CharacterizationUnit Two: Fiction & The Hobbit

Who or what qualifies as a character?

• A character will: • Be a person or animal in the story• Takes part in the action• They are not usually described all at one time-

information is given to the reader in pieces throughout the story.

• Ex: Ponyboy• Ex: Bilbo

How do characters become real? • Two ways:

• Direct Characterization:• The author or narrator gives the reader information about

the character(s)

• Indirect Characterization:• The reader must examine the thoughts, actions, and

feelings of a character for himself and make a decision

Characters can be: • Major OR Minor

• Major characters LEAD the story, while MINOR characters help add to th ekey elements and plot

• Protagonists or Antagonist• A PROTAGONIST is normally the main character, & the focus of the

reader’s attention• A antagonist is usually in conflict with the protagonist, or the bad guy

• Round OR Flat• Round characters have a background and different/ many sides to

their personality• Flat characters give you little to no personal history or personal

information, and have only 1-2 obvious personality traits• Static OR Dynamic

• Static characters remain the same throughout the story• Dynamic characters change throughout the course of the story-

normally dramatic changes

Physical Description• Describes anything physical about the character• Can include: Height, Weight, Clothing, short/ tall,

skinny/ fat, Unusual qualities… anything you can see on the outside

Name Analysis• Analyzing a characters name is looking more

closely at the name and it’s relation to the characters traits and characteristics.

• Not all characters name will have a meaning…

• What is an example of this?

Attitude/ Appearance• The reader’s description of the characters

attitude.• How does the character feel about what is

happening to him/her in the story?

Dialogue• Dialogue is the way a character talks.• Includes the characters choice of words and the

tone he/she speaks in.• Is the character: serious? Sarcastic? Ignorant?

Obnoxious?

Thoughts…• What is the character thinking?• What type of narrator must we have to know a

characters thoughts?