and flat characters, and dynamic and static characters. It provides definitions and examples to illustrate different characterization techniques writers use to develop characters.

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591 views

Characterization

This document discusses various methods of character development in stories, including direct and indirect characterization, protagonists and antagonists, round and flat characters, and dynamic and static characters. It provides definitions and examples to illustrate different characterization techniques writers use to develop characters.

Uploaded by

Anonymous cVlqqWVFY
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Characterization

Who is that guy?


1. Characterization
 Meaning – Characterization is the way
writers develop characters in a story

 Two types –
◦ Direct Characterization
◦ Indirect Characterization
Characterization
 How does detailed characterization help
make a story better?
 It seems to me that detailed characterization helps
to make a story better because…
2. Direct Characterization
 Meaning – when the writer directly tells
the reader what a character is like

 Example
◦ Sherlock Holmes is clever and resourceful.
◦ Dracula is an evil vampire.
3. Indirect Characterization
 Meaning – When the writer gives the
reader clues about the character by
describing how the character acts and
thinks.

 The writer allows the reader to decide


how to view the character.
Direct vs Indirect Characterization
 Why do you think it might be harder to
understand indirect characterization than
direct characterization?
 It seems to me that it might be harder to
understand indirect characterization than direct
characterization because…
4. Protagonist
 Meaning – the main character

 Example
◦ Alice from Alice in Wonderland
◦ Tarzan from Tarzan
◦ Cinderalla from Cinderella
Protagonist
 Who is the protagonist of your favorite
book, movie, or story?
 My favorite protagonist is the character ______.
5. Antagonist
 Meaning – the character that the protagonist
struggles against
◦ The “bad guy”
 Example:
◦ Captain Hook from Peter Pan
◦ The Big Bad Wolf from The Three Little Pigs
Antagonist
 Who is an antagonist who you greatly
dislike?
 One antagonist who I greatly dislike is ______,
because _________.
6. Subordinate Characters
 Meaning – characters who do not play
major roles in a story
 Example:
◦ Extras in a movie
◦ The evil step-sisters from Cinderella
7. Motivations
 Meaning – the reason why a character
does something
 Example
◦ In Cinderella, the prince’s motivation for
searching for the owner of the glass slipper is
love.
8. Round Characters
 Round characters are well developed
characters. The author tells the reader a
lot about the character.
Round Character
 In your opinion is a round character more
likely to be a protagonist or a subordinate
character?
 In my opinion, a round character is more likely to
be a ______________.
9. Flat Characters

 Flat characters are not developed.


Readers know very little about them.
◦ Usually a minor character
Flat Character
 In your opinion is a flat character more
likely to be a protagonist or a subordinate
character?
 In my opinion, a flat character is more likely to be a
______________.
10. Dynamic
 Dy-na-mic
 (adjective) – describing word
 Meaning – changing; able to do many
things
 Example
◦ Dynamic students are able to get good grades
in many of their classes.
◦ It is good for teachers to be dynamic, so that
they can help their students with many
subjects.
Dynamic
 Why do bosses like to have dynamic
workers?
 It seems to me that bosses like to have dynamic
workers because…
11. Dynamic Character
 Meaning – a character who changes
during the course of story.
 Often the change involves learning a
major lesson
 Example:
◦ Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol learns
to be more generous.
12. Static
 Sta-tic
 (adjective) – describing word
 Meaning – not changing
 Example
◦ If employees do not work hard, they will
remain static in their careers.
◦ If you are getting bad grades and you do not
turn in make-up work, your scores will remain
static.
Static
 If a student has bad grades, what is one
way to make sure that his scores do not
remain static?
 If a student has bad grades, one way for him to
make sure that they do not remain static is to…
13. Static Character
 Meaning – A character who does not
change during the story
14. Dialogue
 Meaning – Conversations that characters
have among each other.

 Usually indicated by quotation marks.

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