Chapter 10Chapter 10Chapter 10Chapter 10Understanding CharacterisationUnderstanding Characterisation

By MelvinBy Melvin

What is Characterisation?

• Characterisation is the way how writers create, develop and present the characters in a narrative.

• It also involves describing the appearance, actions, speech, thoughts and feelings of the characters. In fact, anything can help to reveal their personality

Characterisation• We, as readers, are interested in what

happens to the characters as it is what that drives a storyline along

• It is useful for readers to understand the ways in what writers strike to make their characters believable and memorable as to make us become more of an attentive and responsive reader. When we care and become interested in a story, we will enjoy the story

Direct Characterisation• Direct characterisation is a

technique where the writer tells us about a character by explicitly starting what he or she is like. The character’s personality and what he or she is thinking about so we do not need to inter from the information

Indirect Characterisation

• Indirect characterisation is a technique where the writer shows us what a character is like through. For example, his or her appearance, actions, speech, thoughts, feelings and what other characters think and say about him or her.

• While direct characterisation provides clear and immediate information about characters, it can lead to some readers to feel less involved or ‘connected’ with them. Indirect characterisation however, leaves readers to work out what the characters are actually thinking or feeling. This can be effective for engaging readers’ imagination.

Ways to understanding a character

• There are four basic ways to understand a character by:

• Appearance• Actions• Speech• Impact on other characters

Appearance• Appearance is the description of a

character’s physical features, attire, facial expressions and body language such as postures and gestures. These external signs help us know more about the characters.

Actions• The actions of a character in a story

will reveal information which will guide us to a deeper understanding of a characters’ thoughts, feelings and motivations. It is also helpful to consider what the character chooses not to do

Speech• The way how characters speak

and interact also reveal a lot from them, giving us an insight into their thoughts, feelings and attitudes

Impact on others characters

• Another way how writers help readers understand a character better is to allow them to see the character through the eyes of others characters in the story.

The End

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