CHARACTERIZATION
PART 2
See the next slides for a
quick reminder…
What does this show about the
character? Character traits like
SELFLESS, SACRIFICAL,
COURAGEOUS, LOVING
Practice on the next two passages.
Each of the passages uses BOTH direct
AND indirect characterization. Read
and find examples of BOTH direct and
indirect characterization. If it’s
indirect, make sure to write what it
shows about the character.
PRACTICE PASSAGE 1
Pablo is a talented athlete, and his favorite
sport is track. On a cold October Saturday,
Pablo’s alarm buzzed at 4:00 a.m. Although he
groaned and wished for more sleep, he got
dressed in warm clothes and headed for the
door. Here goes 10 miles, he thought as he
began his run. I have to be ready for the spring
marathon.
PRACTICE PASSAGE 2
Tommy McSweeney really hated being the
tallest boy in the eighth grade. Everyone
assumed he was a good basketball player, but
he had no athletic interest or skill. Instead, his
talent emerged far from a court or ball field.
No one beyond Tommy’s family knew that the
pale, muscular kid with curly hair and freckles
was a classical pianist – and Tommy intended
to keep it that way.
WAIT HERE. DO NOT GO TO OTHER
SLIDES. WE WILL GO OVER THIS
TOGETHER.
S.T.E.A.L. is a method we use to
help us characterize. See the
example on the next page.
Not that kind of
steal!
Let’s practice! Read the excerpt and
analyze the character. There are 2
pages of the excerpt. Complete the
STEAL graphic organizer your teacher
gave you and answer the questions
that follow.
Excerpt from The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
CHARACTER: Ponyboy Curtis
PAGE 1
When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the
movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride
home. I was wishing I looked like Paul Newman – he looks tough and I don’t –
but I guess my own looks aren’t so bad. I have light brown, almost-red hair
and greenish-gray eyes. I wish they were more gray, because I hate most guys
that have green eyes, but I have to be content with what I have. My hair is
longer than a lot of the boys wear theirs, squared off in the back and long at
the front and sides, but I am a greaser and most of my neighborhood rarely
bothers to get a haircut. Besides, I look better with long hair.
I had a long walk home and no company, but I usually lone it anyway, for
no reason except that I like to watch movies undisturbed so I can get into
them and live them with the actors. When I see a movie with someone it’s
kind of uncomfortable, like having someone read your book over your
shoulder. I’m different that way. I mean, my second-oldest brother, Soda,
who is sixteen-going-on-seventeen, never cracks a book at all, and my oldest
brother, Darrel, who we call Darry, works too long and hard to be interested in
a story or drawing a picture, so I’m not like them. And nobody in our group
digs movies and books the way I do. For a while there, I thought I was the
only person in the world that did. So I loned it.
PAGE 2
As Ponyboy is walking, he hears…
“Hey, grease,” one said in an over-friendly voice. “We’re gonna do
you a favor, greaser. We’re gonna cut all that long greasy hair off.”
“Need a haircut, greaser?”
I finally thought of something to say. “No.” I was backing up…of
course, I walked right into one of them. They had me down in a
second. They had my arms and legs pinned down and one of them
was sitting on my chest with his knees on my elbows, and if you
don’t think that hurts, you’re crazy. I could smell English Leather
shaving lotion and stale tobacco, and I wondered foolishly if I would
suffocate before they did anything. I was scared so bad I was
wishing I would.
Did you finish completing your
S.T.E.A.L. chart?
Don’t go on to the questions until you finish
completing your chart. When you finish
your chart, go on to the next questions. You
don’t have to wait on the class.
Write down 1 specific example
of DIRECT characterization.
Write down 1 specific example
of INDIRECT characterization.
Based on your S.T.E.A.L. chart, come up with 3
different adjectives that you could use to
describe this character. Make sure you have
proof for these adjectives in your S.T.E.A.L. chart.
WAIT HERE. DO NOT GO TO OTHER
SLIDES. WE WILL GO OVER THIS
TOGETHER.