Character - Notes



Character - Notes

1. An author creates a character in these five ways:

a. physical description

b. directly telling the character's traits

c. the character's actions

d. the character's words and/or thoughts

e. the reaction of other characters to the character

2. protagonist

a. the main character

b. the action of the story revolves around this

character

3. antagonist - character or force in conflict with

the protagonist

4. Characters can be:

a. dynamic - a character who changes as a result

of the events of the story

b. static - a character who does not change during

the story

c. flat - a character we know little about;

one-sided; often a stereotype

d. round - a fully developed character; exhibits

many traits, both good and bad; seems like a

real person

Characterization is the method an author uses to create and develop a character.

1. direct characterization - author tells the reader the

character's traits

For example:

He [Stanley Yelnats] didn't have any friends at home.

He was overweight and the kids at his middle school

often teased him about his size.

Sacher, Louis. Holes. New York, Scholastic, Inc., 1998.

2. indirect characterization - author reveals the character's personality through the character's words, thoughts, and actions, and/or by what the other characters say about the character or how the other character's react to the character; the reader infers

For example:

"Zero's one weird dude," said Zigzag.

Zero said nothing. He just stared at the letter with a serious, almost angry look on his face.

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