LITERARY ELEMENTS:
Characterization
"The Jilting of Granny Weatherall"
The characters in literature are part of what makes literature intriguing to
readers. A writer makes a character come alive through c
>n,
the means by which a character's personality is revealed.
METHODS OF CHARACTERIZATION
1. Showing the character acting and speaking
2. Giving a physical description of the character
3.
Revealing the character's thoughts
4.
Revealing what other characters think about the character
5.
Commenting directly on the character
Numbers 1-4 above are indire
terization. By using
these methods, a writer shows or dramatizes the character and allows you,
the reader, to draw your own conclusions. Number 5 is a din
•rization. By using this method, the writer directly tells you what a
character is like.
Characterization is also accomplished by the name given a character.
Granny Weatherall was chosen by the author to portray a characteristic of
the old woman. She had indeed weathered all. Sometimes a name makes a
reference to a famous person, place, or thing and is called an allusion.
TYPES OF CHARACTERS
DESCRIPTION
TYPE
Flat
Round
A character who has only one or two
EXAMPLE
Father Connolly
"sides," representing only one or two
Doctor Harry
traits—often a stereotype, such as a
Cornelia
mad scientist.
John
A character who is complex and has
Granny
Many "sides" or traits, with unpredictable
Weatherall
Behavior and a fully developed personality.
Dynamic
Static
A character who experiences an essential
Granny
change in personality or attitude.
Weatherall
A character who does not change or
Cornelia
Develop beyond the way in which he or she is
Father Connolly
first presented.
Doctor Harry
Practice in Characterization
Name
_ Class.
Date.
A. Choose two fiction selections that you have read in the textbook. Identify in each selection one
character who is flat, round, static, or dynamic. Then briefly explain your choices and indicate what
method(s) of characterization the writer used to develop each character.
B. Write a paragraph in which you develop a character of your own creation. Decide whether the
character will be flat, round, static, or dynamic. Use at least two methods of characterization to
reveal the character's personality. If you need more space, use a separate sheet of paper.