Characterization & Character Analysis:

Explanation & Application

Defining Characterization
Characterization is the process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character. Characterization is
revealed through direct characterization and indirect characterization. Direct Characterization tells the audience
what the personality of the character is.
Example: “The patient boy and quiet girl were both well- mannered and did not disobey their mother.”
Explanation: The author is directly telling the audience the personality of these two children. The boy is
“patient” and the girl is “quiet.”
Indirect Characterization shows things that reveal the personality of a character. There are five different
methods of indirect characterization:
1. Speech: -What does the character say?
-How does the character speak?
2. Thoughts: -What is revealed through the character’s private thought s and feelings?
3. Effect on others toward the character:
- What is revealed through the character’s effect on other people?
-How do other characters feel or behave in reaction to the character?
4. Actions: - What does the character do?
-How does the character behave?
5. Looks: -What does the character look like?
-How does the character dress?

If you are required to write a character analysis, it is best to take notes as you read your story or book. Be
mindful of subtle hints, like mood changes and reactions that provide insight into your character's personality.

1). Personality of the Character

We get to know characters in our stories through the things they say, feel, and do. It's not as difficult as it may
seem to figure out a character's personality traits based on his/her thoughts and behaviors:

"Say cheese!" the exasperated photographer shouted, as she pointed her camera toward the group of squirming
children. Margot displayed her broadest, most convincing fake smile as she inched ever-closer to her younger
cousin. Just as the photographer's finger twitched over the shutter button, Margot leaned into her young
cousin's side and pinched hard. The boy let out a yelp, just as the camera clicked."

You can probably make some assumptions about Margot from the brief segment above. If you had to name
three character traits to describe her, what would they be? Is she a nice, innocent girl? Hardly! From the brief
paragraph we know she's apparently sneaky, mean, and deceptive.

You will receive clues about a character's personality through his or her:

 Words
 Actions
 Reactions
 Feelings
 Movements
 Thoughts
 Mannerisms
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2.) Character Role

When you write a character analysis, you must also define each character's role.

In addition to having personality traits, characters also fill certain roles in a story. They either play a major role,
as a central element to the story, or they play a minor role to serve a supporting role in the story.

Protagonist: The protagonist of a story is often called the main character. The plot revolves around the
protagonist. There may be more than one main character.

 In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck Finn is the protagonist.

 In Little Red Riding Hood, the little girl is the protagonist.

Antagonist: The antagonist is the character who represents a challenge or an obstacle to the protagonist in a
story. In some stories, the antagonist is not a person!

 In Little Red Riding Hood, the wolf is the antagonist.

 In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, society is the antagonist. Society, with its unfair laws and rules,
represents the obstacle to Huck's development as a person.

Foil: A foil is a character that provides contrast to the main character (protagonist), in order to emphasize the
main character's traits. In A Christmas Carol, the kind nephew Fred is the foil to nasty Ebenezer Scrooge.

3.) Character Development (Growth and Change)

When you are asked to write a character analysis, you will be expected to explain how a character changes and
grows. Most characters go through changes as a story unfolds-otherwise, stories would be pretty boring!

Other Useful Terms for Character Analysis:

-Flat Character: A flat character has one or two personality traits that don't change. The flat character can play
a major or a minor role.

-Round Character: A round character has many complex traits-and those traits develop and change in a story.
A round character will seem more real than a flat character, because people are complex!

-Stock or Stereotype Character: A character who represents a stereotype is a stock character. These characters
exist to maintain widespread belief in "types," such as hot-tempered redheads, stingy businessmen and absent-
minded professors.

-Static: A static character never changes. A loud, obnoxious "background" character who remains the same
throughout the story is static. A boring character who is never changed by events is also static.

-Dynamic: Unlike a static character, a dynamic character does change and grow as the story unfolds. Dynamic
characters respond to events and experience a change in attitude or outlook.

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Types of Personality Traits

There are many different personality types, and it is sometimes difficult to classify a person into a single type as
there are many different personality traits you can possess.

Personality traits are simply:

 Actions
 Attitudes
 Behaviors you possess
Positive Personality Traits

Some personality traits are positive:

 Being honest no matter what the consequences are is one personality trait people should aspire to.
 Having responsibility for all of your actions and being a little bit of a perfectionism are also personality
traits.
 Adaptability and compatibility are great and can help you get along with others.
 Having the drive to keep going, and having compassion and understanding are positive personality traits.
 Patience is a virtue and also another trait.
 Getting up the courage to do what’s right in those tough situations and loyalty to your friends and loved
ones are also personality traits.

Here's a few more to consider:

 Adventurous
 Affable
 Conscientious
 Cultured
 Dependable
 Discreet
 Fair
 Fearless
 Observant
 Impartial
 Independent
 Optimistic
 Intelligent
 Keen
 Gragarious
 Persistent
 Capable
 Charming
 Precise
 Confident
 Dutiful
 Encouraging
 Reliable

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 Exuberant
 Helpful
 Humble
 Suave
 Imaginative
 Meticulous
 Obedient
 Trusting
 Valiant
Negative Personality Traits

Other personality traits are negative. For example:

 Laziness
 Picky
 Sullen
 Pompous
 Dishonesty
 Finicky
 Sarcastic
 Arrogant
 Cowardly
 Sneaky
 Rude
 Quarrelsome
 Impulsive
 Slovenly
 Self-centered
 Boorish
 Surly
 Unfriendly
 Unruly
 Thoughless
 Stingy
 Bossy
 Vulgar
 Malicious
 Conceited
 Obnoxious

Practice I: Read each sentence carefully. Write the character trait that matches the situation.
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 trustworthiness respect Responsibility
citizenship Caring Fairness

1. Bryan and James were playing with blocks. Bryan’s little sister
wanted to play too. James got a bunch of pieces he didn’t need and
made a pile just for her.

2. Sam was playing at his Grandma’s house. He accidently broke a

lamp. His big brother told him to hide it. Sam decided to go straight
to Grandma and tell her the truth.

3. Kimmie came home late from soccer practice and she was really
tired. She knows it is her turn to take out the trash, so she makes
sure she does it before she goes to bed.

4. As Haley was walking home from school she saw some older boys
making fun of a little boy who had fallen down. She went over and
told them to stop. Haley helped the little boy up, and walked him
home.

5. The teacher asked for volunteers for the canned food drive. This
person would have to give up a week of recess to help. Jeremy
raised his hand high.

6. Katie got a special award from her teacher. Katie is known for using
good manners and always being considerate of others.

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Practice II: Read a short description of an event. Identify a character trait that is revealed by each
action. Explain your answer.

1. When Kaitlin got to Patrick's apartment, she took a look around and saw several half-filled cans of soda and
some cooked chicken breasts that had gone bad in a pan in the kitchen. She also noticed that all of the lights
and televisions were on and that Patrick wasn't home.

What character trait does Patrick demonstrate? ______________________________________________

Explain your answer by referencing the text.

2. Ms. Roberts noticed that Tierney had not been herself recently. She participated less in class, dressed in
darker colors, and didn't want to associate with the friends that she had at the beginning of the school year.
Noticing these changes, Ms. Roberts scheduled a conference after school with Tierney so that they could talk in
private.

What character trait does Ms. Roberts demonstrate? __________________________________________

Explain your answer by referencing the text.

3. Lyle's cousin Ted works at a packing plant. After Lyle asked Ted to get him a job there several times, Ted
went out of his way and got Lyle hired. Tomorrow was Lyle's first day. Lyle stayed up late that night hanging
out with friends. Consequently, he slept in and arrived at the packing plant an hour late. During his training,
Lyle was yawning and almost fell asleep on the line. Ted shook his head in disgust.

What character trait does Lyle demonstrate? ________________________________________________

Explain your answer by referencing the text.

4. The home team was down three points and it was the last play of the season. The coach decided to go for the
win. The ball went to star running back Brant Barker. Brant easily maneuvered around the defenders, juked,
threw a stiff arm, and made it to other side of the field. Right before Brant crossed into the end zone, he did a
little shuffle. Brant was so into nailing the footwork on his shuffle that he did not notice that the opposition had
caught up to him. They hit him so hard that he fumbled the ball and the home team lost.

What character trait does Brant demonstrate? ______________________________________________

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Explain your answer by referencing the text.

5. Amy does not enjoy being with Herby. She thinks that he is boring and unattractive. One day Herby called a
radio station and won backstage passes to see pop music super group, The Mountain Boys. When Herby asked
Amy if she wanted to go to the concert with him, she agreed saying that it would be a great time. Amy was very
nice to Herby until the concert. After the concert she treated him the same way that she always had.

What character trait does Amy demonstrate? ______________________________________________

Explain your answer by referencing the text.

6. Today was Kiki's first day at high school. Upon arriving she was both impressed and overwhelmed by the
size of the building. As she passed by the fire alarm, one of the seniors struck up a conversation with her. "Did
you know that we are supposed to have a fire drill today?" Kiki said that she did not know that. The senior then
convinced her that the principal is probably running behind and would give her fitting reward if she pulled the
fire alarm for him. Wanting to make a good impression on the older students and the principal, Kiki pulled the
fire alarm. She was suspended for a week.

What character trait does Kiki demonstrate? ________________________________________________

Explain your answer by referencing the text.

7. It was gym class and the boys decided to play a fun pickup game of basketball, nothing too serious. They
weren't even going to keep score, until Clive insisted on it. The game was pretty close, but soon Clive's team
dropped behind a few points. Clive pretty much lost it. He started throwing elbows and fouling people. He
pushed one player to the ground while he was attempting a layup, at which point Clive claimed that the player
was doing it for attention. After losing the game, Clive punched his hand against the wall and cursed.

What character trait does Clive demonstrate? _______________________________________________

Explain your answer by referencing the text.

8. Kevin has tried out for the basketball team for the last three years. Each year he has been cut from the team
because other athletes have outperformed him. Kevin has been practicing all summer, however, and he knows
that this is his year. It has to be. He can feel it.

What character trait does Kevin demonstrate? ______________________________________________

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Explain your answer by referencing the text.

9. Javier was shopping at the grocery store for some olives. He needed a lot of olives, so he grabbed the large
jar off of the shelf. Then he noticed the price. The large jar contained 20 oz. of olives and it cost $3.99. He
looked at the small jar of olives. It contained 10 oz. of olives and cost $1.49. Javier put the large jar back and
purchased two small jars of olives.

What character trait does Javier demonstrate? _______________________________________________

Explain your answer by referencing the text.

10. Ricky was on his way to school when he stepped in a pothole and twisted his ankle. He tried to use his
phone to call for help, but he dropped it in a puddle. He tried to flag down a car as it passed but they thought
that he was making a crude gesture and they made crude gestures back at Ricky. Then it started raining.
Finally, Ricky hobbled into the school, but not before opening up the door and hitting himself in the forehead.

What character trait does Ricky demonstrate? _______________________________________________

Explain your answer by referencing the text.

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