Characters
Chapter 2
Characters and Characterization
• The revelations that fiction offers lie largely in characterization
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The stories actors
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More difficult than describing plot
• Characterization: various literary means by which characters are presented
• What is more difficult in your opinion, creating a plot or a character? Why?
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Human character is infinitely complex and ambiguous
• Direct Presentation: Authors tells readers simply, what the characters are
like.
• Indirect Presentation: the author shows us the characters subtly through
their actions; we determine what they are like by what they say to do.
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Appearance, dialogue, thoughts, actions, effects etc.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBW9dayvJAk
Indirect Pyramid
Names
Looks
Thoughts
Actions
Dialogues
Other’s Perceptions
Types of Characters
• Flat: usually have only one or two predominant traits.
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They can be summed up in a sentence or two
Stock: kind of a flat character that are stereotyped figures who have reoccurred so
often in fiction that we recognized them.
Static: remains essentially the same person from the beginning to this end.
• Round: complex and many-sided
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They have the three-dimensional quality of real people.
Developing (dynamic): endures a distinct change of character, personality or outlook
This change can be defined by something known as an epiphany (moment of spiritual
insight to life or into character's own circumstances.
What type of character are they?
What type of character are they?
What type of character are they?
What type of character are they?
What type of character are they?
What type of character are they?
What type of character are they?
What type of character are they?
What type of character are they?
What type of character are they?