Introduction to Characterization

Class Objectives & CA Content Standards

Introduction to Addressed

Characterization Objectives: CA Content Standards:

•
• Students will be able to distinguish between
Character Analysis Unit direct and indirect characterization
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL 9-10.6 Acquire and use accurately general academic
and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing,
speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate
independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or
phrase important to comprehension or expression

9th Grade Honors English • Students will be able to draw conclusions from • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.6. Use technology, including the Internet, to
produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking
a text that contribute to characterization advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display
information flexibly and dynamically.
Ms. Avina elements • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.10. Write routinely over extended time frames
(time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single
sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
• Students will be able to write an indirect • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1. Initiate and participate effectively in a range
characterization analysis using a graphic of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’
Lecture Adapted from: organizer ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Lit Charts: Characterization

ReadWriteThink: S.T.E.A.L. Strategy
Indirect Characterization: Revealing Characters Subtly

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For the next 2 minutes, make a list

of traits or characteristics that
describe YOU. Think About This…

Quick-Write Pick one trait from your list and

• Is there a character from a story you
read that you either related to or
provide a specific example. In what
Exercise: way does this trait contribute to
who you are?
found yourself mesmerized with
how they carried themselves
Who am I? throughout the story?

I am hard-working:
• How we just described ourselves is
For example:
When I go to school
every day, I am eager to
the same way we develop analysis of
expand my knowledge
and challenge my mind.
literary characters!
*Educational Hook (Interpersonal)
*Educational Hook (Interpersonal)

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Introduction to Characterization

What is Characterization? Direct vs. Indirect Characterization

• Characterization is the Direct characterization:
representation of the traits, character's qualities are explicitly • Example: The seven dwarfs’ names present
described by a narrator, another
motives, and psychology of a character, or by the character him their character qualities.
character in a narrative. or herself.

• There are two types of Indirect characterization:
characterization: direct and character's qualities are revealed
by his or her actions, thoughts, or
indirect. dialogue.
• Example: Without knowing their names, the
seven dwarfs’ actions, dialogues, and facial
expressions eventually reveal their personalities.

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Direct Characterization:
A Closer Look
Now You Try:
• An author provides the reader with a very specific description of a character.
• Watch the video provided to the right from
Disney’s Pixar Inside Out and answer the
• Example:
following: Jimmy's the worst. He acts nice when you first meet him, but then he'll ask you for
• Can you identify a form of direct money and never return it, and eat all your food without any offering anything in return,
characterization within the clip? and I once saw him throw a rock at a puppy. Thank God he missed.
• Can you identify a form of indirect • Another speaker is used to explicitly describe Jimmy.
characterization within the clip?
• Think, Pair, Share: Discuss your answers • Jimmy is described directly through distinct characterizations: “[he] is the worst…he’ll ask
and reasonings with a partner.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1oXx4delIY you for money and never return it." Readers know exactly the kind of person the character
described is like. Jimmy is cruel and selfish (… and that poor puppy ).
*Progress Monitoring Question (Mastery)
*Dual-coding technique (Video Visual Aid) *Dual-coding technique (use of examples/elaboration to deepen levels of engagement with content

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Introduction to Characterization

Direct Characterization: What a character

says

Comprehension Check Indirect Characterization: The character’s

• “The first thing Rainsford's eyes A Closer Look thoughts

discerned was the largest man

Rainsford had ever seen--a gigantic • Rather than explicit description, readers must make How the character
creature, solidly made and black
bearded to the waist. ‘Ivan is an
• What are some phrases that give inferences when identifying indirect characterization in interacts with
others
incredibly strong fellow,’ remarked the you direct, specific information literature.
general, ‘but he has the misfortune to about the character of Ivan?
• Inferences: the process of arriving at a conclusion
be deaf and dumb. A simple fellow, The character’s
but, I'm afraid, like all his race, a bit of using known evidence or premises and logically actions
a savage.” forming an opinion or interpretation.
-Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous
Game”
• Contributions to indirect characterization include: The character’s
appearance

*Progress Monitoring Question (Understanding) *Dual-coding technique (visual aid of the S.T.E.A.L. elements)

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Self-Questioning Organizer (S.T.E.A.L.) Types of Indirect Characterization:

Type of Indirect Focusing Questions Examples Explanation SPEECH
Characterization

Speech
What does the character say? How
does the character speak? • What does the character say?
What is revealed through the • How does the character speak?
Thoughts character’s private thoughts and
feelings?
What is revealed through the
Effect on others character’s effect on other people? • Example: What inferences can
toward the character
How do other characters feel or
behave in reaction to the character?
you make about the two people
What does the character do? How
in the comic to the right based
Actions does the character behave? on their dialogue and tone?
What does the character look like?
Looks How does the character dress?

STEAL Self-Questioning Chart *Table Organizer

*Dual-Coding Technique (interacting with visual comic image as a humorous example)

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Introduction to Characterization
Types of Indirect Characterization:
THOUGHTS
• What is revealed through the
character’s private thoughts
and feelings?
• Requires extra attention to figure out
what the character is like
internally/psychologically based on
how they think.
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Types of Indirect Characterization:
EFFECTS ON OTHERS TOWARD A
CHARACTER
• What is revealed through the
character’s effect on other people?
• How do other characters feel or
behave in reaction to the character?
• These relationships can show
personalities of both characters or just
the one in focus.
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Types of Indirect Characterization
Now You Try
• Example:
“Bill sighed as he looked at the offer of a gym
membership. He really should join. But just
thinking about it made beads of sweat collect at the
top of his bald spot.”
• Underline the thoughts/feelings mentioned
in the passage. What inferences can be
made about Bill’s personality based on his
thoughts/feelings?
*Progress-Monitoring Question (Understanding)
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Types of Indirect Characterization:
ACTIONS
• What does the character do?
• How does the character
behave?
• Actions of characters could
reveal their personalities and
motivations.
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Introduction to Characterization

Types of Indirect Characterization: Types of Indirect Characterization:

Now You Try LOOKS
• Example: • What does the character look like?
“Katerina Ivanovna had just begun, as she always • How does the character dress?
did at every free moment, walking to and fro in her
little room from window to stove and back again, • Physical details about a character could
with her arms folded across her chest, talking to grant insight into their personality—
herself and coughing.” –Crime and Punishment including facial expressions, clothing,
• What are the actions that Katerina is displaying in the and the way they carry themselves.
passage? • Can you identify some appearance
• What inferences can you make about the character of details about the characters in the
Katerina based on her actions? photo?
*Progress-Monitoring Question (Understanding) *Dual-Coding Technique (Using image examples that students engage with)

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Indirect Characterization: Your Turn! :

Comprehension Check
• “He stretched out his arms toward
the dark water in a curious way,
and, far as I was from him, I could
have sworn he was trembling.
Involuntarily I glanced seaward—
and distinguished nothing except a
single green light, minute and far
away, that might have been the end
of a dock.” –The Great Gatsby
Character Analysis Activity
• Using the Self-Questioning Visual Organizer displayed
earlier in the lecture, conduct an indirect characterization
• Analyze the indirect characterization
analysis of Louise Mallard from Chopin’s “The Story of
of Gatsby in the passage.
an Hour.”
*Remember to think of the S.T.E.A.L.
method. • Download the word document of the table by
clicking the link below and filling it out with your
• What elements do you detect and chosen quotes/examples and explanations that
how do they contribute to Gatsby’s represent each element in S.T.E.A.L.
character?
STEAL Self-Questioning Chart

*Culminating Activity/Question (Synthesize information) *Culminating Activity & Question (Organize/synthesize information)

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